Hastings, was a lineal descendant of Alan le Zouch, the seventh of the Zouches 

 lords of Ashby. The descent runs thus : — Catharine Nevill was the daughter 

 of Richard, Earl of Salisbury (beheaded at Pomfret, 1460, and the father of the 

 celebrated " King Maker "), by his wife Eleanor, daughter and heiress of 

 Thomas Montacute, Earl of Salisbury. 



This lady was the daughter of Thomas Montacute, Earl of Salisbury, by 

 Eleanor, daughter of Sir Thomas Holland and Lady Joan (grand-daughter of 

 Edward I.), which said Sir Thomas was the son of Sir Robert Holland and 

 Maud le Zouch, daughter of Alan aforesaid, who died in 1346. 



William, Lord Hastings, was in high favour with Edward IV., who 

 appointed him his chamberlain, Master of the Mint in the Tower, Steward of 

 the Honours of Leicester and Donington, and Constable of those castles, 

 including Higham Ferrars. He was created Lord Hastings in 1461. In 

 1474 he obtained licence to impark 3,000 acres of land and wood in 

 Ashby, 2,000 acres in Bagworth, and 2,000 more at Kirkby, with liberty 

 of free warren in all. He was beheaded by command of Richard, Duke 

 of Gloucester, afterwards Richard III., on Tower Hill, in June, 1483, and 

 was buried in St. Stephen's Chapel on the north side of the choir of 

 St. George's, Windsor, where a magnificent screen, with the arms of 

 Hastings (<;;;«., a maunch, sab. ) on the cornice, still remains. His wife 

 Katharine, Lady Hastings, desired to be buried in the Parish Church of 

 Ashby, in the Lady Chapel there, between the image of Our Lady and the 

 place assigned for the vicar's grave. 



This William, Lord Hastings, founded a chauntry in St. George's, part of the 

 endowment coming out of the manor of Alveston, Yorks. This fact, no 

 doubt, accounts for his interment at Windsor, and it is perhaps by no 

 casual coincidence that his body reposes so near to that of his great bene- 

 factor. 



Dr. Fuller relates that in 1475, William, Lord Hastings, had 2 lords, 9 

 knights, 58 esquires, and 20 gentlemen of note retained by indenture during 

 their lives to take his part against all persons whatever, the king only 

 excepted. 



The last of the name of Hastings of Ashby was Elizabeth, who succeeded 

 to the estates on the death of her brother, Francis, tenth Earl, in 1789. Her 

 hand was sought and won by John, Lord Rawdon, of Ireland, who was 

 created Earl of Moira in 1 76 1. His lordship died in 1 793, leaving issue. 

 Thus the descendants of the Beaumais, the Zouches, the Hastings, and the 

 sister of the great Earl of Warwick, "the King Maker," are still lords of 

 Ashby and the owners of their once stately home. 



Nichols relates some very curious particulars about Henry Hastings (second 

 son of George Hastings, the fourth Earl of Huntingdon), lord of the manor of 

 Piddletown, in Dorset, living 1636. He was by no means distinguished for 

 piety, but exceedingly hospitable, and was greatly addicted to rural sports. 

 The pulpit in the chapel attached to his mansion was his private cup- 

 board, and never wanted a cold chine of beef, venison pasty, gammon of 

 pasty, or a great apple pie, with thick crust extremely baked. 



