Sir Osbert Silvayne, Knight, of Norton Woodhouse, in the Forest of Sherwood, living in the 29th of Henry III., is the first proved ancestor of this family: he is said to have been son of Ralph Silvayne. Some of the name, which we may supposed to be derived from this wood or forest, were seated at Norton before the year 1140. Croxdale was inherited from the heiress of Whalton in 1402.
Younger branch, Salvin of Sunderland Bridge, in this county.
See Surtees's Durham iv. 117, and the Scrope and Grosvenor Roll, ii. p. 340. For the extinct family of Salvin of Newbiggen, see Graves's Cleveland.
Arms.—Argent, on a chief sable two mullets pierced or. This coat was borne by Sir Gerard Salveyn in the reign of Edward II., and also I suppose by the same Sir Gerard in that of Edward III., but here the mullets are voided vert. Again, in the reign of Richard II, Monsieur Gerard Salvayn bore his mullets of six points or, pierced gules.
Present Representative, Gerard Salvin, Esq.
Gentle.
Lambton of Lambton Castle, Earl of Durham 1833, Baron 1828.
According to Surtees, traced to Robert de Lambton, Lord of Lambton in 1314. 'There was, it is true, a John de Lambton, living between 1180 and 1200, but the pedigree cannot be proved beyond this Robert. The Lambtons were among the first families of the North who embraced the Reformed Religion, and were loyal during the Civil Wars of the seventeenth century.
See Surtees's Durham, ii. 174.