Humphrey Swynnerton
Humphrey Swynnerton (c. 1516 – 1562) was a
Background and early life
Swynnerton's father was Thomas Swynnerton of
Both his parents were from
In 1537, Swynnerton became bailiff of the
Landowner
About 1541, shortly after marrying Cassandra Giffard, Swynnerton inherited the family estates on the death of his father.[3] They fell into two quite distinct parts. Swynnerton, which had been in the family longest, is near Stone, Staffordshire. Hilton is about 30 km (20 miles) to the south, close to Wolverhampton. The family had also had an interest in the Littel Saredon estate in Shareshill, close to Hilton, possibly still did. Even further afield, there were also lands at Barrow, Cheshire. Swynnerton clearly found this dispersal uneconomic.
Ownership of the Cheshire lands was disputed by Sir John Savage and, in 1555, Swynnerton came to an agreement and sold them to him. However, he divided his time between Hilton and Swynnerton, treating both as home. Hilton was assessed in 1545 as being worth only £20 annually.
In addition to his estates, Swynnerton drew incomes from other posts, which belonged to his father before him. He became steward of the
Member of Parliament
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Swynnerton served as Member of Parliament for the borough of Stafford in the second parliament of Queen Mary's reign, which assembled in April 1554. The influence of the Giffards, now at the height of their power in the county, must have secured him the seat. In the electoral indenture, completed in Latin, he was placed second in order of precedence, with the 21-year-old John Giffard as his senior.[4] The returning officer was the High Sheriff of Staffordshire, Thomas Giffard, his own brother-in-law and John Giffard's father.
Swynnerton shared the Giffards' religious conservatism and can only have welcomed the restoration of Catholicism by Mary.[1]
However, the parliament to which he was elected was mainly concerned with the queen's marriage to Philip II of Spain. It passed an act validating the marriage treaty, already negotiated by Mary and her ministers. Its other major act recognised Mary as queen regnant, with the same powers as a king. The business was over in a month and the parliament was dissolved. Swynnerton never served again as MP.
Recusant
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Swynnerton's religious conservatism had led him to preserve and keep a large
When Elizabeth came to the throne in November 1558, she immediately called a parliament to pass the
Swynnerton's last months were devoted mainly to the rebuilding of the church of St Mary and St John at Shareshill. Originally a chapel of ease of the important collegiate church of St Michael at Penkridge, it had been given its independence in 1551, after the dissolution of the chantries eliminated the college and the vicar of St Michael's conceded the right to carry out burials. It was Swynnerton's parish church when he was resident in Hilton, and it seems to have been in need of repair and enlargement. The medieval building was largely replaced at his cost, close to the end of his life, in 1562.[6]
Swynnerton made his will on 6 July 1561.
He died on 25 August 1562 at Hilton, and was buried, in accordance with his wishes, at Shareshill. His wife was buried next to him on 7 January 1570. An impressive tomb with alabaster effigies was built. The effigies, although damaged, survive and are today located on internal window sills of the church.
Marriage and family
Some time before 1540, Swynnerton married Cassandra Giffard, daughter of Sir John Giffard of Chillington. They had two daughters, who were his co-heirs:
- Elizabeth Swynnerton married William Fitzherbert, son of the eminent jurist Sir Anthony Fitzherbert, and member of an important Derbyshire landowning family that remained largely Catholic. She took with her the family estate of Swynnerton, which was pledged to the Fitzherberts, and ultimately went to them, even though William died in 1558 or 1559. Elizabeth then married Francis Gatacre of Claverley. She survived until 1606.
- Margaret Swynnerton married Henry Vernon of Sudbury Hall, member of another important Derbyshire recusant family, in 1547. She was allotted Hilton, which thus became part of the Vernon estates. These she seems to have defended with great vigour, as she was accused of falsifying her husband's will to prevent dissipation of the property.[7]
References
- ^ a b c d e The History of Parliament: Members 1509–1558 – SWYNNERTON, Humphrey. Accessed 30 January 2023.
- ^ Commentary on brass to Sir Humphrey Stanley, westminster-abbey.org. Accessed 30 January 2023.
- ^ "SWYNNERTON, Humphrey (by 1516-62), of Swynnerton Hilton, Staffs. | History of Parliament Online". www.historyofparliamentonline.org. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
- ^ The History of Parliament: Constituencies 1509–1558 – Stafford (Author: N. M. Fuidge)
- ^ Victoria County History: Staffordshire, volume 3, chapter 7 s.1
- ^ Victoria County History: Staffordshire, volume 5, chapter 22, s.7
- ^ The History of Parliament: Members 1509–1558 – VERNON, Henry (Author: C. J. Black)