Anthony Carleton facts for kids

Anthony Carleton (born around 1522 – died 18 January 1576) was an important landowner and a Member of Parliament in England. He is also known as the father of Dudley Carleton, 1st Viscount Dorchester, who became a famous diplomat.

Anthony Carleton's Family Background

Anthony Carleton was born around 1522. He was the oldest son of John Carleton, who owned land in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, and Brightwell Baldwin, Oxfordshire. His mother was Joyce Welbeck. Interestingly, his grandmother, Margaret Culpeper, was the aunt of King Henry VIII's fifth wife, Katherine Howard.

Anthony had four brothers and four sisters. His brothers included George Carleton, who was also a notable figure. His sisters married into other important families of the time.

Anthony Carleton's Career and Public Service

Church of St Bartholomew at Brightwell Baldwin, where Anthony Carleton was buried

Anthony Carleton took over his father's estates in 1551. When Queen Elizabeth I became queen, he worked in a small role in the royal household.

In 1559, he was chosen to be a Member of Parliament for Westbury. This likely happened because of his family's connections. However, he spent most of his time working as a local official.

Roles in Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire

By 1559, Anthony was a Justice of the Peace for Oxfordshire. This meant he helped keep law and order in the county. He also served as an "escheator" for Berkshire and Oxfordshire. An escheator was a royal official who made sure the king or queen received lands when someone died without an heir.

From 1559 to 1565, he was a "receiver-general" for Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire. This role involved collecting money for the Crown. He also helped manage water systems as a "commissioner for sewers" in Buckinghamshire. Later, he was a "commissioner of musters" in Oxfordshire, helping to organize local soldiers.

It is thought that Anthony Carleton shared similar religious beliefs (Puritan sympathies) with his brother, George.

His Final Years

Anthony Carleton wrote his will on 18 December 1575 and passed away on 18 January 1576. He left money to the poor and provided marriage funds for his four younger daughters. He was buried in the church of St Bartholomew in Brightwell Baldwin. A monument there remembers him and his first wife, Anne.

Anthony Carleton's Marriages and Children

Anthony Carleton married twice and had many children.

First Marriage

His first wife was Anne Peryent, who passed away in 1562. They had one son and two daughters:

• John Carleton, who died without having children.
• Elizabeth Carleton, who married Anthony Berners.
• Joyce Carleton, who married Edward Denton.

Second Marriage

His second wife was Joyce Goodwin. She was the widow of Robert Saunders. With Joyce, Anthony had two sons and four daughters:

• George Carleton, who became his main heir.
• Dudley Carleton, 1st Viscount Dorchester, who grew up to be a very important diplomat and politician.
• Elizabeth Carleton, who married Alexander Williams.
• Bridget Carleton, who married Hercules Underhill. Interestingly, Hercules Underhill later sold a famous house called New Place to William Shakespeare.
• Alice Carleton, who was a close friend of a famous letter writer named John Chamberlain. She traveled with her brother, Sir Dudley Carleton, when he was an ambassador in Venice.
• Anne Carleton, who married John Dove, a Doctor of Divinity.