Family
The family name was originally Ferriers, but had probably been standardised as Ferrers in England by the end of the 13th century.
Henry de Ferrers was born about 1294 and died on 25 July 1349. He was the son of William de Ferrers. He Henry married Isabel de Verdun. Isabel was born on 21 Mar 1317 in Amesbury, Wiltshire. She was the daughter of Theobald de Verdun and Elizabeth de Clare. She died on 25 Jul 1349. Their son William was born on 28 Feb 1333 in Newbold Verdon.
Barony
Henry was the second Baron Ferrers, of Groby, Leicestershire. He was 22 or over when he succeeded his father. The King took his homage, and he had livery of his father's lands, on 24 April 1325. In September following, he accompanied the King's son, Edward, Earl of Chester, to France, in the retinue of Sir Henry de Beaumont.
Career
Having accompanied the Earl of Lancaster in his chivauche to Bedford on 11 January 1329, his lands were taken into the King's hand on 16 January: they were restored to him on 11 February following, and the King, with the assent of Parliament, remitted the recognizance in £5,000, which he had been made to pay for his pardon.
He was summoned to accompany the King to Ireland, with as great a force as he could muster, on 28 January 1332. He was one of the "Disinherited" who took part in Edward de Balliol's invasion of Scotland in August 1332.
Being actively engaged in the wars of King Edward III, both in Scotland and France, he acquired very large territorial possessions by grant from the crown for his services.
Channel Islands
On 3 February 1333 he was appointed Warden of the Channel Islands, at a farm of 500 marks a year, for three years from the following Easter. On 3 March 1334 he and Guillaume de Mountagu were appointed joint Wardens for five years from the following Easter, at a rent of 500 marks a year.
He was Keeper of Berwick-on-Tweed in 1335, and was on the King's service in Scotland in June 1336. Justice of co. Chester, 10, 11, 14, 15, and 16 Edw. Ill. The King promised him 400 marks a year, in consideration of his constant attendance, and he was Chamberlain to the King, March 1337 to November 1340.
Descendants
Henry de Ferrers' great-grandfather William de Ferrers had two wives. Henry is descended from the second of them, Margaret de Quincy. There are direct lines from William through Matilda and Isabel, two of his daughters of his first wife Syvil Marshal, to the Paulets, who were Governors and Bailiffs of Jersey in the 16th Century; and the Andros and de Sausmarez families in Guernsey.
Family tree
| Predecessor | Successor | |
| Thomas Wake of Liddell 1331-1333 |
Guillaume de Montagu and Henry de Ferrers 1334 - 1337 |
Thomas de Ferrers 1337 – 1341, 1343 - 1347 |
