by the second marriage, he considered that the property which he purposed to leave to his eldest son would be insufficient to support the dignity of a peerage, and therefore thought it better to decline the higher honour, and accept of a baronetage for his second son.
Sir Orlando was twice married, first to Judith, eldest daughter and sole heir to John Kynaston, of Morton, in the county of Salop, Esq., by whom he had a daughter Elizabeth, who was born at Wigan 20th of May, 1629, and died in the following July, and an only son, Sir John Bridgeman, baronet, born at Lever Hall, i6th August, 1631, now represented by the Earl of Bradford, who is still possessed of the family estates at Great Lever and Morton. Mrs. Bridgeman, his first wife, died at Oxford, 12th July, 1644, and was buried in the University church there.
Sir Orlando's second wife was Dorothy, daughter and co-heir of Dr. John Saunders, sometime Fellow, then Principal, of St Mary's Hall, and afterwards Provost of Oriel College, Oxford, and Physician to King Charles I. They were married 22nd April, 1647, in St. Thomas' Back church, London. She was the widow of George Cradock, of Caverswall Castle, in the county of Stafford, Esq. By her Sir Orlando had issue two sons and two daughters, 1. Sir Orlando Bridgeman, created a Baronet 12th November, 1673, to whom he left the estates of Ridley, Wigland &c., in the county of Chester, and Wolvesacre, in the county of Flint. 2. Sir Francis Bridgeman, knight, to whom he left the estates at Bowood, in the county of Wilts, for life, and at Teddington after his mother's death; Sir Francis married but died without issue, when the estate at Teddington reverted to his eldest brother Sir John Bridgeman, baronet, and the Bowood estate to Sir Orlando Bridgeman, baronet. The daughters were Margaret, who died young; and Charlotte, wife of Sir Thomas Middleton, of Chirk Castle, in the county of Denbigh, baronet. Dame Dorothy Bridgeman, relict of Sir Orlando, to whom he left his interest in the lease of Essex House, London, and the estate at Teddington &c., for her life, was buried by the side of her husband at Teddington, 12th January, 1697.
