[Illustration] 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.