Sir Anthony Wingfield, Kt., MP

Family and Education

• b. c.1554, 1st son of Sir Robert Wingfield by his 1st wife Cecily, daughter of Thomas Wentworth†, 1st Baron Wentworth.
• educ. Peterhouse, Cambridge 1566; G. Inn 1572.
• m. Anne, daughter of Thomas Burd of Denston, Suffolk, s.p.
• Succeeded father 1596.
• Knighted 1597.

Offices Held

• Justice of the Peace for Suffolk from c.1583,
• poss. temp. rem. 1587,
• Deputy Lieutenant and Commissioner of musters c.1596,
• sheriff 1597-8.

Biography

In view of his family’s status, Wingfield can have had no difficulty in gaining parliamentary seats in Suffolk, the first (if the dates of his father’s inquisition post mortem are correct) when he was aged about 17. His will mentions his relations by marriage, the family of Sone or Soone, who sat for both Orford and Dunwich in this period.

In 1587 a man of his name was removed from the Suffolk commission of the peace. If this was the MP the reason was probably that his father was still on the commission. There was no doubt about Wingfield’s protestantism. In 1601 the Privy Council described him as ‘well affected in religion’, and he was one of those responsible for organizing the removal of recusant prisoners from Wisbech to Framlingham. On several occasions the Council asked him to act as arbitrator in local disputes; and he was joined with other local gentlemen in such varied tasks as inquiring into the complaints of poor debtors in Ipswich gaol, and supervising the collection of timber in Suffolk for shipbuilding. In Parliament the only reference found to him by name is as a member of a committee on the bill for Orford harbour, 13 Feb. 1589. As knight of the shire in 1589 he could have served on the subsidy committee (11 Feb.) and a committee concerning attorneys, 17 Feb.

He died on 29 Dec. 1605, his heir being his brother Sir Thomas. His will, made in October of that year and proved in February 1606, left lands at Staleshoo and Fyttons in Suffolk, from which his widow, the executrix, was to enjoy the revenue. Sir Thomas, to whom he owed £300, was to have the rent from the manor of Dullingham, Cambridgeshire, and armour, a tent and ‘implements of war’. There were several legacies to relatives—for example, £200 to Anthony Wingfield of Lincolnshire, and £100 to Robert, son of John Sone or Soone of King’s Lynn, ‘after he has served his apprenticeship’. Wingfield asked to be buried ‘without pomp’ in Letheringham church.

Sources:

• Visct. Powerscourt, Wingfield Muns. 4, 5, 30;
• Lansd. 121, f. 65; 737, f. 149;
• APC, xxii. 35; xxvi. 51, 98, 123; xxviii. 121; xxx. 393, 428; xxxi. 327;
• D’Ewes, 431, 432, 433;
• PCC 7 Stafford.

Ref Volumes: 1558-1603

Author: J.C.H.