His father, John de Leigh, who was lord of the manor of Over Knutsford and seated at Norbury Booths, descended in the male line from the Venable family.

Some years after the dissolution of the monasteries, Thomas Legh the tenth in succession acquired the rights to the manor of Prestbury, together with the advowson of the parish church and tithes.

Thomas Legh (1593–1644), the twelfth in succession, was twice High Sheriff of Cheshire (1629 and 1642) and a Colonel in the Royalist Army during the Civil War.

Thomas Legh (1614–1687), the thirteenth in succession, was gazetted Colonel of Militia and appointed High Sheriff in 1662 in recognition of his services to the Stuarts.

The next three in succession were also Colonels of Militia and High Sheriffs, John (the fifteenth) also serving as MP for Bodmin from 1715 to 1722.