Thomas Fairfax (Walton) facts for kids

Sir Thomas Fairfax (born around 1450 – died 31 March 1505) was an important English knight. He was the very first person in the Fairfax family to own Gilling Castle. This historic castle is located near Gilling East in what was once the North Riding of Yorkshire, England.

Sir Thomas Fairfax was originally known as Thomas Fairfax of Walton. He likely supported the House of York during the Wars of the Roses. This was a series of big fights between two powerful families, the House of York and the House of Lancaster, who both wanted control of the English throne. Fairfax's first home was close to the Battle of Towton, a major battle that helped decide the outcome of these wars.

How He Got Gilling Castle

From 1489 to 1492, Thomas Fairfax successfully claimed ownership of the Gilling Estate. This happened through official investigations called "inquisitions." Before Fairfax, the de Etton family had owned this land and castle.

A Family Connection

However, there was a special family connection. In 1349, Margaret de Etton married one of Fairfax's ancestors, who was also named Thomas Fairfax. Margaret was the sister of Thomas de Etton, who owned the estate at that time and built its strong tower. They made an agreement that if the de Etton family ever died out, the Fairfax family would inherit the estate.

Coming Home

Because of this old agreement, when Thomas Fairfax received the estate, it was like the rightful owners were finally coming home. After gaining Gilling Castle, he became known as Fairfax of Walton and Gilling.

Gilling Castle's Features

In 1505, when Sir Thomas owned it, Gilling Castle was mainly a very large tower. It was built to defend against quick attacks from Scottish raiders. However, it wasn't designed to withstand a very long siege.

England's Largest Tower House

According to historian John Marwood, this tower house was the biggest of its kind in England. The entire Gilling Estate was quite large. It included a water mill, 30 houses, and a lot of land. There were 300 acres of attached land, 300 acres of wood, and 1,000 acres of moorland.

Sir Thomas's Life and Family

In 1495, Thomas Fairfax was given a special honor. He became a Knight of the Bath. This was a prestigious title given to important people, often before a royal coronation.

His Family

Sir Thomas married Elizabeth Shireburn of Stonyhurst in Lancashire. They had a large family with ten children. His oldest son, also named Thomas, inherited Gilling Castle when his father passed away. Sir Thomas and Elizabeth also had three other sons named Richard, Robert, and John. They had five daughters: Margaret, Jane, Elizabeth, Isabel, Anne, and Dorothy.

According to historian John Marwood, not many exciting events were recorded from Sir Thomas Fairfax's life. He was a steady and important figure in his time.