| Code | P/0021 |
| Dates | c.1375-1445 |
| Person Name | Cotton; Walter (c.1375-1445); Sheriff of London (1411-1412); of Landwade |
| Surname | Cotton |
| Forenames | Walter |
| Title | Sheriff of London (1411-1412) |
| Epithet | of Landwade |
| Activity | Though Walter Cotton (d.1445) acquired the estate which would be the centre of the large Cotton Family estates for centuries to come, he was not primarily a landowner rather a merchant. His father had been a successful burgess in Cambridge and Walter followed in his footsteps albeit primarily in London. He clearly had a profitable career in trading fine textiles, which led to his holding of the office of alderman of two wards of London and of the Sheriff of London. He also married the daughter of a former Lord Mayor of London, further proof of his standing among the merchants of London. With his acquisition of the Manors of Landwade and Exning, he became a landowner but on his grave his epitaph begins "Citizen and Mercer of London" which shows the way he was thought of, and likely thought of himself as a merchant above all else. |
| Relationships | Father: John Cotton (c.1344-c.1393) Mayor of Cambridge 1376-1378, MP for Cambridge 1379-1388
Mother: Bridget Grace or Margaret Howard
Siblings: Thomas Cotton (d. 1431-1436)
Spouse: Joan Reade (m. after 1405) daughter of Sir Robert Reade of Checkenden, Oxfordshire
Margery Fresshe, daughter of John Fresshe, Lord Mayor of London
Children: Joan Cotton (born c.1408)
William Cotton (1410 or c.1420-1455)
Walter Cotton (c.1422-1475)
Sir Thomas Cotton
Edmund Cotton
1 other daughter |
| RefNo | Title |
| KP114/28/1 | Volume of historical notes and cuttings begun by Rev. R.Y. Whitehead, vicar, and continued by others |
| K588/T/67 | Feoffment of ½ acre in Byggynfeld [Fordham]. |
| K588/T/65 | Quitclaim of lands in 588/T/64. |
| K588/T/45 | Quitclaim pursuant to a feoffment of same to quitclaimee and John Bernard, clerk. |
| K588/T/64 | Feoffment of 9 acre arable in Westfeeld, Bakedenefeld, Harberwefeld, Southfeld and Wyndmellefeld, Exning, as parcels of 30acre and a pightle which John Gardener the younger had. |
| K588/T/47 | Feoffment in form of indenture of messuage conveyed by saint, with covenant that donors should have re-entry if feoffee fails to aquit donors for the two acres also conveyed by 588/T/46 |
| K588/T/46 | Feoffment of same, 588/T/45 |
| K588/T/71 | Quitclaim of land in 588/T71, defined as lying in Brakedenefeld, Wyndmellefeld, Arnowefeld, Southfeld Magna, Horberwefeld. |
| K588/T/59 | Feoffment of a messuage with adjoining garden in Landwade abutting lands of Walter Cotton on both sides and with Exning and Landwade marsh at head (cf 588/T75). |
| K588/M/2 | Manor of Landwade Court Roll |
| K588/T/72 | Feoffment in form of indenture of 1 acre arable in Budgatefeld, one of two acres previously granted by feoffee to donors, with covenant that donors to have re-entry if other acre recovered in King's court by someone with anterior title. |
| K588/T/60 | Feoffment of all lands, messuages, rents and service with meadows, pastures and other rights in village of Landwade and elsewhere in Suffolk, which the donor and William Mercer of [New] Salisbury had by gift of feoffee on 12 April 1405. |
| K588/T/73 | Feoffment in form of indenture of manor of Exning with all lands, liberties, etc in Exning, Reach and Burwell which donors had with John Martyn justice of Common Bench, John Billyng of Thurlby ('Thurleby') and Henry Spelman of Abthorp ('Appethorp'), deceased. |
| K588/F/39 | Cole's history of the Cottons of Madingley and Landwade and related families with pen and ink illustrations. |
| K588/T/57 | Feoffment of messuage called Brown's, 150 acres arable, 3 acres meadow and 20s rent with liberty of one faldage in Fordham, Landwade, Isleham, Chippenham ('Chepyngham') and Exning. |
| K588/T/66 | Feoffment in form of indenture of 2 acres arable in South Feld and Wyndmellefeld, Exning, part of 9acre with which donors enfeoffed by 588/T/58. |
| K588/T/58 | Quitclaim of messuage as 588/T/57. |
| K588/T/69 | Quitclaim of land in 588/T/68. |
| K588/T/63 | Receipt on payment of third instalment of mortgage debt contracted by 588/T/62. |
| K588/T/68 | Feoffment of land in 588/T/67. |
| K588/T/31 | Feoffment of ½ acre in Holberwefeld, Exning (cf 588/T/13) |
| K588/T/74 | Letters of attorney to make livery of seisen of manor of Exning etc. |
| K588/T/70 | Feoffment of 7 acres arable in Exning fields granted to donor by John Gardener the younger, John Gladewene and John Sampsun of Exning. |
| K588/T/61 | Feoffment of same, which the donor and Thomas his brother had by gift of Thomas Nekton, citizen and stock-fishmonger of London. |
| K588/T/62 | Mortgage of manor of Landwade with lands, etc (as 588/T/47-49) and messuage called Brounis etc (as 588/T/51-52) to secure 700 marks to be repaid in seven annual instalments of 100 marks in St Gregory's Church, Sudbury. |