home of a junior branch of the family. He died without issue in 1451, and the manor descended to Thomas, son of Edmund Pilkington, his nephew. Thomas was the son of Edmund, and enjoyed the favour of Edward IV. The Pilkingtons built a house with a moat at Bury between 1359 and 1400 and were granted a licence to crenellate it in 1469 when it became known as Bury Castle. He was appointed Knight of the Order of the Bath in 1475 and was Knighted on the battlefield at the capture of Berwick in 1481, he was previously a Knight Bachelor. He fought for Richard III at Battle of Bosworth Field and was attainted by the victorious Henry, his manors in Lancashire confiscated and were given to the newlycreated Earl of Derby. Sir Thomas Pilkington was granted Royal pardon in 1508. The Pilkington Knights fought in the Wars of the Roses and in the 15th century three members of the family were High Sheriffs of Lancashire. Their Pilkington relatives included Sir Charles Pilkington who was appointed High Sheriff of Nottingham and Derby in 1480. Pilkingtons of Rivington The early Pilkingtons were step brothers of the Rivingtons and a grant of land was made to them in 1202. In 1212 the Pilkingtons held of King John of England, in thanage, six oxgangs of land at a rent of 10s. Rivington was held by the Pilkingtons of Pilkington until 1290 when Sir Alexander de Pilkington (1225–1291) gave his lands at Rivington to his second son, Richard, as a wedding gift on his marriage to Ellen daughter of William de Anderton, of Rumworth and Anderton. Rivington was afterwards held by the junior branch of the family, who became known as the Pilkingtons of Rivington, the first record of a member of the family living at Rivington was Richards son Robert who is first found on the lay subsidy in 1322 after reaching the age to succeed to the Manor in 1318. (born c.1297 - died c.1382) In 1324 Roger de Pilkington held seven-eighths of the manor at a rent of 8s. 9d while Richard de Hulton held the other eighth for 1s. 3d. p.a. This partition appears again in 1445. Robert Pilkington is mentioned in lay subsidies of 1327 and 1332. In 1477 a contract was drawn up between Robert Pilkington and Adam Holden to build a cross chamber with two great windows