Nicholas Culpeper

Nicholas, with his brother, Richard, under somewhat romantic circumstances, married the Wakehurst sisters, (granddaughters and co-heiresses of Richard Wakehurst, sen., of Wakehurst, in Ardingly). These two girls were confided by Elizabeth, their grandmother, to the care of John Culpeper and Agnes, his wife, the former of whom "promysed on the faithe and trouthe of his bodye and as he was a gentylman," that they should not be wronged. In spite of this promise, however, Richard and Nicholas, "with force and armes riotously agense the Kynges peas arayed in the manor of warre at Goutherst toke and caried" them away to Bobbing, Alexander Clifford's place in Kent, and afterwards transported them to London to a place of John Gibson, "the seide Margarete and Elizabeth at the tyme of their takyng away makyng grete and pittious lamentacion and wepyng."

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This high-handed proceeding on the part of the two fortune hunting brothers was productive of much litigation, as Elizabeth Wakehurst, grandmother of the two heiresses, refused to resign the title deeds of their estates, and it was some time before a peaceable settlement was obtained. Richard died without issue, but Nicholas became the ancestor of the Culpepers of Wakehurst, and as the brass to him and his wife Elizabeth in Ardingly Church shows ten sons and eight daughters, we may conclude that they lived long and happily together.

Nicholas Colepeper lived at Wakehurst, Sussex, England.www.findagrave.com

Nicholas Culpeper
BIRTH unknown
DEATH 23 May 1510
England
BURIAL
St. Peter's Churchyard
Ardingly, Mid Sussex District, West Sussex, England
MEMORIAL ID 128653379

Within the sanctuary at St. Peter's is the altar tomb, with a fine brass, of Richard Wakehurst and Elizabeth his wife. He was member of Parliament and concerned in much public work. He was the last of the Wakehursts and died in 1454.

In the central alley of the Chancel are the brasses of Richard and Margaret Culpeper, d. 1516 and 1504, which originally lay before the altar, and of Nicholas (d. 1510) and Elizabeth Culpeper, with their 10 sons and 8 daughters.

These two Culpeper brothers married two sisters, Margaret and Elizabeth, granddaughters of Sir Richard Wakehurst, who thus brought the Wakehurst estate into the Culpeper family.

Source of text: Mary S. Holgate. F.S.A., Historical and Architectural Notes, The Parish Church of Saint Peter, Ardingly.

From Culpeper Family Tree:
"Nicholas, with his brother, Richard, under somewhat romantic circumstances, married the Wakehurst sisters, (granddaughters and co-heiresses of Richard Wakehurst, sen., of Wakehurst, in Ardingly). These two girls were confided by Elizabeth, their grandmother, to the care of John Colepeper and Agnes, his wife, the former of whom "promysed on the faithe and trouthe of his bodye and as he was a gentylman," that they should not be wronged. In spite of this promise, however, Richard and Nicholas, "with force and armes riotously agense the Kynges peas arayed in the manr of warre at Goutherst toke and caried" them away to Bobbing, Alexander Clifford's place in Kent, and afterwards transported them to London to a place of John Gibson, "the seide Margarete and Elizabeth at the tyme of their takyng away makyng grete and pittious lamentacion and wepyng.""

Family Members
Parents

Walter Colepeper
1392–1462

Agnes Colepeper
1402–1457

Spouse
Elizabeth Wakefield Culpeper
1449–1517

Siblings
John Culepepper
1424–1480

Richard Colepeper
1429–1516

Inscription
Of yo2 charite pray for the soulles of Nichas Culpep Esquyer & Elizabeth his wyf the which Nichãs decessed the XXIII day of Maye ye yer of o2 Lord MDX and the seid Elizabeth decessed the ___ day of ___ ye yer of o2 Lord MD__ on whose soules ihu have mercy.
Gravesite Details ("ihu" = Jesus. The dates for Elizabeth were never filled in.)