William Clopton facts for kids
William Clopton (born 1538, died 1592) was an important person from a wealthy English family. He inherited a famous house called New Place in Stratford upon Avon. In 1563, he sold this house to William Bott.
William Clopton's Life
William Clopton was born in 1538. He was the only son of William Clopton (who died in 1560) and Elizabeth Grey. His mother, Elizabeth, was the daughter of Sir Edward Grey.
The Clopton family had lived at Clopton House near Stratford upon Avon since the 1200s. William Clopton's father was known for strongly supporting the Catholic faith in the area. He was against William Lucy, another important person from Charlecote. William's father even served Queen Mary I at her coronation feast in 1553. He received special tools and napkins as a payment for his service.
William Clopton's parents died close to each other. His mother, Elizabeth Grey, was buried in Holy Trinity Church in Stratford in January 1559. She was likely buried in the Clopton family chapel there. His father made his will in January 1560, asking to be buried in the same place. After his father died, William Clopton lived at Clopton House. His father's helper, William Bott, moved into New Place in Stratford upon Avon.
When his father died in 1560, William Clopton was 22 years old. He was the only son and inherited everything. However, he needed money to pay his four sisters (Anne, Elizabeth, Eleanor, and Rose) what his father had left them. He also wanted to travel to Italy. Because of this, he had to sell some of his family's property. In 1563, he sold New Place to William Bott, who was already living there.
The next year, William Clopton took William Bott to court. He accused Bott of cheating and faking documents. Bott later sold New Place in 1567 to William Underhill. Underhill was a lawyer and owned a lot of land in Warwickshire.
It is believed that William Clopton built the oldest parts of Clopton House that are still standing today. He and his wife were Catholic recusants. This means they refused to attend the Church of England services. After William died, it was reported that his widow, Anne, started going to church.
William Clopton died in 1592. His wife, Anne, died two years later. Both were buried in Holy Trinity Church. Since he had no sons who lived, he left his property to his two surviving daughters, Joyce and Anne.
William Clopton's Family
William Clopton married a woman named Anne, who was the daughter of Sir George Griffith. They had two sons and four daughters:
- Lodowick, who died without having children.
- William, who also died without having children.
- Elizabeth, who died without having children.
- Margery, who died without having children.
- Joyce (died 1635) married George Carew, 1st Earl of Totnes in 1580 when she was fifteen. They did not have any children. Joyce and her husband are buried in the Clopton chapel at Holy Trinity Church. A special monument remembers them there.
- Anne married her cousin, William Clopton, in 1589 when she was thirteen. Her cousin was from Sledwick in Durham.
