Humphrey Swynnerton facts for kids
Humphrey Swynnerton (born around 1516, died 1562) was an important person from Staffordshire, England. He owned a lot of land, was a member of the English Parliament, and was known as a "recusant" during the time of Queen Elizabeth I. This meant he chose to stick with the Catholic faith when the Church of England became Protestant.
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Who Was Humphrey Swynnerton?
Humphrey Swynnerton came from a well-known family in Staffordshire. His father was Thomas Swynnerton, who owned large estates like Swynnerton Hall and Hilton Hall. His mother was Alice Stanley, whose father, Sir Humphrey Stanley, was a famous knight. Sir Humphrey was even knighted by King Henry VII after a big battle and is buried in Westminster Abbey.
In 1537, Humphrey got a job managing the Black Ladies estate. This estate used to be a small home for Benedictine nuns, but it was closed down by the king. The new owner was Thomas Giffard. Soon after, Humphrey married Thomas Giffard's sister, Cassandra, around 1540. This connected him to another powerful family in the area.
Becoming a Landowner
Around 1541, after he married Cassandra Giffard, Humphrey Swynnerton inherited his family's estates when his father passed away. These lands were spread out. Swynnerton, which had been in his family the longest, was near Stone, Staffordshire. Hilton was about 30 kilometers (20 miles) south, close to Wolverhampton. His family also had land in Shareshill and even further away in Barrow, Cheshire.
Humphrey decided it was better to sell some of the lands that were too far away. In 1555, he sold the lands in Cheshire. He spent his time living at both Hilton and Swynnerton. Besides his own lands, Humphrey also earned money from other important jobs. In 1541, he became the manager of the Royal Forest of Cannock. Later, in 1559–60, he was an "escheator" for Staffordshire, which meant he handled property that went back to the Crown.
Serving in Parliament
Humphrey Swynnerton became a Member of Parliament (MP) for the town of Stafford in April 1554. This was during the reign of Queen Mary I. The powerful Giffard family, who were his in-laws, likely helped him get this position. Humphrey was listed second in importance for the Stafford seat, just after his brother-in-law's son, John Giffard. His brother-in-law, Thomas Giffard, was in charge of the election.
Humphrey shared the Giffards' strong Catholic beliefs. He was happy when Queen Mary brought back Catholicism to England. The main reason for this Parliament was to approve Queen Mary's marriage to Philip II of Spain. They also passed a law saying Mary had the same powers as a king. The Parliament only lasted about a month, and Humphrey never served as an MP again.
A Catholic Recusant
Humphrey Swynnerton was very devoted to his Catholic faith. For example, he kept a large prayer book (called a breviary) from Lichfield Cathedral when King Edward VI ordered churches to get rid of their Catholic items. When Queen Mary became queen, she brought back Catholic worship. Humphrey gave his breviary back to the cathedral, which helped them restart their services. He strongly supported Queen Mary's efforts to restore Catholicism.
When Elizabeth I became queen in November 1558, she made the Church of England Protestant again. This meant Catholics like Humphrey had a difficult choice. They could either follow the new Protestant church or break away and continue practicing Catholicism. Those who chose to break away were called "recusants." Humphrey Swynnerton, along with Thomas Giffard, asked for a special pardon from the Queen, which was a way for Catholics to show they weren't rebelling, even if they didn't agree with the new church rules.
Near the end of his life, Humphrey spent a lot of time and money rebuilding the church of St Mary and St John at Shareshill. This was his local church when he lived at Hilton. The old church needed a lot of repairs and to be made bigger. Most of the medieval building was replaced at his expense in 1562, the year he died.
Humphrey wrote his will on July 6, 1561. He asked to be buried in the church at Shareshill if he died at Hilton. He left money for prayers for his soul. Since he had no sons, he left his estates to his two daughters. He died on August 25, 1562, at Hilton, and was buried at Shareshill as he wished. His wife, Cassandra, was buried next to him in 1570. A beautiful tomb with stone statues (effigies) of them was built. These statues are still in the church today.
Family Life
Humphrey Swynnerton married Cassandra Giffard, the daughter of Sir John Giffard of Chillington, before 1540. They had two daughters, who inherited his lands:
- Elizabeth Swynnerton married William Fitzherbert. His family was also important and mostly Catholic. Elizabeth brought the Swynnerton estate to the Fitzherbert family. Even though William died young, the estate stayed with them. Elizabeth later married Francis Gatacre and lived until 1606.
- Margaret Swynnerton married Henry Vernon of Sudbury Hall in 1547. His family was another important Catholic family. Margaret received the Hilton estate, which then became part of the Vernon family's lands. She was known for strongly protecting her property.
