Early life Kynaston was the youngest son of
Sir Roger Kynaston (c. 1432/1433–1495),
High Sheriff of Shropshire, who was thought to have killed
Lord Audley at the
Battle of Blore Heath, and Roger's second wife, Lady Elizabeth Grey, daughter of
Henry Grey, 2nd Earl of Tankerville and
Antigone Plantagenet, the legitimised daughter of
Humphrey of Lancaster, 1st Duke of Gloucester (son of
Henry IV and
Mary de Bohun) and his second wife
Eleanor de Cobham. He was raised in
Myddle Castle, which Roger had inherited from his first wife Elizabeth Cobham. He received his "wild" nickname from his outrageous lifestyle, which frequently got him into trouble with the law. Kynaston later inherited Myddle Castle from his father, but allowed the estate to fall into disrepair.
Marriage and children Kynaston married Isabella ferch Maredudd ap Howell ap Morrice of Oswaldestre (
Oswestry), daughter of Maredudd of
Glascoed and Thomasina Ireland of
Wrexham,
Denbighshire. They had six children: • Margaret Kynaston • Edward Kynaston • Thomasina Kynaston • Robert Kynaston • Roger Kynaston • Jana Kynaston It is further thought that he married Margred ferch William on 4 August 1497, with whom he had another two children: • Elsbeth Kynaston (b.
Cochwilliam, 1502) • Edward Kynaston of
Hordley (born c.1515)
Life of a highwayman On 20 December 1491, Kynaston was found guilty of the murder of John Hughes at
Stretton, and declared an outlaw by
Henry VII. Some time after that, he moved from Myddle castle to a cave in
Nesscliffe Rock. Some sources claim that the reason he moved was due to the criminal charges, From 1491 to 1518, Kynaston supposedly lived a life that would match the fictional character
Robin Hood. ==Kynaston's Cave==