Peter Jennings of Silsden was married to Agnes and their first child William was christened on 14 January 1578 [1] . Their son John soon followed in 1580, but was buried in April of 1581 [2] . A month their small daughter Agneta was also buried [3] . This may have been as a cause of a local outbreak of a childhood disease.

Two years later, in 1583, their son Dionisius was buried as well [4] . This must have seemed to Peter and Agnes that all their children were buried when in 1586 their son Edmund was also buried [5] . However, their daughter Elizabeth was christened in 1587 who lived to adulthood [6] .  Within a year Peter’s wife Agnes had died and he would have watched his wife’s coffin being lowered into Kildwick Parish Church graveyard in March of 1588, just as the daffodils would have been blooming [7] .

Peter’s eldest son William married Agnet Wilkinson in Kildwick in 1602 [10] . Peter’s eldest grandson John arrived in October of that year, and he was soon blessed by a granddaughter Euphemia in 1604 [11] .

 Peter Jennings died and was buried in 1606 [12] .

            Another branch of Jennings in Kildwick were small landed gentry whose relationship with our main line is difficult to place. The confusion is complcated by the fact that both 'elder' Jennings are named Peter.

            Peter Jennings of Ripon was born about 1578 in Ripon [13] . Peter Jennings was a described as a gentleman of Silsden. He appears to have held land in Addingham. There is a declaration by William Vavasour of Hazlewood to Peter Jennings of Silsden gentleman of a mansion at Small Banks Addingham held by Robert Laycock of Danem in Keighley, dated 2 February 1619/10 [14] . Peter also held lands in Steeton with Eastburn in 1612 [15] . The connection with the Laycocks may have resulted in an exchange of lands beneficial to the Jennings. In 1612 a William Laycock, yeoman of Silsden gives three quarters of his property at Steeton to trustees Hugh Curter, the younger, yeoman of Kildwick and William Jowett of Silsden, schoolond, in trust for his nephew William Jennings of Silsden and the remainder to other Jennings [30] . This William Jennings may be the son of Peter Jennings of Silsden above, but it is at present unproven.

Peter Jennings married Elizabeth Parke in 1589 in Kildwick [16] . Their first son, Peter, followed twelve years later in Kildwick in 1601 [17] . Peter Jennings, died unmarried on 4 March 1624 and was buried in St. Crux Church in York [18] . Their son Edmund Jennings died unmarried and was buried in Kildwick in 1625 an ‘alumni of Canterbury’ aged twenty-five [19] . Peter Jennings and Edmund Jennings were present at the siege of Skipton castle in August 1645. In 1643 Peter Jennings sent wheat oats and sheep to the Royalist garrison at Skipton castle for which he was richly rewarded. He is described as a gentleman of Silsden. On 25 November 1645 Peter Jennings ' senile delinquent' of Silsden tried to compound, i.e. pay the Parliamentarians for his adherence to the royalist cause. He was aged over seventy and was unsuccesful as the siege of Skipton castle was too far forward. After the English Civil Wars Peter had to compound for £700. Peter Jennings died on 1 September 1651 [20] . His will was dated 15 July and proved on 13 October 1651 [21] . In his will he mentions his cousin Edmund Jennings of Silsden. At present the connection between this Edmund Jennings of Silsden and the line of Peter jennings above is difficult to establish..

Peter’s son Jonathan Jennings of Ripon died on 24 August 1649 and was buried in Ripon Minster [22] . He married Elizabeth Parker, daughter of Giles Parker of Newby Yorkshire [23] . This may have been a marriage of fortune as Elizabeth was the co-heir of her father Giles Parker. Jonathan and Elizabeth had three children. Elizabeth their only daughter married twice [24] . Their son Edmund Jennings was born in Farnham on 30 November 1626 and died in 1695 [25] .  Edmund married Frances daughter of Henry Corbin in London and had two sons who died unmarried [26] . Edmund emigrated to Virginia in 1680 and became Attorney General of Virginia [27] . Jonathan’s son Jonathan Jennings was High Sherriff of Yorkshire in 1690. He was also MP for Ripon in 1658-60 and a JP from 1688-95 [28] . Jonathan married Anne daughter of Sir Edward Barkham of Tottenham and had a daughter Margaret.

            In Silsden there was a Jenning’s Hall near the chapel. This had a considerable estate held under the chief lord by the Jennings family who had held land in Silsden since the fiftteenth century [29] .