Joan Wadham

Source 1: On Line: John Kelleway of Collumpton: Joan married (2) John Wadman of Meryfield, son of Sir Nicholas Wadman & Joan (Hill) Wadman of Merifield Children by her (2) marriage to John Wadman: Nicholas; Joan; Margaret; Florentinea

Source 2: On Line: Callaway Family Association: The lands mentioned in the deeds in Cornwall, Devonshire, Hants & Dorset, were about the lands of the Tregarthen, Hendor & Chamberlayne families, to which Joan and her sister, Margaret Tregarthen were heirs. They were daughters of John Tregarthen, who pre-deceased his father, Thomas Tregarthen; thus Joan and Margaret were heirs to their grandparents Thomas & Margaret Hendor Tregarthan. Margaret Hendor was daughtr & Heir of Richard Hendor & Katherine (Chamberlayne) Hendor. The land referred to in Cornwall, Hants & Dorset belonged to these families.

John Kayleway, esq. of Cullompton, husband of Joan Tregarthen, only held land in Devonshire. As we look over some other items about there might be a possible relation with him and the Rockborn clan; There is obviously a connection with the Sherborne clan;

Source 3: On Line: A Guide To The Church Of Saint Winifred, Branscombe by Rolanl Brascombe with drawings by Angela Lamberet: The finest tomb remaining in the church of St. Winifreds church at Branscombe parish on the Devonshire Coast is that of Joan Wadham, whose first husband was John Kellaway, by whom she had fourteen children. Her second husband was Sir John Wadham, by whom she had six children, a total of twenty offspring! Sir John Wadhams main residence was at Merifield, near Ilminster. After he died in 1577, Joan retired to the dower house, Edge Barton in Branscombe. She is almost certainly not buried there, as the tomb has been removed. I now sits on an unidentified older table tomb. The facade of the Wadham tomb is that of a Greek temple. On one side kneels John Kellaway of Cullompton in doublet, ruff, trunk hose and a long academic gown with pendant sleeves, hanging from the shoulder. Joan herself is depicted kneeling behind, in a ruff and puffed sleeves, with a line of fourteen children, five boys and nine girls. She is about a third of the size of the male figures. The girls are dressed exactly like herself, with ruffs and flat caps, the boys in doublet, ruffs and trunk hose like their father. On the other side, Kneeling, is Sir John Wadham. He is full armour, but with a ruff, which is unusual. A helmet with a pair of crossed gauntlets, part of sir John Wadhams outfit, are laid between the two husbands, who are depicted praying. Again, the figure of Joan is behind, a double appearance thought to be unique in British memorial are of this period. There are five children in a row, a sixth has been broken away. Five were girls and there was one boy.

The inscription on the tomb of Joan Tregarthen reads as follows: Here lieth entombed the body of a virtuous and ancient gentlewoman, descended of the ancient house of the Plantagenets, sometime of Cornwall, namely, Joan, one of the duaghters and heirs unto John Tregarthin, in the County of Cornwall, Esq. She was first married unto John Kellaway, Esq., who had by her much issue. After his death she was married to John Wadham, of Merefield, in the County of Somerset, Esq., and by him had....children. She lived a virtuous and godly life, and died in an honourable age, September in the year of Christ, 1581 [typo?].

The register of the church states: Mrs. Jone Wadham, wid., was buryed the 30th of September, 1583;

Taken from the website: http://nefamilies.com/fam/groupsheetI100008827.aspx

(BRANSCOMBE. St. Winifred.) In the north transept is the monument of Mrs. Wadham, mother of the founder of Wadham College, Oxford, and her two husbands, John Kellaway and John Wadham. On the monument are sculptured effigies of her two husbands, a figure of herself behind each, and the figures of her children. She must have been prolific, as there are twelve children behind the first husband, and six behind the second, and there are signs of other figures having been removed. The monument has the following inscription:— Here lieth entombed the body of a virtuous and antient gentlewoman descended of the antient house of the Plantagenets, sometime of Cornwall, namely Joan one of the daughters of and heir unto John Tregarthen, in the County of Cornwall, Esq. She was first married unto John Kellaway, Esq., who had by her much issue. After his death she was married to John Wadham of Mayfied in the County of Somerset, Esq., and by him had several children. She lived a virtuous and godly life and died in an honourable old age September in the year of Christ 1583.