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Anne Astley (Wood)

Also Known As: "Helen", "Ann Wode"
Birthdate:
Death: 1512
Immediate Family:

Daughter of John Wood
Wife of Thomas Astley, of Melton Constable
Mother of John Astley, Esq.; Richard Astley; Thomas Astley; Anne Astley; Elizabeth Astley and 1 other
Sister of Elizabeth Boleyn

Managed by: Erica Howton
Last Updated:

About Anne Astley

She was Thomas Astley's second wife and the mother of his second son named John as well as sons Richard and Thomas, as well as probably daughters Ann, Elizabeth and Margaret. She apparently died in 1512 after delivering twin babies.

From http://www.kateemersonhistoricals.com/TudorWomenWi-Z.htm

ANNE WOOD (d.1512)

Anne, also called Helen, Wood was the daughter of John Wood of East Barsham, Norfolk (d.c.1496). She married Thomas Astley of Melton Constable, Norfolk (1469-October 19,1543) as his second wife in about 1505 and was the mother of his son John (c.1507-August 1,1596) and probably of Ann, Elizabeth, and Margaret Astley, who had been born by 1510.

The surname is often given as Ashley and Wood is frequently spelled Wode, which is one reason Anne's identity is so often confused. Even the Oxford DNB entry for her son does not connect her to the Anne Wode whose memorial brass survives in Blickling, Norfolk.

According to the story preserved in Blickling, Anne died there during a visit her sister, Elizabeth, in 1512, along with twin babies who are pictured with their mother on her memorial brass. Anne appears to have given birth in Blickling and died soon after. Many records of John Astley/Ashley state that he was a cousin of Queen Elizabeth and some further say that his mother and Anne Boleyn's mother were sisters. Anne Wood's sister was Elizabeth, Lady Boleyn, but she was Elizabeth Wood, married to Sir James Boleyn, not Elizabeth Howard, wife of Sir Thomas Boleyn. In the usage of the times, John Astley would indeed have been considered the queen's cousin, but it was because his mother's sister married the brother of Anne Boleyn's father, not anything closer. Portrait: memorial brass in St. Andrew, Blickling

From http://under-these-restless-skies.blogspot.com/2014/03/elizabeth-wo...

They lived at Blickling Hall when not at court. Elizabeth (Wood) Boleyn's sister, Anne Wood Astley, came to visit her there in 1512, and died after delivering twin babies. A memorial brass depicts Anne Astley holding the twins