Humphrey Kynaston (died 1534), aka Wild Humphrey Kynaston,VirtualShropshire.com, Nesscliffe Country Park was an English highwayman who operated in the Shropshire area.BBC News, Sir Humphrey Kynaston: The elusive highwayman The son of the High Sheriff of Shropshire, he was convicted of murder in 1491. After being outlawed, he moved into a cave in the area and lived a lifestyle compared to Robin Hood.
Biography Early life Kynaston was the youngest son of Sir Roger Kynaston (c. 1432/1433–1495), High Sheriff of Shropshire,Bartrum, Peter C., Welsh Genealogies AD 1400–1500, 1983, Pg. 131 who was thought to have killed Lord Audley at the Battle of Blore Heath, and Roger's second wife, Lady Elizabeth Grey, daughter of Henry Grey, 2nd Earl of Tankerville and Antigone Plantagenet, the legitimised daughter of Humphrey of Lancaster, 1st Duke of Gloucester (son of Henry IV and Mary de Bohun) and his second wife Eleanor de Cobham.Douglas Richardson, Kimball G. Everingham, David Faris, Plantagenet Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families, Genealogical Publishing Com, 2004, Pg. 455 He was raised in Myddle Castle, which Roger had inherited from his first wife Elizabeth Cobham.Gaskell Family History Website, Sir Roger Kynaston He received his "wild" nickname from his outrageous lifestyle, which frequently got him into trouble with the law.Trans. Shropshire Arch. & Nat. Hist. Soc. 2nd Ser. 6 (1894): 209–222 ("The quaint historian of Middle says that he 'for his dissolute and ryotous liveing was called the wild Humphrey. Hee has two wives, but both of soe meane birth that they could never claim to any Coat of Armes... being outlawed in debt, hee left Myddle Castle (which he had suffered to grow ruinous for want of repaire) and went and sheltered himself in a Cave near to Nescliffe, which to this day is called Kynaston's Cave, and of him the people tell almost as many romantick storyes as of the great outlawe Robin Whood." He was outlawed in 1491, and pardoned two years later). Kynaston later inherited Myddle Castle from his father, but allowed the estate to fall into disrepair.
Marriage and children Kynaston married Isabella ferch Maredudd ap Howell ap Morrice of Oswaldestre (Oswestry), daughter of Maredudd of Glascoed and Thomasina Ireland of Wrexham, Denbighshire. They had six children:Gaskell Family History Web Site, Humphrey Kynaston Margaret Kynaston Edward Kynaston Thomasina Kynaston Robert Kynaston Roger Kynaston Jana Kynaston
It is further thought that he married Margred ferch William on 4 August 1497, with whom he had another two children:Visitation of Shropshire, 1623, Robert Treswell Elsbeth Kynaston (b. Cochwilliam, 1502) Edward Kynaston of Hordley (born c.1515)
Life of a highwayman On 20 December 1491, Kynaston was found guilty of the murder of John Hughes at Stretton,The Flude Genealogy Website Roger Kynaston (c. 1450–1517) and declared an outlaw by Henry VII. Some time after that, he moved from Myddle castle to a cave in Nesscliffe Rock.Subterranea of Great Britain, Kynaston's Cave Some sources claim that the reason he moved was due to the criminal charges, and others claim that he was outlawed due to debts.Discovering Shropshire's History, From Castle to Cave: The Story of Wild Humphrey Kynaston, 2 October 2006
From 1491 to 1518, Kynaston supposedly lived a life that would match the fictional character Robin Hood. It seems he had a reputation for robbing from the rich and giving to the poor. In return, the locals protected him, and gave him and his horse ('Beelzebub') food. One time, in an attempt to capture Kynaston, the local sheriff removed several planks from Montford Bridge, to keep him from crossing the River Severn, but his horse managed to leap and safely clear the distance. It is also said that he was a regular patron at the Old Three Pigeons tavern at Nesscliffe in Shropshire, and his original seat is still there. He may have been pardoned by Henry VII in 1493, but some accounts state that in 1513, Humphrey provided 100 men to aid Henry VIII in France, and in return received a royal pardon 3 to 5 years later.
Death Kynaston left a will dated 1 May 1534, which was proved 26 January 1535. While the year of his death is well known, how he died and where are disputed. Some sources claim he lived comfortably in an estate near Welshpool until he died, and others claim he died of illness in his cave.Spence, Elizabeth Isabella, Old Stories, Longman & Co., 1822
Kynaston's Cave Today, the cave is known as Kynaston's Cave, and is located at . It has two rooms; Kynaston lived in one, and stabled Beelzebub in the other. The cave also featured an iron door for an entrance. This iron door is said to later have become the door for Shrewsbury gaol. There is also an engraving in the cave, which reads H.K. 1564. Although this engraving is concluded to be made by Humphrey, he was dead 30 years before 1564. However, he did have a grandson, Humfridus (b.1530) who may have left the inscription.
Theatre adaptation In June 2023, the Moonstruck Astronaut Theatre Company in Newport, Shropshire performed a theatre adaptation of Humphrey Kynaston's life, based on the folktale from Amy Douglas. It was directed by Hannah de Quincey, the artistic director of Moonstruck Astronaut Theatre Company.
The production was performed in Gnosall and was filmed and posted on the Moonstruck Astronaut Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jl-ekDnlI4&t=10s
References
Further reading
Hamilton, David. "Pursuing an Outlaw – The Real Wild Humphrey Kynaston". New English Review. June 2011. Hudson, Henry, The Robin Hood of Shropshire, published by Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner Ltd, 1899 (A semi-fictional account).