The primary source of information on this website for Robert D'Anyers and the Daniell Families of Over Tabley and Daresbury is Ormerod's "History of the City and County Palatine of Chester", 2nd Edition Edited by Thomas Helsby, Published by Geo. Routledge & Sons, 1882.

" Defective as they are, the Inquisition Post Mortem's of the Daniell's of Over Tabley form perhaps the most perfect set of Inquisitions relating to one family, in the county. Very few Inquisitions have escaped destruction. Most families have two or three left, but many are without any at all. " (Thomas Helsby- Editor of the 2nd Edition)

In the "History of Cheshire" Ormerod pays tribute to, and acknowledges, that his work on the Daniell's of Over Tabley is largely based upon the 17th century manuscripts of Sir Peter Leycester, a notable scholar, and historian, of the time.

The Leycester's of Nether Tabley, and Daniell's of Over Tabley, were neighbours in Bucklow Hundred, Cheshire, from the 13th Century until the male line of the Daniell's of Over Tabley became extinct in the 18th Century.

Ormerod's work is the acknowledged basis for the pedigrees recorded in Burke's "History of the Commoners of Great Britain and Ireland" and "Landed Gentry".

Further confirmation can be found in the Visitations of Cheshire of 1580, 1613, 1663, and the Visitation of London of 1568.

Post 1666 information is from Burke's "History of the Commoners of Great Britain and Ireland" , and "Landed Gentry".

Genealogists and family researchers are strongly advised to disregard the Pedigree of William Daniell of Wigan (b. 1625 d. 1695 in England) as recorded in these Visitations and reproduced in "VIRGINIA GENEALOGIES", by Rev. Horace Edwin Hayden (Wilkes-Barre, Pa, USA, 1891).

William Daniell of Wigan was the son (Ormerod says 4th son, others say 2nd son) of Sir Peter Daniell of Over Tabley and Christian Grosvenor therefore his descent from the Daniell's of Tabley is not in doubt. However, the remaining information, in the Lancashire Visitations, apart from the details of William's children, contain too many errors to be of any value in understanding his relationship to the Daniell's of Over Tabley.

The Over Tabley family appear to have supported King Charles I in the Civil War of 1642/3 whereas William of Wigan supported the Parliamentarians. Estrangement from the family in Over Tabley is probably the reason why William's recollections of his family history recorded in the Lancashire Visitations are somewhat "hit and miss".

Further confirmation of William of Wigan's relationship with the Over Tabley family can be found under the name Willis in both Burke's "Commoners" and "Landed Gentry".

See also Other References for William of Wigan

With respect to the Daniell's of Daresbury there are substantial differences between Ormerod and Burke. On this site the descent of the Daresbury family between 1497 and 1736 (within "Descendants of Robert D'Anyers") is now as recorded by Ormerod. Burke - Daniell family of Daresbury