_Widdrington Family_ (Vol. ix., p. 375.).--The church of Nunnington, near
Helmsly, in the North {551} Riding of Yorkshire, contains two handsome
marble monuments of Lords Preston and Widdrington. The old hall at
Nunnington, now occupied by a farmer, was once the seat of Viscount
Preston, and afterwards of Lord Widdrington. William, Lord Widdrington, who
is said to be descended from the brave Witherington, celebrated in Chevy
Chace for having fought upon his stumps, was of the very noble and ancient
family of the Widdringtons of Widdrington Castle, in the county of
Northumberland; and great-grandson of the brave Lord Widdrington who was
slain gallantly fighting in the service of the crown at Wigan, in
Lancashire, in 1651. William, his grandson, was unfortunately engaged in
the affair of Preston in 1715, when his estate became forfeited to the
crown, and he afterwards confined himself to private life. He married a
daughter of the Lord Viscount Preston above mentioned, one of the
co-heiresses of the estate at Nunnington, and was in consequence buried in
the family vault in 1743, aged sixty-five. For other particulars of the
family of Widdrington, see Camden's _Britannia_.