Colonel John Downes (1609 – c. 1666) was a commissioner who signed the death warrant of Charles I of England.
It is said that certain Cheshire estates belonged to the ‘Ancient Family of Downes and Taxall’ which did service to Earl Edwin of Chester, brother in law to Harold, one of the Saxon kings of Mercia.
Whilst all went to look for him, the Royal Forester, Downes, was resting when a white stag approached and led him to the King.
Ormerod claims the Downes family held their lands by a blast of the horn on Midsummer's Day and had many curious medieval rights including one to hang draw and quarter.
He did not fight in the English Civil War but amassed a fortune dealing in the confiscated Royalist estates.
He was a close friend of Oliver Cromwell and received substantial land grants in Ireland and England.
[2] When soon afterwards he petitioned King Charles II for an appointment, Robert Howcott stated that he was a servant of Mr Almery who was a relation of "Collonell Downes of Hampstead".