Robert Newdigate, MP, of Hawnes

NEWDIGATE, Robert I (1528-84), of Hawnes, Beds.

• from Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1558-1603, ed. P.W. Hasler, 1981

brief biography

Newdigate owned a considerable amount of property in Bedfordshire. The first mention of him there is in June 1554, when he was leasing land in Wilhamstead. In April 1563 he sold this manor, with other property formerly belonging to Elstow priory, and soon afterwards bought the larger part of the manor of Hawnes (now Haynes) from Sir Edward Bray. The bishop of Lincoln described Newdigate as ‘esquire’, ‘earnest’ in religion in Bedfordshire and as ‘gent.’, ‘indifferent’ in Buckinghamshire. He was an active official in both counties and so may have been in a position to have himself returned for Buckingham even without the influence of Henry Carey†, 1st Baron Hunsdon, who was, however, in the position of parliamentary patron both there and at Berwick. Hunsdon took his side in an incident in September 1570, when he wrote to Cecil, saying that he thought the Queen’s anger with Newdigate, apparently after complaints from the Duchess of Suffolk, unjustified. The question at issue seems to have been the stewardship of Ampthill, Bedfordshire, which Lady Suffolk had wanted her son to buy from Hunsdon. She was ‘greatly offended’ with Newdigate, whom she blamed (according to Hunsdon, unjustly) for the failure of the scheme.3

The few references to Newdigate’s private character show him as a quarrelsome member of that faction in Bedfordshire opposed to the 6th Earl of Kent. No will has been found; his inquisition post mortem, taken in January 1586, gives the date of his death, 4 May 1584, and describes his Bedfordshire lands as in the custody of the widow on behalf of her son Robert.5

Family

b. 14. Sept. 1528, 7th s. of John Newdigate of Moor Hall, Harefield, Mdx. and Arbury, Warws. by Anne, da. and h. of Nicholas Hilton of Cambridge; bro. of Francis, John† and Nicholas†. educ. L. Inn 1550. m. Anne, da. of Edmund Conquest† of Houghton Conquest, at least 1s. Robert II.1