Eleanor Broome (Windsor)

From Holton Park – ‘A Receptacle for Evil and Suspected Persons'

Lady Eleanor Windsor became Sir Christopher’s second wife and bore him two sons, George and William. William died aged 10 (his brass can be seen in Holton church dated 1599). They also had five daughters. Lady Eleanor was committed to the Tower of London in 1574 for ‘obstinacy against the state of religion established in this realm’ (she attended the banned Catholic mass in London, probably at the so-called Savoy Chapel inside the Portuguese embassy) and again to Westminster gatehouse in 1577 for ‘misdemeanours’ as a Catholic recusant. She had to be made an example of due to her social status. It cost Sir Christopher a bond of £300 to release his wife, with his guarantee of her good behaviour. She had other ideas and, soon after Sir Christopher’s death in 1589, she appeared before the Privy Council on charges of ‘using the Manor House of Holton as a receptacle for evil and suspected persons and seminary priests (Jesuits priests from the continent)... persons dangerous to the state.’

This was just after the attempted Spanish invasion by the Armada when feelings were running high on both sides. Strangely it was also the time that the Anglican rector of Holton, Bartholomew Price, lodged in Holton House itself. Lady Eleanor had in fact been reported by her own son George, who was clearly keen to show the authorities that he was on the right side of the law, despite his mother. In fact, it is reported that a family row broke out between mother and son in front of an embarrassed Privy Council, which was probably more about money than religion. Eventually a compromise was reached on the finances and Lady Eleanor died at Holton in 1592.

• "The Bromes of Holton Hall: a Forgotten Recusant Family" by John Fox. (PDF file).