In the Parish Registers of 1658 is the record that "John Spencer and Margrett Hartley both of the Parish of Cawthorne weare married the one-and-thirtieth day of March."
This John Spencer, described by Hunter as "a gentleman much engaged in the mineral affairs of this district," afterwards purchased the Cannon Hall estate from the above only daughter of Robert Hartley. He was probably the son of the Randolph Spencer, of Criggon, in Montgomeryshire, gent., who was buried at Cawthorne, July 22nd, 1658.
He was succeeded in the Cannon Hall estate after his death, April 19th, 1681, by his son John, born to him by a former wife, who was buried at Cawthorne Oct. 29th, 1657.
This John Spencer the younger married one of the Wilsons of Broomhead, and died April 13th, 1729, aged 74.
Their son and heir William Spencer married Christiana, daughter and at length sole heir of Benjamin Ashton, of Hathersage, in the County of Derby, who, when he died in 1725, "left Mr. Spencer £14,000" in addition to the estates. It was just at this time that Mr. Spencer "bought Eastfeild of Mr. Savill, formerly of Mexburgh, grandchild to Madam Savill now living at Fawthwaite, aged near 100, one of the daughters and co-heirs of Mr. Cudworth of Eastfeild, whose ancestors had enjoyed it for 400 years." (Yorkshire Diaries: Surtees Soc. Vol. 65.)
This Mr. William Spencer left the Hathersage estates to John Ashton Shuttleworth, the eldest son of their daughter Christiana, who was married to William Shuttleworth, of Horrock's-fold, Lancs.
With the eldest son of William and Christiana Spencer, John, who died unmarried Nov. 9th, 1775, aged 57, the male line of the Spencer family became extinct. His sister Ann became the second wife of Walter Stanhope, of Horsforth, Esq., second son of John Stanhope by his wife Margaret, daughter of Sir William Lowther, of Swillington, Knight. Their only son Walter, born Feb. 4th, 1749, became principal heir to his uncle John Spencer, and "out of grateful regard for his memory prefixed the name of Spencer to his own." He inherited the Horsforth estates from his uncle John Stanhope, Esq., of
