Northampton Westleys
The previous article Arian Whittlewood describes Westley family history from genealogy local to the former Grafton Regis royal estate in Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire, where records indicate shared ancestry with roots about Whittlewood coincidental with the highly influential dynasty of Throckmorton, associated with 16th century Puritan origins in Warwickshire, arising from the Tudor dissolution of monastic estates, pursuant of anti-clerical sympathy with centuries of Lollardy among Dissenters.
As earlier noted King Henry VIII granted Luffield Priory together with the manors of Cosgrove and Potterspury as Grafton Regis in 1551 to prominent diplomat and politician Sir Nicholas Throckmorton (1515-1570) whose son Arthur retained the estate through to 1614. Henry VIII died in 1547 and so his grant of Grafton Regis it seems was offered beforehand when needs arose to occupy and exploit its vast estate acquired through the Dissolution (1536-1541) to prevent its reoccupation by displaced monastic orders.
Sir Nicholas’ brother Clement Throckmorton (1516-1573) of Haseley in Warwickshire in 1541 served under their kin Sir Richard Rich (1496-1567) while Sir Richard is a great-grandfather to Puritan leader Lord High Admiral Sir Robert Rich (1587-1658) 2nd Earl Warwick. Admiral Rich in 1644 procured a diploma of LL.D for his chaplain Dr Samuel Annesley, who Oliver Cromwell installed lecturer of St Paul’s and in 1658 Vicar at St Gile’s Cripplegate in London. Annesley, born near Kenilworth in Warwickshire, is grandfather to the Epworth Wesleys born to his daughter Susannah and Non-conformist preacher Samuel Westley (1662-1735).
Samuel is 2nd great-grandson to Walter Westley of Westleigh, who married ca 1560 Alice Tracy, great-granddaughter of Sir Thomas Throckmorton of Tortworth in Avon, hence Puritan affiliation to Walter’s father William de Wellesley who married Gwendaline de Courteney in 1532 at Westleigh in Devon. Alice’s grandfather Sir William Tracy (died 1530 anti-clerical) married (ca 1446) Margaret Throckmorton, daughter of Sir Thomas Throckmorton, High Sheriff of Warwick and Leicester.
Job Throckmorton (1545-1601) son of Clement Throckmorton Puritan MP of Haseley in Warwickshire is ‘Martin Marprelate’ the author of Puritan-sponsored Marprelate tracts circulated illegally in 1588 and 1589 in a focused attack on Anglican Church episcopacy. Neighbouring the Throckmortons at Paulerspury was Sir Nicholas Wentworth (1482-1557) whose sons Paul and fellow-parliamentarian Sir Peter Wentworth (1529-1596) were lords of the manor of Lillingstone Lovell, each allied Puritans loyal to Lord Robert Dudley (1532-1588) Earl of Leicester, who led the Puritan Classical Movement from 1564.
The Throckmorton intermarriage and anti-clerical allegiance with the Wentworths is important to understanding origins of Westley family settlement about Whittlewood as we note the Wentworths were overlord to copyhold of Heybarne Feylde by George Westlye in 1575 who is almost certainly related to Benjamin Westley of Lillingstone whose son Richarde married in 1595 at Stowe, notionally forebears of George or Joseph Westley born from 1599 to 1603 at Lillingstone Dayrell, who we deem lineal ancestors of our forefather Joseph Westley born ca 1765 in ‘Buckinghamshire.’
As our search failed to identify their parentage, we postulate from genealogy records they belong to Walter Westley who died in about 1537 at Warwick, most likely close kin to Walter Westley of Westleigh in Devon mentioned above, and that the Throckmorton connection facilitated their settlement as skilled and loyal workforce, so securing the administration of Crown lands entrusted to an elite cohort of senior Puritan statesmen.
There followed in proximity and time Westleys found northward about Cosgrove and Tiffield, extending within Grafton Regis to Blisworth and Roade in Northamptonshire, also westward in Oxfordshire towards Banbury, notionally descendant of Walter Westley of Warwick in Warwickshire. They appear well-ordered in chronology and a succession of like forenames, as follows, indicating lineal descent from Lillingstone forebears Westley.
The earliest are assumed to have moved to Tiffield 12 kms directly from Lillingstone, while our grandparents settled midway, between Towcester only 4 kms and Pury End 6 kms south of Tiffield. Their cousin, our great-grandfather Joseph Westley died 2-3 kms south of Pury End on 13 February 1886 in the village of Whittlebury, presumably his ‘home parish’ within Towcester registration district.
We can infer from website genealogy of Thomas Westley born 1811 at Roade, married Ellen Keiley at Burslam’s Creek in South Australia before 1857, is a son of Edward Westley baptised in 1786 at Loughton in Buckinghamshire, who descends of Joseph Westley born about 1603 at Lillingstone Dayrell. Edward’s 4 sons were born at Roade and so are deemed kin to Thomas Westley (6) born at Roade before 1709.
While lacking direct information between lineages, we propose the following data may likely suit for connecting forefathers, with emphasis on Joseph son of Richarde Westley and Ann Iveringham since Joseph and Thomas are key forenames among descendants, though not exclusively:
(a) George Westlye ‘tenant farmer’ of Heybarne Fylde in 1575 at Lillingstone Dayrell.
(b) Benjamin Westley married ‘Eleanor’ before 1575 at Lillingstone Dayrell.
(c) Richarde Westley, son of Benjamin, wed Ann Iveringham 15 October 1595 at Stowe.
(d) Richard Westley married Ann Bateman on 24 January 1599 at Lillingstone Lovell.
(e) George Westley, son of Richarde, baptised 6 September 1601 at Lillingstone Dayrell.
(f) Joseph Westley, also son of Richarde, baptised 19 June 1603 at Lillingstone Dayrell.
Their progeny -
1. John Westley (parents unknown) born in about 1637 at Tiffield, married Mary Dawson in 1663 at Tiffield, with sons Joseph and John born 1663-1672 at Tiffield and Bugbrooke.
2. Thomas Westley (parents unknown) has birthplace unknown, but before 1650, married Ann Kerton in 1671 at Northampton, no known children. He is likely (1) John’s brother.
3. Joseph Westly, born after 1663, son of John Westley and Mary Dawson of Tiffield, married Alice Fighuck in 1695 at Piddington, 3 sons born 1698-1722 at Piddington.
4. John Westley born about 1672 at Bugbrooke, son of John Westley and Mary Dawson of Tiffield, married Elizabeth Greene in 1697 at Bugbrooke, 3 sons at Milton Malsor and Bugbrooke born 1689-1710.
5. William Westley, born about 1679 at Milton Malsor, son of John Wesley and Elizabeth Greene, married Ann Duckly in 1714 at Milton, 5 sons born at Milton Malsor 1715-1724.
6. Thomas Westley (parents unknown, most likely item 2 above) born at Roade before 1709, married Ann before 1729 at Roade, 3 sons born at Roade about 1730-1741: one Charles with 2 unnamed - most likely Shadrach and Thomas itemised 11 and 12 in the following. Note Shadrach’s sons were born at Blisworth; see: Blisworth Westleys.doc.
7. William Wesley, born about 1715 at Brafield, son of William Westley of Milton Malsor and Ann Duckly, married Ann about 1742 at Brafield
8. James Westly born about 1718 at Piddington, son of Joseph Westley and Alice Fighuck, married Elizabeth in 1742 in Northamptonshire, sons John 1757 and Thomas 1769 born at Piddington.
9. Joseph Wesly, born about 1722 at Piddington, son of Joseph Westley and Alice Fighuck, married Elizabeth Plackett in 1742 at Northampton, 3 sons Preston Deanery and Piddington.
10. Joseph Westley, born about 1724 at Milton Malsor, son of William Westley and Ann Duckly, married Elizabeth Merrit in 1749 at Quinton, 3 sons born at Milton Malsor.
11. Shadrach Westley (parents unknown, most likely Thomas in 6 above) born in 1737 at Blisworth died 1803 married Sarah Gaybell in 1768 at Tiffield, son William born about 1773 at Blisworth has 3 sons Thomas, William and Shadrach, born 1805-1614 at Blisworth.
12. Thomas Westley (brother of Shadrack) died 1803 at Blisworth, no marital record.
13. William Westley, son of William Wesley of Brafield and Ann born 1742 at Brafield married Ann in 1777 at Brafield.
14. John Westley born about 1755 at Milton Malsor, son of Joseph Westley and Elizabeth Merrit, married Ann/Hannah about 1780 at Milton Malsor, son William about 1781.
15. Joseph Westley, born about 1763 at Piddington, son of Joseph Wesly of Preston Deanery and Elizabeth Plackett, married Mary Marriott in 1784 at Preston Deanery, son Samuel 1784.
16. John Wesley, son of William Westley and Ann of Brafield, born 1777 at Hardingstone married Sarah in 1796 at Hardingstone, 7 sons at Hardingstone.
17. Samuel Westley son of Joseph Westley of Preston Deanery and Mary Marriott, born about 1784 married Elizabeth Campion in 1820 at Blisworth sons Joseph 1821 and Samuel 1823 born at Blisworth.
18. Richard Westley was born about 1784 at Duston, son of Richard and Jane unknown.
19. William Westley was born about 1800 married Ann Tate in 1836 at Stoke Bruerne.
[The earliest events appear thus borne of Tiffield then north to Bugbrooke and westward to Piddington, then to Milton Malsor and Roade, Blisworth and Preston Deanery.]
Samuel Westley (17) continued the bakery and flour milling business of his father Joseph at Blisworth, which was inherited by his son Joseph, who gained distinction in public life as is recorded at Blisworth community website (www.blisworth.org.uk). See also Word file Blisworth Baptists.doc.
Note (a) that Shadrach’s sons were born at Blisworth and are in the same line as Joseph Wesly of Preston Deanery via Piddington (9 and 15). See note (b).
Note (b) to Blisworth map ca 1830 has ‘Thomas Westley with the‘t’ deleted who, with his father and grandfather from Tiffield, were known as Wesleys but are in fact related to the Westleys from Piddington.’ Thomas is shown to be Shadrack’s brother.
Some additional file notes -
In 1541 Sir John St John sold the manor of Paulerspury, including the advowson and extensive lands there, to Henry VIII in exchange for estates in London, Huntingdonshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Glamorgan, and a payment of £468 10s., representing 20 years’ purchase on a difference of £23 6s. 8d. in annual value of the lands exchanged. The manor, together with other estates in Paulerspury acquired about the same time from Thomas Culpepper and Sir Arthur Longfield, was annexed to the honor of Grafton on its creation in 1542.
In 1547 Henry VIII awarded Sir Nicholas Throckmorton an annuity of £100, which four years later he surrendered in exchange for grant of the manors of Paulerspury, Cosgrove, Silverstone and Tiffield, all parcel of the honor of Grafton; Paulerspury Park, also belonging to the honor; other, mostly ex-monastic, estates in Northamptonshire and several other counties; and a number of advowsons, including Paulerspury and Cosgrove.
Sir Nicholas died in 1571 and was succeeded by his son Arthur, who died in 1626, leaving four daughters and co-heirs, all of whom he survived, except the eldest, Mary, the wife of Thomas, 2nd Lord Wotton of Marley, on whom he settled Paulerspury at her marriage in 1608, subject to his wife’s life interest. Thomas and Mary also left four daughters and co-heirs, but in 1628 made a settlement of Paulerspury and other estates to their own use for their lives, with remainder in tail male, together with contingent remainders to their fourth daughter Anne and her husband, the heirs male of that marriage, and their three other daughters. At the same time they agreed to pay Dame Anne, Sir Arthur's widow, £10,000 for her life interest in the Paulerspury estate. Notes extracted from British History Online.
‘A lease of the consolidated demesne pastures at Grafton was granted in the 16th century to a succession of great magnates, who in turn appointed local gentry and substantial yeomen as deputies who actually discharged the duties involved. When combined with similar opportunities offered by the royal forests of Salcey and Whittlewood, there was ample scope in the district for families who wished to combine farming with office-holding, even if there was rather less chance to acquire freehold estates.’
‘Along with remnants of the greater royal estate Greens Norton, Paulerspury and Luffield were estates later grossly amalgamated, including adjoining villages of Lillingstone Dayrell and Lillingstone Lovell which, together with their arable fields became a much larger Stowe Estate that the Temples gave over to sheep grazing. An adjoining hamlet Boycott (Saxon Boiacot) also was annexed to Stowe later in the 18th century by the 1st Marquess Buckingham, George Nugent-Temple-Grenville’ (The Whittlewood Project).
Banbury in Oxfordshire was the seat of William Fiennes 1st Viscount Saye and Sele (1582-1662) of Broughton Castle, who married Elizabeth the daughter of John Temple of Stowe in 1600. Fiennes was a Puritan leader in the House of Lords in opposition to both Stuart kings James and Charles. From 1630 Fiennes, together with other Puritan leaders Robert Greville the 2nd Baron Brooke, John Pym, and Robert Rich the 2nd Earl Warwick, formed the Warwick Patentees to further New England colonisation of America.
William Fiennes is grandson to Richard Fermor (1480-1551) of Easton Neston, near Towcester in Northamptonshire, who ‘owned the hundreds of Towcester and Wymersley when he was attainted (convicted) in 1540 but in 1550 regained lands which placed him among the dozen or so men who benefited most from the redistribution of Crown lands’.
Associated in their Puritan cause were Sir Francis Walsingham (1530-1590) MP for Lyme Regis in Dorset, who was supported by high statesmen Sir Francis Russell and Sir William Cecil, allowing him considerable influence in England. Walsingham’s sister Mary in 1546 married Sir Walter Mildmay (1523-1589) who had strong Puritan sympathies and in 1584 founded Emmanuel College, which, with Trinity College at Cambridge and Christ Church at Oxford, fostered prominent Puritan clergymen John Field (1545-1588) and Thomas Wilcox (1549-1608) led by Thomas Cartwright of Cambridge (1535-1603) against John Whitgift (1530-1604) Archbishop of Canterbury.
Guy Wesley
October 2009
As earlier noted King Henry VIII granted Luffield Priory together with the manors of Cosgrove and Potterspury as Grafton Regis in 1551 to prominent diplomat and politician Sir Nicholas Throckmorton (1515-1570) whose son Arthur retained the estate through to 1614. Henry VIII died in 1547 and so his grant of Grafton Regis it seems was offered beforehand when needs arose to occupy and exploit its vast estate acquired through the Dissolution (1536-1541) to prevent its reoccupation by displaced monastic orders.
Sir Nicholas’ brother Clement Throckmorton (1516-1573) of Haseley in Warwickshire in 1541 served under their kin Sir Richard Rich (1496-1567) while Sir Richard is a great-grandfather to Puritan leader Lord High Admiral Sir Robert Rich (1587-1658) 2nd Earl Warwick. Admiral Rich in 1644 procured a diploma of LL.D for his chaplain Dr Samuel Annesley, who Oliver Cromwell installed lecturer of St Paul’s and in 1658 Vicar at St Gile’s Cripplegate in London. Annesley, born near Kenilworth in Warwickshire, is grandfather to the Epworth Wesleys born to his daughter Susannah and Non-conformist preacher Samuel Westley (1662-1735).
Samuel is 2nd great-grandson to Walter Westley of Westleigh, who married ca 1560 Alice Tracy, great-granddaughter of Sir Thomas Throckmorton of Tortworth in Avon, hence Puritan affiliation to Walter’s father William de Wellesley who married Gwendaline de Courteney in 1532 at Westleigh in Devon. Alice’s grandfather Sir William Tracy (died 1530 anti-clerical) married (ca 1446) Margaret Throckmorton, daughter of Sir Thomas Throckmorton, High Sheriff of Warwick and Leicester.
Job Throckmorton (1545-1601) son of Clement Throckmorton Puritan MP of Haseley in Warwickshire is ‘Martin Marprelate’ the author of Puritan-sponsored Marprelate tracts circulated illegally in 1588 and 1589 in a focused attack on Anglican Church episcopacy. Neighbouring the Throckmortons at Paulerspury was Sir Nicholas Wentworth (1482-1557) whose sons Paul and fellow-parliamentarian Sir Peter Wentworth (1529-1596) were lords of the manor of Lillingstone Lovell, each allied Puritans loyal to Lord Robert Dudley (1532-1588) Earl of Leicester, who led the Puritan Classical Movement from 1564.
The Throckmorton intermarriage and anti-clerical allegiance with the Wentworths is important to understanding origins of Westley family settlement about Whittlewood as we note the Wentworths were overlord to copyhold of Heybarne Feylde by George Westlye in 1575 who is almost certainly related to Benjamin Westley of Lillingstone whose son Richarde married in 1595 at Stowe, notionally forebears of George or Joseph Westley born from 1599 to 1603 at Lillingstone Dayrell, who we deem lineal ancestors of our forefather Joseph Westley born ca 1765 in ‘Buckinghamshire.’
As our search failed to identify their parentage, we postulate from genealogy records they belong to Walter Westley who died in about 1537 at Warwick, most likely close kin to Walter Westley of Westleigh in Devon mentioned above, and that the Throckmorton connection facilitated their settlement as skilled and loyal workforce, so securing the administration of Crown lands entrusted to an elite cohort of senior Puritan statesmen.
There followed in proximity and time Westleys found northward about Cosgrove and Tiffield, extending within Grafton Regis to Blisworth and Roade in Northamptonshire, also westward in Oxfordshire towards Banbury, notionally descendant of Walter Westley of Warwick in Warwickshire. They appear well-ordered in chronology and a succession of like forenames, as follows, indicating lineal descent from Lillingstone forebears Westley.
The earliest are assumed to have moved to Tiffield 12 kms directly from Lillingstone, while our grandparents settled midway, between Towcester only 4 kms and Pury End 6 kms south of Tiffield. Their cousin, our great-grandfather Joseph Westley died 2-3 kms south of Pury End on 13 February 1886 in the village of Whittlebury, presumably his ‘home parish’ within Towcester registration district.
We can infer from website genealogy of Thomas Westley born 1811 at Roade, married Ellen Keiley at Burslam’s Creek in South Australia before 1857, is a son of Edward Westley baptised in 1786 at Loughton in Buckinghamshire, who descends of Joseph Westley born about 1603 at Lillingstone Dayrell. Edward’s 4 sons were born at Roade and so are deemed kin to Thomas Westley (6) born at Roade before 1709.
While lacking direct information between lineages, we propose the following data may likely suit for connecting forefathers, with emphasis on Joseph son of Richarde Westley and Ann Iveringham since Joseph and Thomas are key forenames among descendants, though not exclusively:
(a) George Westlye ‘tenant farmer’ of Heybarne Fylde in 1575 at Lillingstone Dayrell.
(b) Benjamin Westley married ‘Eleanor’ before 1575 at Lillingstone Dayrell.
(c) Richarde Westley, son of Benjamin, wed Ann Iveringham 15 October 1595 at Stowe.
(d) Richard Westley married Ann Bateman on 24 January 1599 at Lillingstone Lovell.
(e) George Westley, son of Richarde, baptised 6 September 1601 at Lillingstone Dayrell.
(f) Joseph Westley, also son of Richarde, baptised 19 June 1603 at Lillingstone Dayrell.
Their progeny -
1. John Westley (parents unknown) born in about 1637 at Tiffield, married Mary Dawson in 1663 at Tiffield, with sons Joseph and John born 1663-1672 at Tiffield and Bugbrooke.
2. Thomas Westley (parents unknown) has birthplace unknown, but before 1650, married Ann Kerton in 1671 at Northampton, no known children. He is likely (1) John’s brother.
3. Joseph Westly, born after 1663, son of John Westley and Mary Dawson of Tiffield, married Alice Fighuck in 1695 at Piddington, 3 sons born 1698-1722 at Piddington.
4. John Westley born about 1672 at Bugbrooke, son of John Westley and Mary Dawson of Tiffield, married Elizabeth Greene in 1697 at Bugbrooke, 3 sons at Milton Malsor and Bugbrooke born 1689-1710.
5. William Westley, born about 1679 at Milton Malsor, son of John Wesley and Elizabeth Greene, married Ann Duckly in 1714 at Milton, 5 sons born at Milton Malsor 1715-1724.
6. Thomas Westley (parents unknown, most likely item 2 above) born at Roade before 1709, married Ann before 1729 at Roade, 3 sons born at Roade about 1730-1741: one Charles with 2 unnamed - most likely Shadrach and Thomas itemised 11 and 12 in the following. Note Shadrach’s sons were born at Blisworth; see: Blisworth Westleys.doc.
7. William Wesley, born about 1715 at Brafield, son of William Westley of Milton Malsor and Ann Duckly, married Ann about 1742 at Brafield
8. James Westly born about 1718 at Piddington, son of Joseph Westley and Alice Fighuck, married Elizabeth in 1742 in Northamptonshire, sons John 1757 and Thomas 1769 born at Piddington.
9. Joseph Wesly, born about 1722 at Piddington, son of Joseph Westley and Alice Fighuck, married Elizabeth Plackett in 1742 at Northampton, 3 sons Preston Deanery and Piddington.
10. Joseph Westley, born about 1724 at Milton Malsor, son of William Westley and Ann Duckly, married Elizabeth Merrit in 1749 at Quinton, 3 sons born at Milton Malsor.
11. Shadrach Westley (parents unknown, most likely Thomas in 6 above) born in 1737 at Blisworth died 1803 married Sarah Gaybell in 1768 at Tiffield, son William born about 1773 at Blisworth has 3 sons Thomas, William and Shadrach, born 1805-1614 at Blisworth.
12. Thomas Westley (brother of Shadrack) died 1803 at Blisworth, no marital record.
13. William Westley, son of William Wesley of Brafield and Ann born 1742 at Brafield married Ann in 1777 at Brafield.
14. John Westley born about 1755 at Milton Malsor, son of Joseph Westley and Elizabeth Merrit, married Ann/Hannah about 1780 at Milton Malsor, son William about 1781.
15. Joseph Westley, born about 1763 at Piddington, son of Joseph Wesly of Preston Deanery and Elizabeth Plackett, married Mary Marriott in 1784 at Preston Deanery, son Samuel 1784.
16. John Wesley, son of William Westley and Ann of Brafield, born 1777 at Hardingstone married Sarah in 1796 at Hardingstone, 7 sons at Hardingstone.
17. Samuel Westley son of Joseph Westley of Preston Deanery and Mary Marriott, born about 1784 married Elizabeth Campion in 1820 at Blisworth sons Joseph 1821 and Samuel 1823 born at Blisworth.
18. Richard Westley was born about 1784 at Duston, son of Richard and Jane unknown.
19. William Westley was born about 1800 married Ann Tate in 1836 at Stoke Bruerne.
[The earliest events appear thus borne of Tiffield then north to Bugbrooke and westward to Piddington, then to Milton Malsor and Roade, Blisworth and Preston Deanery.]
Samuel Westley (17) continued the bakery and flour milling business of his father Joseph at Blisworth, which was inherited by his son Joseph, who gained distinction in public life as is recorded at Blisworth community website (www.blisworth.org.uk). See also Word file Blisworth Baptists.doc.
Note (a) that Shadrach’s sons were born at Blisworth and are in the same line as Joseph Wesly of Preston Deanery via Piddington (9 and 15). See note (b).
Note (b) to Blisworth map ca 1830 has ‘Thomas Westley with the‘t’ deleted who, with his father and grandfather from Tiffield, were known as Wesleys but are in fact related to the Westleys from Piddington.’ Thomas is shown to be Shadrack’s brother.
Some additional file notes -
In 1541 Sir John St John sold the manor of Paulerspury, including the advowson and extensive lands there, to Henry VIII in exchange for estates in London, Huntingdonshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Glamorgan, and a payment of £468 10s., representing 20 years’ purchase on a difference of £23 6s. 8d. in annual value of the lands exchanged. The manor, together with other estates in Paulerspury acquired about the same time from Thomas Culpepper and Sir Arthur Longfield, was annexed to the honor of Grafton on its creation in 1542.
In 1547 Henry VIII awarded Sir Nicholas Throckmorton an annuity of £100, which four years later he surrendered in exchange for grant of the manors of Paulerspury, Cosgrove, Silverstone and Tiffield, all parcel of the honor of Grafton; Paulerspury Park, also belonging to the honor; other, mostly ex-monastic, estates in Northamptonshire and several other counties; and a number of advowsons, including Paulerspury and Cosgrove.
Sir Nicholas died in 1571 and was succeeded by his son Arthur, who died in 1626, leaving four daughters and co-heirs, all of whom he survived, except the eldest, Mary, the wife of Thomas, 2nd Lord Wotton of Marley, on whom he settled Paulerspury at her marriage in 1608, subject to his wife’s life interest. Thomas and Mary also left four daughters and co-heirs, but in 1628 made a settlement of Paulerspury and other estates to their own use for their lives, with remainder in tail male, together with contingent remainders to their fourth daughter Anne and her husband, the heirs male of that marriage, and their three other daughters. At the same time they agreed to pay Dame Anne, Sir Arthur's widow, £10,000 for her life interest in the Paulerspury estate. Notes extracted from British History Online.
‘A lease of the consolidated demesne pastures at Grafton was granted in the 16th century to a succession of great magnates, who in turn appointed local gentry and substantial yeomen as deputies who actually discharged the duties involved. When combined with similar opportunities offered by the royal forests of Salcey and Whittlewood, there was ample scope in the district for families who wished to combine farming with office-holding, even if there was rather less chance to acquire freehold estates.’
‘Along with remnants of the greater royal estate Greens Norton, Paulerspury and Luffield were estates later grossly amalgamated, including adjoining villages of Lillingstone Dayrell and Lillingstone Lovell which, together with their arable fields became a much larger Stowe Estate that the Temples gave over to sheep grazing. An adjoining hamlet Boycott (Saxon Boiacot) also was annexed to Stowe later in the 18th century by the 1st Marquess Buckingham, George Nugent-Temple-Grenville’ (The Whittlewood Project).
Banbury in Oxfordshire was the seat of William Fiennes 1st Viscount Saye and Sele (1582-1662) of Broughton Castle, who married Elizabeth the daughter of John Temple of Stowe in 1600. Fiennes was a Puritan leader in the House of Lords in opposition to both Stuart kings James and Charles. From 1630 Fiennes, together with other Puritan leaders Robert Greville the 2nd Baron Brooke, John Pym, and Robert Rich the 2nd Earl Warwick, formed the Warwick Patentees to further New England colonisation of America.
William Fiennes is grandson to Richard Fermor (1480-1551) of Easton Neston, near Towcester in Northamptonshire, who ‘owned the hundreds of Towcester and Wymersley when he was attainted (convicted) in 1540 but in 1550 regained lands which placed him among the dozen or so men who benefited most from the redistribution of Crown lands’.
Associated in their Puritan cause were Sir Francis Walsingham (1530-1590) MP for Lyme Regis in Dorset, who was supported by high statesmen Sir Francis Russell and Sir William Cecil, allowing him considerable influence in England. Walsingham’s sister Mary in 1546 married Sir Walter Mildmay (1523-1589) who had strong Puritan sympathies and in 1584 founded Emmanuel College, which, with Trinity College at Cambridge and Christ Church at Oxford, fostered prominent Puritan clergymen John Field (1545-1588) and Thomas Wilcox (1549-1608) led by Thomas Cartwright of Cambridge (1535-1603) against John Whitgift (1530-1604) Archbishop of Canterbury.
Guy Wesley
October 2009