John Acland (died 1553) facts for kids
John Acland (died 1553) was an important member of the Acland family. He is known as "the first Acland family member we know a lot about." His great-grandson was Sir John Acland, 1st Baronet (died 1648), a Royalist colonel. We don't know much about John Acland's life or what he did for work. He might have been a minor government worker during the Tudor period.
John Acland is most famous for his portrait. It is displayed at Killerton House in Devon. This portrait is the oldest picture of an Acland family member that still exists. It is a very special part of the family's old collection, which is now owned by the National Trust.
His family home was Acland Barton in the village of Landkey. This is near Barnstaple in North Devon. The Acland family had lived there since 1155. The family is thought to have moved to England from Flanders shortly after the Norman Conquest. By the late 1900s, they were probably one of the oldest land-owning families in Devon. In the 1800s, they owned a very large estate in the West Country, almost 40,000 acres big.
Family History
John Acland was the oldest son of the fifth John Acland of Acland. His mother was Elizabeth Cruwys. She was the daughter of John Cruwys of Cruwys Morchard, Devon. The Cruwys family is another old Devon family that still lives in their ancient manor house today.
John's father, the fifth John, died before his own father, the fourth John Acland (died 1539). This meant that John (the sixth) inherited his grandfather's lands. He was about 17 years old when he became the owner of these estates.
Marriage and Children
John Acland married Margaret Radcliff. She was one of the daughters and co-heiresses of Hugh Radcliff of Stepney. A co-heiress means she shared the right to inherit property with her sisters.
John and Margaret had these children:
- Hugh Acland (around 1543–1622) of Acland. He was the oldest son and inherited his father's lands. He became the Sheriff of Devon in 1611. When he was about 70, he also inherited money and land from his rich younger brother, Sir John Acland. Hugh was buried in Landkey Church on May 22, 1622.
- Sir John Acland (died February 14, 1620). He was made a knight at the Tower of London on November 15, 1603 or 1604. He was a Member of Parliament (MP) for Devon in 1604. He was also the Sheriff of Devon in 1608. He bought the estate of Columb John in the village of Broadclyst, Devon. He is mentioned in John Prince's book Worthies of Devon, which tells about important people from Devon.
- Gertrude Acland. She married Guy Bonvile of Street, Somerset.
- Dorothy Acland. She married Robert Smith of Mucheney, Somerset.
After John Acland died, his wife Margaret married again. She married John Brett of Whitestaunton.
Lands Owned
Besides his family estate of Acland, John Acland owned other lands. By the 1550s, he had lands in several villages. These included Loxbeare, Chittlehampton, Tedburn St Mary, High Bray, and Swimbridge.
Death and Burial
The year 1554 written on John Acland's portrait is wrong. It was probably added later. He actually died on October 5, 1553. He was buried in Landkey church. His will, which is a legal document about his wishes for his property, was approved by his widow on June 1, 1554. This happened in the Consistory Court of the Bishop of Exeter.
