Henry Ferrers (antiquary) facts for kids

Henry Ferrers (born January 26, 1550 – died October 10, 1633) was an English historian and a member of Parliament. He was known for collecting old documents and information about history, especially for his home county of Warwickshire.

The Life of Henry Ferrers

Henry Ferrers was born in Warwickshire on January 26, 1550. His father was Edward Ferrers, and his mother was Bridget. Henry went to Oxford University to study, probably at Hart Hall, during the early years of Queen Elizabeth I's rule. We don't know if he earned a degree there.

After his studies, he returned to his family home. He spent his time learning about heraldry (the study of coats of arms and family symbols), genealogy (the study of family histories), and antiquities (old objects and historical facts).

In 1597, Ferrers became a Member of Parliament (MP) for Callington in Cornwall. An MP is a person elected to represent a group of people in the country's government. Henry Ferrers was a Catholic. He passed away on October 10, 1633, and was buried in the church at Baddesley Clinton.

Henry Ferrers's Works and Studies

Henry Ferrers was one of the first people to gather information for the history of his home county, Warwickshire. He planned to write a book called Perambulation of Warwickshire. This book would have been like a detailed tour or guide, similar to a famous book about Kent by William Lambarde. However, Ferrers never finished his book.

Other famous historians thought highly of Henry Ferrers. William Camden, a well-known historian, called Ferrers "a man both for parentage and for knowledge of antiquity, very commendable and my special friend." This means Camden admired Ferrers's family background and his knowledge of old things, and they were good friends. Camden also said Ferrers often helped him when he was stuck, like lighting his candle from Ferrers's own.

William Dugdale, another important historian, used many of Ferrers's notes and writings when he wrote his own book, Antiquities of Warwickshire. Dugdale described Ferrers as an important historian and a "man of distinguished worth." This shows how much Ferrers contributed to historical research.

Some of Henry Ferrers's original writings and notes are kept in important places today. You can find them at the College of Arms in London, in the Ashmolean Museum at Oxford, and in the British Museum. In his younger days, Henry Ferrers also enjoyed writing poetry.

Henry Ferrers's Family

In October 1582, Henry Ferrers married Jane White. Jane was the daughter of Henry White from South Warnborough, Hampshire. Jane passed away on September 7, 1586, when she was 23 years old. Henry and Jane had two children: a son named Edward and a daughter named Mary.