Christopher Barnewall facts for kids

Sir Christopher Barnewall (1522–1575) was an important leader in Ireland during the 1560s and 1570s. He was part of the Anglo-Irish community, who were English families living in an area of Ireland called the Pale. He was like the main opponent, or "Leader of the Opposition," in the Irish Parliament from 1568 to 1571. People remember him for building Turvey House, a large home where he secretly helped a Catholic priest named Edmund Campion. He also has a grand tomb in Lusk Church, and a special praise written about him in a famous book called Holinshed's Chronicles. This praise was written by his son-in-law, Richard Stanyhurst.

Christopher Barnewall's Early Life

Christopher Barnewall was born in 1522. His father, Patrick Barnewall, was a top lawyer for the Irish government. His mother was Anne Luttrell. Christopher's family was well-connected, and he was related to the important Barnewall family who held the title of Baron Trimleston.

His father, Patrick, was a key figure in the Irish government from 1535 to 1542. At first, Patrick didn't agree with the King's decision to close down monasteries and religious houses (known as the Dissolution of the Monasteries). But he soon changed his mind and gained a lot of land from these closures. For example, he got Grace Dieu Abbey in Dublin. Christopher later built Turvey House near the ruins of Grace Dieu, supposedly using stones from the old Abbey. The nuns who used to live at Grace Dieu were allowed to live nearby. Turvey House stood until 1987 when it was sadly taken down.

Unlike his father, Christopher did not become a lawyer or a judge. However, he was a close friend of a powerful leader named Thomas Butler, 10th Earl of Ormonde. In 1556, the Earl asked Christopher to manage all his lands within the Pale.

His Role in Irish Politics

Christopher Barnewall was a Member of Parliament (MP) for County Dublin in the Irish Parliament from 1568 to 1571. He also served as the Sheriff of County Dublin in 1560, which meant he was the chief law enforcement officer for the county.

He played a very important part in Elizabeth I's second Irish Parliament, especially in 1569. He became the main leader for the Anglo-Irish landowners in the Pale. These landowners often disagreed with the Queen's representative, the Lord Deputy of Ireland, Sir Henry Sidney.

Barnewall and his supporters tried to get him chosen as the "Speaker" of the House of Commons, which is like the chairperson of the Parliament. But he lost to the Queen's choice, James Stanyhurst. Even so, Barnewall took on the role of "Leader of the Opposition." He strongly argued that the Parliament had been unfairly set up with too many of the Queen's supporters. He especially didn't like that some English members represented towns they didn't live in or had never even visited.

He even took legal action to challenge how the Parliament was formed. Although the judges agreed with him on a couple of small points, he couldn't get the "absentee" members removed. This meant Lord Deputy Sidney was still able to pass his laws without much trouble.

Helping Edmund Campion

As a Member of Parliament, Christopher Barnewall had to agree that Queen Elizabeth I was the head of the Church of Ireland. This was a good step for his family because they had gained a lot of land when the monasteries were closed. Even though they might have had private Catholic beliefs, they didn't want to lose the lands they had received.

However, Christopher's own feelings were likely with the Catholic faith. His son, Patrick, later openly supported Catholicism. In 1569, Christopher agreed to hide a future Catholic priest named Edmund Campion at Turvey House. He did this at the request of his future son-in-law, Richard Stanyhurst, who was Campion's student. Campion stayed at Turvey House for several weeks and later said that Barnewall had saved his life. Interestingly, James Stanyhurst, who was Barnewall's political rival, also helped hide Campion. This shows that even though they disagreed politically, they could work together on some important issues.

Death and Lasting Memories

Christopher Barnewall passed away in 1575 at Turvey House and was buried in Lusk Church. His wife, Marion, later married Sir Lucas Dillon. She ordered a beautiful tomb for Christopher, which was finished in 1589 and can still be seen today. Her second husband, Sir Lucas, even paid for it, which suggests he also thought highly of Christopher. Marion died in 1607 and was buried in the same tomb as Christopher.

He is also remembered by the Sarsfieldstown Cross near Laytown. This cross has an inscription that promises a special blessing to those who pray for Barnewall's soul.

His Character and Family

A famous book called Holinshed's Chronicles contains a wonderful description of Christopher Barnewall. This tribute was written by Richard Stanyhurst, who knew Barnewall his whole life and married his daughter, Janet. It describes Barnewall as a "lantern and light" for his home and the part of Ireland where he lived. He was seen as a wise and thoughtful gentleman, who spoke little but said important things. He was known for being very honest and fair, always doing what he believed was right. He was a loyal friend, brave when standing up for what was good, and a generous host. He was also described as kind by nature, preferring to help others rather than harm them.

Christopher Barnewall married Marion Sherle. She inherited land from her brother. Christopher and Marion had nineteen children, and thirteen of them grew up to be adults. Some of their notable children include:

• Patrick Barnewall (died 1622), who inherited his father's estates. His son became the first Viscount Barnewall.
• Janet Barnewall (1560-1579), who married the famous historian Richard Stanyhurst, who wrote the tribute to her father.
• Eleanor (or Helen) Barnewall (died 1628), who married James Dillon, 1st Earl of Roscommon. Their marriage was said to be a true love story.
• Mary Barnewall, who married Patrick Plunkett, the 7th Baron Dunsany.

After Christopher's death, his wife Marion married Sir Lucas Dillon in 1578. Sir Lucas was the father of James Dillon, who married Marion's daughter Eleanor. Marion died in June 1607 and was buried next to her first husband, Christopher, in Lusk.

Images for kids

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  Edmund Campion

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  View of Lusk Church in 1791

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  Barnewall Cross at The Gullet, Sarsfieldstown, Co Meath