The Egerton Family. 107 



On the ground-floor of the hall is a very valuable 

 museum of fossils. 



Sir Philip Egerton represents the eldest branch of 

 that very ancient and celebrated Cheshire lineage, 

 which, dating back to the reign of Henry I., has 

 in the flow of time had its name ennobled alike 

 by virtue, wit, and valour, and which, in one of its 

 younger branches, included the famous but now extinct 

 ducal family of Bridgewater, and in another younger 

 branch is represented by the existing Egertons of Tat- 

 ton. In the time of Henry L, the head of the powerful 

 barony of Malpas was Robert Fitz-Hugh. He had a 

 daughter named Mabilla, who in due time became his 

 heiress, and afterwards the wife of one William le Bel- 

 ward, to whom she brought the property. From this 

 marriage proceeded David, surnamed le Clerc. David, 

 in turn, had a son named Philip, who, fixing his resi- 

 dence in the township of Egerton, three and a half miles 

 east of Malpas, (temp. Edw. I.,) took therefrom, accord- 

 ing to the custom of the time, the honoured surname we 

 have before us, and commenced the Egertons properly 

 so called. A different reading of the earliest part of the 

 genealogy says that David le Clerc was son of Ralph, 

 baron of Malpas, by Beatrix, daughter or sister of Hugh 

 Kevelioc, fifth Earl Palatine of Chester. It does not 

 much matter, Philip being the first who actually bore the 

 name. The direct line of descent from Philip Egerton 

 terminated in two ladies, (temp. Edw. II. ;) the succes- 



