Arms.—Ermine, two chevrons azure. A former coat was, Argent, a chevron gules between three martlets sable, which was used from the reign of Edward III. to that of Henry VIII. (Rolls.) The present coat is of still greater antiquity.
Present Representative, William Bagot, 3rd Baron Bagot.
Gifford of Chillington.
A noble Norman family, which is traced to the Conquest, and of which there were in Leland's time four "notable houses" remaining in England, in the counties of Devon, Southampton, Stafford, and Buckingham. All with the exception of the third have been long extinct. The Giffords have been seated in Staffordshire since the reign of Henry II., when Peter Gifford, by the gift of Peter Corbesone, became Lord of the Manor of Chillington, ever since their principal residence. He is called in the Deed of Gift, "Nepos uxoris meae." This family had the honour to be concerned in the preservation of King Charles II. after the Battle of Worcester.
See Erdeswick, p. 158, corrected from Huntbach's MSS. penes Lord Wrottesley.
Arms.—Azure, three stirrups with leathers or. The more ancient coat, which was used by the elder line of the Giffords, who were Earls of Buckingham, was, Gules, three lions passant argent.
Present Representative, Thomas William Gifford, Esq.
Wrottesley of Wrottesley: Baron Wrottesley 1838; Baronet 1542.
