John Sulyard facts for kids

Sir John Sulyard (born by 1518 – died 1575) was an important figure in East Anglia, a region in England. He owned land, served as a judge, and was a knight. He was also a strong Roman Catholic and served in the English Parliament during the time of Queen Mary.

The Sulyard Family at Wetherden

Sir John Sulyard's grandfather, also named John Sulyard, was a judge. He bought the Wetherden Hall estate in 1463. This estate had a large house with a moat, which is a ditch filled with water around a castle or house. The judge was a teacher to Prince Edward from 1473 until the prince disappeared in 1483. Wetherden was also close to the home of Sir James Tyrrell, who was linked to the mystery of the Princes in the Tower.

The judge married twice. With his first wife, Agnes, he had two sons, Edward and William, and a daughter, Elizabeth. With his second wife, Anne, he had two more sons, Andrew and John, and three daughters.

When the judge died in 1488, he started building a special chapel, called a chantry, in St Mary's Church, Wetherden. This chapel had a beautiful roof decorated with many family symbols, showing the Sulyard family's important connections. His second wife, Anne, finished building the chapel after his death.

The Wetherden estate then went to Anne, and later to her son Andrew Sulyard. Andrew worked for King Henry VIII. He died in 1538 without children. So, the estate passed to his brother, John Sulyard. This John Sulyard married Margaret Baker, and they were the parents of the Sir John Sulyard this article is about. When John Sulyard (the father) died in 1539, he asked to be buried at Wetherden. He left most of his property to his son, John Sulyard.

Sir John Sulyard's Life and Career

John Sulyard studied law at Clifford’s Inn. He married three times. His first wife was Elizabeth Bedingfield, and they had one daughter. After his father died in 1540, John married his second wife, Elizabeth Jerningham. They had two sons and two daughters. Elizabeth's sister, Anne, was married to Sir Thomas Cornwallis, who was also an important figure. John's third wife was Alice Carvell.

In 1549, Sulyard helped put down Kett's Rebellion in Norwich. He was a strong Roman Catholic and supported Queen Mary. This loyalty helped him in his public career, which mostly happened during Mary's reign. In 1553, when there was a fight over who would be queen after King Edward VI died, Sulyard and others quickly supported Mary. Their quick action helped her become queen. There's a story that Queen Mary even stayed a night at Wetherden Hall on her way to Framlingham.

Sulyard became a Member of Parliament for Ipswich in 1553. He also became a standard-bearer for Queen Mary, carrying her flag. He served in Parliament for other towns like Bodmin and Preston. From 1554, he also worked as a Justice of the Peace in Suffolk, helping to keep order.

In 1554, Queen Mary gave Sulyard the Haughley estate, including Haughley Castle and its lands. This was a thank-you for his loyalty. This estate became the main home for the Sulyard family. (The large house at Haughley Park that stands today was built much later, around 1620.)

He was elected to Parliament for Ipswich again in 1555. He also served as High Sheriff of Norfolk and Suffolk in 1555-1556. During this time, he was involved in some religious persecutions. The writer John Foxe reported that Sulyard and Sir John Tyrrell forced people to attend Catholic Mass. If they refused, they were put in prison.

Sulyard was made a knight in 1557 or 1558. His last time in Parliament was for Chippenham in 1558. When Queen Elizabeth I became queen, England's religious rules changed. Sulyard remained a Roman Catholic, which was against the new laws. In 1574, his name was on a list of important English Catholics, possibly because of their support for Mary, Queen of Scots. He wrote his will in 1569, asking to be buried at Wetherden church with his family. He left his properties to his sons, Edward and Thomas.

Death and Memorial

Sir John Sulyard died in 1575. His will was officially approved on November 1, 1575. His wife, Alice, outlived him and moved to live with her son Humphrey Bedingfield. She died in 1577.

Sir John was buried in the south aisle of Wetherden church, where his ancestors were laid to rest. His tomb has a dark marble top with a Latin message. Above this, there's a carving showing Sir John Sulyard and his three wives kneeling. Two tall marble columns frame a central panel with his family coat of arms and crest, which are symbols of his family. Below this are four smaller shields, each showing the combined symbols of Sir John and one of his wives.

Heraldry

The main coat of arms on Sir John Sulyard's tomb shows symbols from eight different families connected to him. His crest is a stag's head. The four smaller shields below represent Sir John and his three wives, showing their family connections through their coats of arms.

In Literature

Sir John Sulyard's story was even told in a book! A Victorian novel called Wetherden Hall: an historical tale of the days of Queen Mary was written about him in 1867 by Arthur Brown, who was a church leader in Wetherden.

Family Life

Sir John Sulyard had children from his first two marriages.

With his first wife, Elizabeth Bedingfield, he had one daughter:

• Frances Sulyard, who married twice.

With his second wife, Elizabeth Jerningham, he had two sons and two daughters:

• Edward Sulyard (died 1605), who married twice and was buried at Wetherden.
• Thomas Sulyard (died 1612), who married Bridget Mannock and was buried at Grundisburgh.
• Margaret Sulyard (born 1542), who married Thomas Tyrrell in 1565. A painting of her was sold in 1986.
• Anne Sulyard (died 1558), who married Sir John Tirrell in 1556 and was buried at Wetherden.

He did not have any children with his third wife, Alice Carvell.