Sir [William Cheyne (judge)|]Richard Arches, of Eythrope, in the parish of Waddesdon, Buckinghamshire, was MP for Buckinghamshire in 1402. He was knighted before 1401.
Origins
He was probably the son of Richard Arches of Eythrope, by his wife Lucy Abberbury, daughter of Sir Richard I Adderbury of Donnington Castle, Berkshire and Steeple Aston, Oxfordshire, twice MP for Oxfordshire. His family, whose name was Latinised to de Arcubus had been established in Buckinghamshire since at the latest 1309, and held in that county the manors of Little Kimble, and in the parish of Waddesdon the estates of Eythrope and Cranwell. The estate of Arches within the manor of East Hendred in Berkshire had long been held by a family which was called Arches or D'Arches Their heir was the family of Eyston. John Arches of Arches was elected four-times as MP for Berkshire, in 1384, 1390, 1402 and 1404. A family relationship between the Arches families of Arches and Eythrope, which both bore the same canting arms of Gules, three arches argent, was suggested by Bertha Putnam in her work on Sir William Shareshull, but as was remarked upon by Woodger, her suggestion that Sir Richard Arches was the son of Ralph Arches, son of John Arches of East Hendred was clearly physically impossible.
Firstly, before 1410, to Joan Ardern, granddaughter and co-heiress of Sir Giles Ardern of Drayton, Oxfordshire, Oxfordshire, from whom she inherited the Oxfordshire manors of Horley, Ilbury and Wykeham. These thus became possessions of Sir Richard Arches, who moved his residence to Oxfordshire. She was the widow of William Greville of Horley, Oxfordshire, younger son of the great Gloucestershire wool-merchant William Greville, of Chipping Campden, another of whose sons was the husband of Joan's sister Margaret Ardern. By Joan Ardern Richard Arches had the following two children:
*John Arches, aged 7 at his father's death, who died as a child shortly after his father, without issue, leaving his sister Joan his sole heiresses.
*Joan Arches, who became a substantial heiress. She was a minor aged 7 at her father's death and in 1420 disposal of her marriage was granted to Thomas Chaucer,, son and heir of the poet Geoffrey Chaucer and 14 times MP for Oxfordshire. Chaucer had acquired in 1415 most of the lands of Sir Richard Arches' uncle Sir Richard II Adderbury, twice MP for Oxfordshire, which included Donnington Castle and manor, Berkshire. In 1421 at the age of 11 she also became heir to the lands of her half-brother Richard Greville, of Ilbury in Deddington, Oxfordshire, MP for Oxfordshire in 1420, her mother's son from her first marriage. Joan was married to Sir John Dinham of Nutwell, Devon. Their son and heir was John Dinham, 1st Baron Dinham, KG; they also had at least five daughters.
Secondly before May 1417, during the last year of his life, Arches married Joan Frome, daughter and co-heiress of John Frome of Buckingham, Buckinghamshire and Woodlands, Dorset, councillor to King Henry IV and 6 times MP for Dorset and once for Buckinghamshire. She was the widow of William Filliol, MP and after Arches' death she remarried before March 1420 Sir
Little Kimble, held from the honour of Wallingford.
Eythrope, in the parish of Waddesdon, held from the honour of Wallingford. The Dinhams were later said to have made this estate one of their seats.
Cranwell, in the parish of Waddesdon, held from the honour of Wallingford.
Cuddington. Recorded in the 14th century as held by Geoffrey D'Arches. This manor descended to the Dinhams through Sir Richard Arches' daughter Joan.
Arches also inherited, or possibly purchased at reduced cost, five Oxfordshire manors from his childless uncle Sir Richard II Adderbury, of Donnington Castle, Berkshire, twice MP for Oxfordshire. These manors were Souldern, Steeple Aston, Sibford, Ludwell, and Glympton. In addition he acquired, via his first wife's inheritance, possession of the Oxfordshire manors of Horley, Ilbury and Wykeham.
Succession
His son and heir John Arches died as a child soon after his father's death, and thus his heir became his daughter Joan Arches, later the wife of Sir John Dinham of Nutwell, Devon. Their son and heir was John Dynham, 1st Baron Dynham, KG. The arms of Arches were later quartered by Lord Dinham and later by his heirs the Bourchier family, Earls of Bath.
