Charlton was born in London, the only surviving son of Robert Charlton, goldsmith,[1] of Mincing Lane, London and perhaps of Whitton Court, Shropshire, and his first wife Emma Harby, daughter of Thomas Harby of Adstone, Northamptonshire. He matriculated at Magdalen Hall, Oxford on 20 April 1632, aged 17. He was a student of Lincoln's Inn in 1633 and was called to the bar in 1640.[2]
Charlton served as Speaker from 4 to 18 February 1673, pleading ill health to retire. He left Parliament in 1679, and was forced out of the post of Chief Justice of Chester in 1680 when Judge Jeffreys desired it, being placed in the Court of Common Pleas instead.
In lieu of that office Charlton was, on 26 April 1680, made chief justice of the common pleas; but having given his opinion in opposition to the king's dispensing power, he was removed from office on 26 April 1680. He was, however, restored to the chief justiceship of Chester in 1686, and on 12 May that year was created a baronet.[3]
He died at his seat at Ludford, (then in Herefordshire but now in Shropshire), 29 May 1697.[3]
By his first wife, Dorothy (marriage 31 March 1645), daughter and heiress of William Blunden of Bishop's Castle,[1] he had four sons and three daughters, including:[4]
Following the death of his first wife in 1658, he went on to marry Lettice Waring on 12 November 1663, cousin of his first wife and daughter of Walter Waring of Oldbury. They had one son and one daughter:[4]