Ludgershall Wiltshire
"Heare lyeth the body of Sir Richard Brydges Knight whose soule Jehu take to his mercy. He decessed the fyrst daye of August AD 1558. Heare lyeth the Lady Jane wife to Sir Richard Brydges Knight, dowghter of Wylyam Spencer Knight"
Large monument to Sir Richard Brydges 1558 and his family, stands by the entrance between the 12c nave & their south mortuary chapel which they built in 1553 www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/PR780Ze53B
The Brydges family of Great Shefford , leased and then owned the manor of Ludgershall in Wiltshire for much of the 16c , Sir Richard having bought it in 1557 / 58 .
Richard was the son of Henry Bruges / Bridges of Newbury and Susan daughter of John Hungerford of Down Ampney by Mary Choke or daughter of Thomas Hungerford & Christina Halle;
He was the grandson of Thomas Brydges of Coberley, Glos. by Florence daughter of Sir William Darrell of Littlecote,
He m1 Anne daughter of Richard Norris of West Shefford by Eleanor Cheney: Granddaughter of William Norreys, Esquire of the Body to King Edward IV , who died without issue
He m2 Jane 1520 - 1593 daughter of Sir William Spencer 1532 of Wormleighton & Althorp , by Susan daughter of Sir Richard Knightley 1534 & Jane Skenard www.flickr.com/photos/52219527@N00/4437958464/ and granddaughter of Sir John Spencer 1522 and Isabel Graunt www.flickr.com/photos/52219527@N00/7163592357/
Jane was the sister of Sir John Spencer of Wormleighton & Althorp 1518-1586 at Great Brington flic.kr/p/bV2tf8
Children
1. Jane 1541 - 1600
2. Anthony 1543 - 1617 m Barbara one of 4 co-heiress daughters www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/55tRpa4XX2 of Sir Richard Pecksall / Pecksall 1571 flic.kr/p/2mKex3B by 1st wife Alianor daughter of William Paulet, Marquess of Winchester & Lord Treasurer of England ; Barbara was the grand daughter of Ralph Pexall dc 1538 by Edith daughter of William Brocas of Beaurepaire (Of her sisters 1) Anne m Bernard Brocas (who bought Barbara's share); (2) Margery m1 Oliver Beckett m2 Francis Cotton; (3) Elizabeth m John Jobson) (Anthony & Barbara had 1 heiress daughter Eleanor dsp wife of Sir George Browne of Wickham Breaux Kent )
3. Frances 1546 - 1506 m Nicholas Stephens of Burdrop Manor Swindon
4. Edmund 1548 - 1594 of West Bradley m Alice daughter of Richard Goddard 1540 and Mary Alleyne / Allen 1590 having 2 sons William & Anthony
Sir Richard followed his father as MP in the reigns of Henry Vlll, Edward VI and Mary . Cousin of Lord Chandos, Richard was knighted at Mary Tudor's coronation (2 Oct 1553); He was sheriff of Berkshire in 1555-1556, and governor of a royal castle on the site. As one of the commissioners for the trial of protestant martyr Josceline Palmer at Newbury (16 Jul 1556), made 'a gentle offer' to the prisoner of meat, drink, books, and £10. yearly if he would live with him and renounce his errors. Palmer declined the offer, and suffered at the stake.
Richard died in the last months of the brief reign of catholic Queen Mary Tudor, and the inscription asks for mercy on his soul and over their effigies, under the arch hovers an angel in a white surplice carrying 2 souls in a winding sheet to heaven. flic.kr/p/5SgjRS
The family would have lived more easily during Mary's reign, as Sir Richard probably stayed with his catholic faith - he never sat on a commission for despoiling the Church during the Reformation
Son Anthony is believed later to have harboured a Catholic priest, Father George Snape, at his house in Great Shefford , and Anthony's daughter married Sir George Browne who lost a large portion of his estate because of his recusancy.
Most of the heraldry are versions of the Brydges / Chandos coat of arms. www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/0k31055176
At Richard's feet is the family's Beaver emblem. At Jane's feet is a lion.
Sir Richard in his will made a week before he died describing himself "of Great Shefford" , he asked "to be buried in the church where it shall please God to call me to depart".
His 15 year-old son and heir, Anthony, who had been betrothed to Barbara, daughter of Sir Richard Pecksall, was to inherit all the estates except Bradley in Somerset, which was assigned to the younger son Edmund.
Anthony was to have his estate at West Shefford , also his manors of Leybrook in Ringwood , Folley Berks, Ashton Giffard Staffs and other lands in Staffordshire and Wiltshire, in default of heirs male of his body all was to revert to Edmund .
Plate and other goods were divided between Anthony and his mother, while the 2 daughters were to have 500 marks each on their marriage. The supervisors, Sir Anthony Hungerford and Sir Richard Pecksall, were charged with seeing that ‘good government’ was given to the children.
Jane his widow and executrix later m2 (3rd wife) catholic leaning Simon Harcourt of Stanton Harcourt c1525 - 1577 1st son of Sir John Harcourt 1566 ; Widower of Mary daughter of Edward Aston of Tixall, Staffs & Grace daughter of Humphrey Fitzherbert of Upsall, Herts., widow of William Robinson of Drayton Bassett, with 5 sons & 1 daughter.
She died September 1593 aged 73 and was laid beside Richard, her effigy being added to his - in her will she left money to the poor of Ludgershall, Newbury, West Shefford and Argaston
On the north face of the monument knee 2 women behind a man, his arm resting on the family coat of arms, with 2 sons kneeling in front.
These probably represent, not the children as is usual, but Richard with his 2 wives, and his 2 sons the future of the family. Curiously between the sons is a dog on its hind legs which originally looked up to a hawk held by one of the boys (now missing) the bird's lure still intact.
Described as ‘one of the most important of its date in England, the monument is at the crossroads of the early renaissance & more classical Elizabethan styles.
It was restored (in part sadly not with accuracy) by the Pilgrim Trust in the 1970s and may not originally have been so brightly painted. Indeed watercolours by R Kernon of 1860 seem to prove this.
www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1509-1558/member...
www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1558-1603/member...
- Church of St James, Ludgershall Wiltshire
Picture with thanks - Copyright Colin Smith CCL www.geograph.org.uk/photo/6685042
Ludgershall Wiltshire
"Heare lyeth the body of Sir Richard Brydges Knight whose soule Jehu take to his mercy. He decessed the fyrst daye of August AD 1558. Heare lyeth the Lady Jane wife to Sir Richard Brydges Knight, dowghter of Wylyam Spencer Knight"
Large monument to Sir Richard Brydges 1558 and his family, stands by the entrance between the 12c nave & their south mortuary chapel which they built in 1553 www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/PR780Ze53B
The Brydges family of Great Shefford , leased and then owned the manor of Ludgershall in Wiltshire for much of the 16c , Sir Richard having bought it in 1557 / 58 .
Richard was the son of Henry Bruges / Bridges of Newbury and Susan daughter of John Hungerford of Down Ampney by Mary Choke or daughter of Thomas Hungerford & Christina Halle;
He was the grandson of Thomas Brydges of Coberley, Glos. by Florence daughter of Sir William Darrell of Littlecote,
He m1 Anne daughter of Richard Norris of West Shefford by Eleanor Cheney: Granddaughter of William Norreys, Esquire of the Body to King Edward IV , who died without issue
He m2 Jane 1520 - 1593 daughter of Sir William Spencer 1532 of Wormleighton & Althorp , by Susan daughter of Sir Richard Knightley 1534 & Jane Skenard www.flickr.com/photos/52219527@N00/4437958464/ and granddaughter of Sir John Spencer 1522 and Isabel Graunt www.flickr.com/photos/52219527@N00/7163592357/
Jane was the sister of Sir John Spencer of Wormleighton & Althorp 1518-1586 at Great Brington flic.kr/p/bV2tf8
Children
1. Jane 1541 - 1600
2. Anthony 1543 - 1617 m Barbara one of 4 co-heiress daughters www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/55tRpa4XX2 of Sir Richard Pecksall / Pecksall 1571 flic.kr/p/2mKex3B by 1st wife Alianor daughter of William Paulet, Marquess of Winchester & Lord Treasurer of England ; Barbara was the grand daughter of Ralph Pexall dc 1538 by Edith daughter of William Brocas of Beaurepaire (Of her sisters 1) Anne m Bernard Brocas (who bought Barbara's share); (2) Margery m1 Oliver Beckett m2 Francis Cotton; (3) Elizabeth m John Jobson) (Anthony & Barbara had 1 heiress daughter Eleanor dsp wife of Sir George Browne of Wickham Breaux Kent )
3. Frances 1546 - 1506 m Nicholas Stephens of Burdrop Manor Swindon
4. Edmund 1548 - 1594 of West Bradley m Alice daughter of Richard Goddard 1540 and Mary Alleyne / Allen 1590 having 2 sons William & Anthony
Sir Richard followed his father as MP in the reigns of Henry Vlll, Edward VI and Mary . Cousin of Lord Chandos, Richard was knighted at Mary Tudor's coronation (2 Oct 1553); He was sheriff of Berkshire in 1555-1556, and governor of a royal castle on the site. As one of the commissioners for the trial of protestant martyr Josceline Palmer at Newbury (16 Jul 1556), made 'a gentle offer' to the prisoner of meat, drink, books, and £10. yearly if he would live with him and renounce his errors. Palmer declined the offer, and suffered at the stake.
Richard died in the last months of the brief reign of catholic Queen Mary Tudor, and the inscription asks for mercy on his soul and over their effigies, under the arch hovers an angel in a white surplice carrying 2 souls in a winding sheet to heaven. flic.kr/p/5SgjRS
The family would have lived more easily during Mary's reign, as Sir Richard probably stayed with his catholic faith - he never sat on a commission for despoiling the Church during the Reformation
Son Anthony is believed later to have harboured a Catholic priest, Father George Snape, at his house in Great Shefford , and Anthony's daughter married Sir George Browne who lost a large portion of his estate because of his recusancy.
Most of the heraldry are versions of the Brydges / Chandos coat of arms. www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/0k31055176
At Richard's feet is the family's Beaver emblem. At Jane's feet is a lion.
Sir Richard in his will made a week before he died describing himself "of Great Shefford" , he asked "to be buried in the church where it shall please God to call me to depart".
His 15 year-old son and heir, Anthony, who had been betrothed to Barbara, daughter of Sir Richard Pecksall, was to inherit all the estates except Bradley in Somerset, which was assigned to the younger son Edmund.
Anthony was to have his estate at West Shefford , also his manors of Leybrook in Ringwood , Folley Berks, Ashton Giffard Staffs and other lands in Staffordshire and Wiltshire, in default of heirs male of his body all was to revert to Edmund .
Plate and other goods were divided between Anthony and his mother, while the 2 daughters were to have 500 marks each on their marriage. The supervisors, Sir Anthony Hungerford and Sir Richard Pecksall, were charged with seeing that ‘good government’ was given to the children.
Jane his widow and executrix later m2 (3rd wife) catholic leaning Simon Harcourt of Stanton Harcourt c1525 - 1577 1st son of Sir John Harcourt 1566 ; Widower of Mary daughter of Edward Aston of Tixall, Staffs & Grace daughter of Humphrey Fitzherbert of Upsall, Herts., widow of William Robinson of Drayton Bassett, with 5 sons & 1 daughter.
She died September 1593 aged 73 and was laid beside Richard, her effigy being added to his - in her will she left money to the poor of Ludgershall, Newbury, West Shefford and Argaston
On the north face of the monument knee 2 women behind a man, his arm resting on the family coat of arms, with 2 sons kneeling in front.
These probably represent, not the children as is usual, but Richard with his 2 wives, and his 2 sons the future of the family. Curiously between the sons is a dog on its hind legs which originally looked up to a hawk held by one of the boys (now missing) the bird's lure still intact.
Described as ‘one of the most important of its date in England, the monument is at the crossroads of the early renaissance & more classical Elizabethan styles.
It was restored (in part sadly not with accuracy) by the Pilgrim Trust in the 1970s and may not originally have been so brightly painted. Indeed watercolours by R Kernon of 1860 seem to prove this.
www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1509-1558/member...
www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1558-1603/member...
- Church of St James, Ludgershall Wiltshire
Picture with thanks - Copyright Colin Smith CCL www.geograph.org.uk/photo/6685042