Richard Reynell (died 1633) facts for kids
Sir Richard Reynell (lived from about 1558 to 1633) was an important English lawyer and a Member of Parliament. He lived at a place called Forde in Devon, England. Sir Richard built the beautiful Ford House, which you can still see today near Newton Abbot. His only daughter, Jane Reynell, later married a famous general named Sir William Waller.
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Who Was Sir Richard Reynell?
Sir Richard Reynell was born around 1558. He was the third son of Richard Reynell (who lived from 1519 to 1585). His family came from a place called East Ogwell in Devon.
Sir Richard's Career
Richard Reynell followed his two older brothers, Thomas and Josias, into studying law at a famous place called the Middle Temple in London. By 1617, he was a barrister, which is a type of lawyer. He was also chosen as an "Autumn Reader" there, which meant he gave important lectures on law.
In 1593, he was likely a Member of Parliament for a small town in Cornwall called Mitchell. He served alongside the famous explorer Walter Raleigh. In the same year, he worked in a government office that handled money matters for the King. He rose to a high position there. On July 25, 1622, he was given the special title of "Sir" (knighted) at a place called Theobalds House.
Building Forde House
Around the year 1600, when he got married, Sir Richard bought the estate of Forde. It was located in the parish of Wolborough, close to Newton Abbot in Devon. He immediately started building a new house there, which became Forde House.
King Charles I himself visited Forde House in 1625! He stayed there twice: once on his way to see the fleet of ships at Plymouth, and again on his way back. A writer named John Prince wrote about this visit around 1701:
"King Charles I came to this house, with the Duke of Buckingham and other important lords, on September 15th, 1625. He was pleased to stay there. The next day, in the dining room of that house, the King made Richard Reynell of West Ogwell and his brother Thomas Reynell knights. Thomas was a servant to the King at the time. Their wives and many lords and ladies were present, and the King said to them, 'God give you joy!'"
Family Life
In 1600, Sir Richard Reynell married Lucy Brandon. Lucy's father, Robert Brandon, was a member of the Goldsmiths' Company and an important official in London.
Lucy Brandon was the subject of a book written by her nephew, Edward Reynell, in 1654. The book was called The Life and Death of the Religious and Virtuous Lady, the Lady Lucie Reynell of Ford. It mentioned that Sir Richard Reynell had a large library filled with scholarly books, showing how much he loved learning. The book also described Lucy as a strict but very kind person. She was known for her charitable work, including setting up almshouses in 1640. These were places where poor people could live, and similar places still exist in Newton Abbot today.
Sir Richard and Lucy had one child:
- Jane Reynell, their only daughter and heir. In 1622, she married the famous general Sir William Waller.
Death and Legacy
Sir Richard Reynell passed away in 1633 and was buried on January 25th in Wolborough. His wife, Lucy Brandon, lived until 1652.
After Sir Richard's death, his lands, including Forde House, were inherited by his granddaughter, Margaret Waller. Margaret was born in 1633 and was the only surviving child of his daughter Jane. Margaret married Sir William Courtenay, 1st Baronet (1628–1702) of Powderham. They had a very large family with 19 children!
Monuments and Portraits
Inside Wolborough Church, there is a beautiful and expensive marble monument. It shows statues of Sir Richard, his wife, and his daughter lying down.
You can also see portraits of Sir Richard and his wife hanging on the wall of West Ogwell house. His family shield is shown in stained glass windows at Middle Temple Hall and in a window at Forde House. The Forde House window shows his shield joined with the shield of the Brandon family.
Images for kids
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Arms of Reynell: A shield with a black brick pattern and a black zig-zag line at the top.
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Stained glass window at Forde House. It shows two family shields joined together, representing the marriage of Sir Richard Reynell and Lucy Brandon.
