Baron Grey of Powis - Barons Grey of Powis - Edward Grey, 3rd Baron Grey of Powis

Edward Grey, 3rd Baron Grey of Powis

Edward Grey, 3rd Baron Grey of Powis (died 1551 or 1559 ). Edward traveled with the Duke of Suffolk to France, including the taking of Bray and other places from the French. In 1525 Edward married Anne Brandon, Baroness Grey of Powys, daughter and co-heir of Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk with whom he had no issue. The marriage was not successful and in 1537 Anne left Edward for her lover, Randal Haworth (whom she later married). By the time Anne took Randal as her lover, Edward had already taken a mistress, Jane Orwell by whom he had illegitimate children, and upon whom he would later entail the greater part of his estates comprising the barony of Powys. Anne's father, with the assistance of Thomas Cromwell, forced Grey to support her, and succeeded in obtaining for her an annuity of £100. He also asked Cromwell to help discipline Anne so that she would "live after such an honest sort as shall be to her honor and mine". In 1540, Grey petitioned the Privy Council to punish Anne for adultery, and also accused Anne and Haworth of conspiring to murder him. No action was taken against Anne, and she remained with her lover; however, this scandalous arrangement caused her to be excluded from Charles Brandon's will, which contained generous bequests to her two half-sisters, Frances and Eleanor.

In 1536 King Henry VIII took the lands of the Buildwas Abbey in Shropshire and granted the site of the abbey and all its lands in Shropshire, Staffordshire and Derbyshire to Edward Grey, Lord Powis. On 17 September 1545, the king demised to Edward Grey, Lord Powis, the site of the Abbey of Strata Marcella for 21 years.

In 1551 Edward Grey died without lawful issue and the barony went into abeyance. He left six illegitimate children by Jane Orwell : Edward, Walter, Andrew, Thomas, Jane, and Cecily or Anne. According to Edward's will dated 11 June 1544, Edward left to his issue:

• barony and lordship of Powys, with his castle and manor of Poole,
• lordships in the county of Montgomery and
• castles and manors of Cherleton and Pontysbury, in the county of Salop.

To Jane Orwell daughter of Sir Lewis Orwell Knight, he left the castle and manor of Charlton, and manor of Pontysbury, during her natural life.

His property and titles he left to his children in the following manner:

• all property and titles and the castles and manors of Cherleton and Pontesbury upon Jane's death to Edward Grey, his illegitimate son by Jane, or if he died with no heirs,
• his next son born by Jane (she was pregnant at the time of this will), or if he died without heirs,
• Jane Grey, my daughter, or if she died without heirs,
• Anne Grey, my other daughter, or if she died without heirs,
• any other daughter of Edwards born to Jane.

In 1568 Edward Grey of London, son of 3rd Baron Grey of Powis, came of age and conveyed the manors of Plas Y Dynas and Trewern in Montgomeryshire to Edward Kynaston, and later the manor of Pontesbury to William Leighton. In 1587 Edward sold the lordship and castle of Powys to his kinsman Sir Edward Herbert, the second son of William Herbert, 1st Earl of Pembroke (1501–1570). Edward Herbert's son, William Herbert became the 1st Baron Herbert of Powis. The Herberts rebuilt Powis Castle into its current state of splendor.