The mainline Savage family of England
originated from the Le Sauvages, of the Manor of Broadwater, in Sussex.
History
The early history of the descendancy of the mainline Savage family has not been reported very accurately in the media, especially on the web. Most of the early part of the history has originated from the well known book on the Savage family :
"The Ancient and Noble Family of the Savages of the Ards," edited by G.F. Savage-Armstrong, published in 1888.
The book is mainly about the Irish line of Savages dating from 1177, when 22 Norman knights, including William le Sauvage, invaded the Ulster region of Ireland. However, the first 100 pages gives an outline of the mainline Savages of England.
The main source of information that G.F.S-A. used in the book for the early descendancy of the English le Sauvages, was from the Pedigree Roll of the mainline Savage family which had been made in the year 1631, for Thomas Savage, 1st Viscount Savage (d.1635). This Roll was compiled by Randle Holmes from the documents and family knowledge known at the time, which was very limited compared with what is available today. The Roll is now located in the Cheshire Record Office. No mention was made of any of the le Sauvages of Broadwater, in Sussex. In fact the early history of the Savages between c.1066 and c.1350, in the Ards book, is quite inaccurate.
In 1964, W.E.P. Done published "Notes on the Sussex Family of Savage" (Sussex Archaeological Collections, vol.110, p.76-83), in which he researched the le Sauvage family of Sussex from c.1066 to c.1275. This work has been re-researched and confirmed.
The following is an outline summary of the mainline Savage family from c.1066 to 1737 :
c.1066 to c.1250 : the mainline le Sauvage family held a number of manors in Sussex, and were seated at their main Manor of Broadwater, in Worthing, Sussex. There were at least six, probably seven, Robert le Sauvages in a row, who held Broadwater. However, by c.1250, the family became virtually bankrupt, with Robert VII le Sauvage, Knight (d.c.1256), having to sell almost all of his manors in Sussex. By 1256, he had two remaining manors : the Manor of Stainsby, in Derbyshire, where the family moved to, and Sedgwick Manor, in Sussex, which was rented out. (Notes on the Sussex Family of Savage, by W.E.P. Done, in the Sussex Archaeological Collections, vol.110, p.76-83, year: 1964).
c.1250 to c.1350 : John le Sauvage (d.1274), the son and heir of Robert VII le Sauvage, Knight, established himself at Stainsby, in Derbyshire, where the mainline le Sauvage family resided for the next 100 years. Roger II le Sauvage (d.c.1335/39), the great-grandson of John le Savage (d.1274), was an Outlaw and one of the leaders of the infamous Coterel Outlaw Gang who roamed the Peak District and Sherwood Forest, in c.1328-33.
c.1350-1737 : John I Savage (d.1386), the son and heir of Roger II le Sauvage, married the heiress, Margaret Danyers, who held the manors of Clifton and part of Cheadle, in Cheshire, and subsequently, sometime after 1350, the mainline Savage established their seat at Clifton, Cheshire. There were nine John Savages in a row who were the heads of the family, numbers : I, II, III....IX. In 1626, Sir Thomas Savage, 2nd Bart. (d.1635), was elevated to the peerage, becoming 1st Viscount Savage, and his son and heir, inherited the Rivers Earldom through his grandfather, Thomas Darcy, 1st Earl Rivers (d.1640), becoming John Savage, 2nd Earl Rivers (d.1654). Unforfunately, the line died out in 1737, with the last John Savage, Canon of Liege (d.1737), who had no issue. This part of the mainline Savage family is well known, and has been given in some detail in the well known book : "The Ancient and Noble Family of the Savages of the Ards."
Other early lines :
Warwickshire : from c.1100 to 1258 :
This line started with Geoffrey I le Sauvage (b.c.1100), who was granted the Manor of Tissington, in Derbyshire.
His son, Geoffrey II le Sauvage (b.c.1125-d.1195), held the Manor of Newton Regis, in Warwickshire, and after three further Geoffrey le Sauvages, the male line died out with William le Sauvage, Rector of Newton Regis (d.1258), the uncle of the last Geoffrey V le Sauvage (d.1248). Parts of this line were included as the early mainline Le Sauvage line of Stainsby, in Derbyshire in the 1631 pedigree given in the Ards book (above), which appears to be incorrect. They were most probably related to the first Broadwater le Sauvages, but branched off completely by about 1150.
Kent : from c.1150 to 1420 :
This is another well known early line, which appears to have started in c.1150 with an Arnulf le Sauvage, and his son, Thomas le Sauvage, of Stockbury, in Kent. This line later acquired Milstede, in Kent, and the cadet line of Sir Roger le Sauvage, was established at Bobbing, by c.1300. The most well known descendants of the Kent line, are the three Sir Arnold Savages who occurred one after the other, being the descendants of Sir Roger I le Savage. Sir Arnold II le Sauvage (d.1410), was twice elected as the Speaker of the House of Commons.
