om he had John, who lived in the
service of the King. The seal of Peter, son of Hugh de Arderne, of
Macclesfield, co. Chester, 1372,[487] is preserved in the British
Museum, and bears three crosses crosslet and a chief Arderne. Old and
infirm, Hugh was granted exemption from military service in 1408.

Charles Arden, son of John, son of Peter, married Elizabeth Radcliffe in
Edward III.'s time, and through her inheritance became owner of
Timporley, and founded the Timporley branch of Ardens.

The pedigree of the family is given _in extenso_ in Drummond, Earwaker,
Ormerod, and the Visitations of Cheshire, so that it is unnecessary to
repeat it here. Further intermarriages with the Hydes[488] are recorded.
Ralph Ardern, of Harden, led his tenantry against the Royalists, 1642,
and died 1657. Sir John, head of the family, in 1660 was Sheriff of
Cheshire. One of his brothers was the Rev. James Arden, Dean of Chester,
1691.

John, who was Sheriff in 1760, married Sarah Pepper, who brought Pepper
Hall into the family. Their son, Richard Pepper Arden, Chief Justice of
the Common Pleas, was created Baron Alvanley[489] 1801. He had three
sons, John, William, and Richard. The title became extinct 1857.[490]
The arms were the three crosses crosslet and a chief or; crest, a double
row of ostrich feathers out of a ducal coronet.

There is a curious will at Somerset House[491] (January 9, 1614) of
Thomas Arden, of Hornsey, gentleman, who seems to have been connected
with this family. After trifling legacies, he leaves his lease in
Cheshire of Melton Farm to his dear and well-beloved sister, Ann Ardern.
"Executors, my beloved sister Anne Arderen, ever faithful friend, and
Richard Drape of Hornsey gent."--proved January 17, 1614. But another
similar will of the same man was again proved, 1615, by Anne and another
co-executor.

In Berry's "Sussex Genealogies" we find that George Ardern, son of
George Ardern, born in Chester, came to Chichester, married Catharine,
daughter and coheir of Robert Palmer, Esq., and had three sons--George,
John, and Richard. Richard married Margaret, daughter of Thomas Green,
and had three sons and a daughter--Thomas, George, Richard, and
Catherine.

An important official Arden was John, who in the reign of Henry V. was
Clerk of the Works.[492] His patent was renewed under Henry VI., and
payments are recorded to him for making the tomb of King Henry V.[493]
in St. Peter's, Westminster, of Caen stone, L23