John Charleton, 1st Baron Cherleton

John de Charleton
The fourteenth-century stained glass window thought to represent Charleton, now in St Mary's church, Shrewsbury.
Successor	John de Charleton, 2nd Lord Cherleton
Spouse(s)	Hawys Gadarn

John (de) Charleton (or (de) Cherleton or (de) Charlton or (de) Charlestone), 1st Baron Cherleton, 1st Lord Charlton of Powys (1268–1353) came from a family of minor landowners near Wellington, Shropshire. He was the son of Robert de Charleton (and elder brother to Alan, and Thomas, Bishop of Hereford) of Apley castle near Wrockwardine.

He had entered the service of the crown as a page, and when Prince Edward became king, Charleton remained in the royal household. He was recorded as a king's yeoman on 18 September 1307 and was styled as a knight shortly afterwards. In January 1308 he accompanied the king to France for his wedding, and in 1309 served in Ireland. He held the post of Chamberlain in the Royal Household before 1314, although the importance of the post is unclear.

On 26 July 1309 he married Hawys Gadarn (the Hardy), heiress of the Lordship of Powys from her father the last Prince of Powys Owen de la Pole. Charleton acquired Pole castle (today's Welshpool) on his marriage, and from 1310 to 1315 he built the basis of the present Powis Castle. Strengthening the English authority over his Welsh lands, in 1310 he and Hawise's uncle Griffin de la Pole raised 400 footsoldiers from the lordship of Powis to fight against the Scots.

King Edward summoned him to Parliament as the 1st Lord Cherleton on 26 July 1313. A title partly acquired through the inherited right of his wife Hawise to Powys, which explains the common informal addition to his title of "Lord of Powis", "dominus de Powis" or "seigneur de Powis".

John Charleton's authority in Powys grew too much for Hawise's uncle Griffin, who was aided in his opposition by the Le Strange lords of Knockin, Shropshire.

By 1314, John was governor of Builth castle, with a constabulary role over the Welsh which included opposing Welsh rebels in 1316. In 1317 he raised another 300 foot soldiers for the king, and in 1319 raised a further 500 soldiers for service against the Scots.