Thomas Spring of Castlemaine facts for kids
Thomas Spring of Castlemaine was an English soldier and politician who lived a long time ago. He was in charge of a place called Castle Maine in County Kerry, Ireland, and died in 1597.
Early Life and Military Service
Thomas Spring was born in Lavenham, a town in Suffolk, England. His father was Robert Spring. Thomas's grandfather, also named Thomas Spring of Lavenham, was a very successful merchant (someone who buys and sells goods) in England during the early 1500s.
Thomas Spring became an officer in the army of Queen Elizabeth I. He served during a time when England was trying to gain more control over Ireland, known as the Tudor conquest of Ireland. Thomas was a good soldier and caught the attention of important people like Walter Raleigh. Raleigh even asked for a special reward for Spring from Sir Michael Hicks.
Land and Power in Ireland
As a reward for his service, Thomas Spring was given a lot of land in Ireland. This was part of a plan called the Plantation of Munster, where English settlers were given land in Ireland. In 1578, he received over 3,000 acres in County Kerry.
In 1584, Thomas Spring was made the Constable of Castle Maine. This meant he was responsible for keeping English royal authority (the Queen's power) strong in that area. He also had the right to hold several country fairs, which helped him earn money. He was also in charge of collecting tolls and taxes for the Queen.
His land grew even more! On December 12, 1588, he was given the lands of Killagha Abbey. This abbey had been taken by the Crown during a time called the dissolution of the monasteries, when many religious buildings were closed down. Spring was told to rebuild the abbey like a castle, so it could be used for defense.
Political Roles and Family
From 1585 to 1586, Thomas Spring was a Member of Parliament for County Kerry in the Irish House of Commons. This meant he helped make laws for Ireland. He also served as the High Sheriff of Kerry in 1592, which was an important local government role. He was the first person from the Spring family to live in Ireland.
Thomas Spring married Annabelle Browne. Her father was John Browne, Master of Awney, Co. Limerick. Thomas and Annabelle had two sons and five daughters.
- Their oldest son, Thomas, became a lawyer.
- Their younger son, Walter, also served as High Sheriff of Kerry in 1609. Walter's grandson, also named Walter Spring, later lost a lot of the family's land in Ireland during a conflict called the Irish Confederate Wars.
- One of Thomas's daughters, Alice, married Colonel James Ryves.
