Sir Thomas Fane, Kt., of Badsell

Thomas Fane (died 1589)

Thomas Fane (c. 1510–1589) was an English landowner and High Sheriff. He is not to be confused with his brother, also Thomas Fane (died 1607), who was the MP for Dover.

Fane was born at Badsel Manor, Tudely, Kent, the son of George Fane of Badsell in Tudeley and his wife Joan Waller, daughter of William Waller of Groombridge. The family lived on estates bought in the 14th century from the ransomed monies received for capturing King John II of France at the battle of Poitiers 1356. Sir John Fane (captain) or Ivon Vane as he was also known, had captured King John on the battlefield and he received a share of the huge ransomed monies, which took the French people eight years to raise. His descendants both the Fane and the Vane families still retain a golden gauntlet on their crests which was awarded at the battle of Poitiers in 1356.

After education at Maidstone Grammar School Fane who was a committed Protestant was convicted of treason in 1554 for his involvement in Wyatt's rebellion and he was sentenced to death. After four months of imprisonment in the Tower of London he was pardoned by Queen Mary on account of his youth and on the condition that he took the Oath of Loyalty.

Fane went on to serve as High Sheriff of Kent in 1572 and be knighted to services to the crown in 1573.

There is a memorial to Fane in St Lawrence's Church, Mereworth, Kent.[1]

He married twice: firstly Elizabeth Culpepper who died in childbirth and then secondly Mary Neville, Baroness le Despencer, daughter of Henry Nevill, 6th Baron Bergavenny and his wife Frances Manners daughter of the 1st Earl of Rutland. Mary Neville was one of the great Tudor heiresses, she was the last heiress to the mediaeval House of Neville and one of Englands largest landowners. Mary Fane née Neville inherited the titles of Baron le Despenser and Baron Bergavenny from her father. The Barony of le Despenser was called out of abeyance in 1604 in favour of Mary, Lady Fane, and she accordingly became 3rd Baroness le Despenser. She was also, by modern doctrine, 7th and 5th Baroness Bergavenny, having inherited the senior two Baronies of Bergavenny from her father on his death, as well as his estates in Kent centred on Mereworth Castle. Her son chose the title of Earl of Westmorland when he was raised to that rank by James I of England. The original Neville Earldom of Westmoreland had been confiscated in 1571 from Mary Fane's cousin Charles Neville, 6th Earl of Westmorland for his part in the Rising of the North.

• Francis Fane, 1st Earl of Westmorland 4th Baron le Despenser and de jure 8th and 6th Baron Bergavenny.
• George Fane

From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Fane_(d_1589)

________________________

• Sir Thomas Fane1
• M, #672, d. 13 March 1588/89
• Last Edited=11 Feb 2009
• Sir Thomas Fane was the son of George Fane and Joan Waller.2,3 He married, firstly, Elizabeth Colepepper, daughter of Thomas Colepepper.3 He married, secondly, Mary Neville, Baroness le Despenser, daughter of Sir Henry Neville, 4th Lord Abergavenny and Lady Frances Manners, on 12 December 1574.1,4 He died on 13 March 1588/89.4
• He lived at Badsell, Kent, England.4 He was invested as a Knight in 1573.3 He had three other sons and two daughters.3
• Child of Sir Thomas Fane and Mary Neville, Baroness le Despenser
  • 1.Francis Fane, 1st Earl of Westmorland+1 b. Feb 1579/80, d. 23 Mar 1628
• Citations
• 1.[S6] G.E. Cokayne; with Vicary Gibbs, H.A. Doubleday, Geoffrey H. White, Duncan Warrand and Lord Howard de Walden, editors, The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, Extant, Extinct or Dormant, new ed., 13 volumes in 14 (1910-1959; reprint in 6 volumes, Gloucester, U.K.: Alan Sutton Publishing, 2000), volume I, page 34. Hereinafter cited as The Complete Peerage.
• 2.[S8] Charles Mosley, editor, Burke's Peerage and Baronetage, 106th edition, 2 volumes (Crans, Switzerland: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, 1999), volume 2, page 2986. Hereinafter cited as Burke's Peerage and Baronetage, 106th edition.
• 3.[S37] Charles Mosley, editor, Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, 107th edition, 3 volumes (Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.A.: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, 2003), volume 3, page 4134. Hereinafter cited as Burke's Peerage and Baronetage, 107th edition.
• 4.[S8] Charles Mosley, Burke's Peerage and Baronetage, 106th edition, volume 1, page 17.
• From: http://www.thepeerage.com/p68.htm#i672 ____________________
• Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Volume 18
• Fane, Thomas by Gordon Goodwin
• FANE, Sir THOMAS (d. 1589), politician, was the elder of two Thomas Fanes, the sons of George Fane of Badsell, in the parish of Tudeley, Kent, by his wife Joan, daughter of William Waller of Groombridge in the same county. Having engaged in Sir Thomas Wyatt's rebellion of 1554 he was committed prisoner to the Tower, attainted of high treason, and a warrant issued for his execution; but the queen, pitying his youth, pardoned him by a bill addressed to her chancellor, Stephen Gardiner, from St. James's, on 18 March 1554 (Rymer, Fœdera, edit. 1704–35, xv. 373). A week later he was restored to his liberty and estate (Stow, Annales, edit. 1615, pp. 622, 623). Fane was knighted at Dover Castle 26 Aug. 1573 by Robert Dudley, earl of Leicester, in the presence of Queen Elizabeth. In November 1580 he was appointed a deputy-commissioner within the county of Kent for the increase and breed of horses, and for the keeping of horses and geldings to service (Cal. State Papers, Dom. 1547–80, p. 685). When the Armada was expected he did good service in disposing forces along the coast of Kent (ib. 1581–90, pp. 478, 501, 502). He died on 13 March (not on 28 Feb. as on his tomb) 1588–9, and was buried at Tudeley, whence his body was afterwards removed to Mereworth, Kent. His will, signed at Badsell on 7 March 1588–9, was not proved until 10 Feb. 1590–1 (registered in P. C. C. 10, Sainberbe). Fane married, first, Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Thomas Colepeper of Bedgebury, Kent, who died childless; and secondly, on 12 Dec. 1574, at Birling, Kent, Lady Mary Neville, sole daughter and heiress of Henry, baron Abergavenny, by whom he had a numerous issue. In her right he became possessed of the castle and manor of Mereworth, Kent. His widow, by letters patent bearing date at Westminster on 25 May 1604, was restored to the name, style, and dignity of Baroness Le Despencer and to the heirs of her body, with the ancient seat, place, and precedency of her ancestors. As far back as 1588 she had claimed the barony of Abergavenny against Edward Neville, the heir male. James I compromised the matter by allotting the barony of Le Despencer to the heir general, and the barony of Abergavenny to the heir male (Collins, Baronies by Writ, pp. 61, 136). Papers relating to her case, with copious marginal notes and observations by Lord Burghley, are preserved in the Record Office (Cal. State Papers, Dom. 1581–90, pp. 564, 574, 1591–94, p. 404). She died 28 June 1626, aged 72, and was buried with her husband at Mereworth. Their eldest son, Francis Fane, was created K.B. at the coronation of James I, 15 July 1603, and was advanced to the titles of Baron Burghersh and Earl of Westmorland 29 Dec. 1624. He died 23 March 1628, aged 45.
• Collins's Peerage (Brydges), iii. 290–4; Hasted's Kent (fol.), ii. 265–7, 353.
• From: https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Fane,_Thomas_(DNB00) ___________________________
• Sir Thomas Fane
• Birth: unknown
• Death: 1589
• Rebel and Patriot. He was involved in Waytt's Rebellion in 1554. Committed to the Tower of London, he was sentenced to death, but was released by Mary I.
• Family links:
• Children:
  • Francis Fane (1580 - 1629)*
• Burial: St Lawrence Churchyard, Mereworth, Tonbridge and Malling Borough, Kent, England
• Find A Grave Memorial# 45801333
• From: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=45801333 ______________________
• Mary NEVILLE (B. Despencer)
• Born: 25 Mar 1554, Mereworth, Kent, England
• Acceded: 1604
• Died: 28 Jun 1626
• Buried: 29 Jun 1626, Mereworth, Kent, England
• Notes: The Complete Peerage vol.IV,p.283. She gained the title of Baroness Le Despencer on 25 May 1604, suo jure. She had claimed the succession to the Barony of Abergavenny, but this was settled on her cousin, Edward, and so the abeyance of the Barony of Le Despencer was terminated and awarded to Mary.
• Father: Henry NEVILLE (4° B. Abergavenny)
• Mother: Frances MANNERS (B. Abergavenny)
• Married: Thomas FANE (Sir) (b. 1538 - d. 1589) 12 Dec 1574, Birling, Kent, England
• Children:
  • 1. Francis FANE (1° E. Westmoreland) (b. Feb 1579) (m. Mary Mildmay)
  • 2. Frances FANE
  • 3. George FANE
  • 4. Thomas FANE
  • 5. Edward FANE
• From: http://www.tudorplace.com.ar/NEVILLE4.htm#Mary NEVILLE (B. Despencer) _____________________________
• BUT THE SCITE and capital messuage of the manor of East Farleigh, now called the COURT LODGE, with all the demesne lands of the manor, about two hundred acres, in East Farleigh and Linton, was granted, anno 1st and 2d Philip and Mary, to Sir John Baker, one of the queen's privy council, (fn. 4) to hold in capite by knights service. (fn. 5) He died in the 5th and 6th years of that reign, and by will devised it to his second son, Mr. John Baker, of London; whose son, Sir Richard Baker, the chronicler, about the latter end of queen Elizabeth's reign, alienated it to Sir Thomas Fane, of Burston, in Hunton; who died in 1606, without issue, and bequeathed this among the rest of his estates to Sir George Fane, second son of Sir Thomas Fane, of Badsell, by Mary his wife, baroness le Despenser; he was succeeded in 1640, by his eldest son, colonel Thomas Fane, of Burston, who in the reign of king Charles II. alienated it to Mr. John Amhurst, who then resided at the court lodge as tenant under him.
• From: 'Parishes: East Farleigh', The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent: Volume 4 (1798), pp. 371-383. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=53814 Date accessed: 25 March 2013. _____________________________
• The great governing families of England (1972)
• http://archive.org/details/greatgoverningf03towngoog
• http://archive.org/stream/greatgoverningf03towngoog#page/n80/mode/1up
• Pg. 66-89
• http://archive.org/stream/greatgoverningf03towngoog#page/n83/mode/1up
• George Fane m. Joan Waller ch: Sir Thomas d. March 13, 1589 m2. Mary Neville .... etc. ________________________________
• Westmorland, Earl of (E, 1624)
• Francis [Fane], 1st Earl of Westmorland
• 1st son and heir of Sir Thomas Fane, of Badsell, co. Kent, by his second wife Hon Mary Nevill, suo jure Baroness la Despencer and Bergavenny, only child by his first wife of Henry [Nevill], 4th and 6th Baron Bergavenny
• .... etc.
• From: http://www.cracroftspeerage.co.uk/online/content/westmorland1624.ht... ____________________________
• le Despencer, Baron (E, 1295 with precedency from 1264)
• .... etc.
• Hon Mary Nevill later Fane, de jure suo jure Baroness Bergavenny later suo jure Baroness la Despencer
• born 25 Mar 1554
• mar. 12 Dec 1574 as his second wife Sir Thomas Fane, of Badsell, co. Kent (d. 13 Mar 1588/9)
• children
  • 1. Hon Francis Fane, later 1st Earl of Westmorland later 7th Baron le Despencer
• died 28 Jun 1626
• suc. by son
• Francis [Fane], 1st Earl of Westmorland later 7th Baron le Despencer
• born Feb 1579/80
• mar. aft. 15 Feb 1598/9 Mary Mildmay (b. c. 1582; d. 9 Apr 1640), only surv. dau. and hrss. of Sir Anthony Mildmay, of Apethorpe, co. Northampton, by his wife Grace Sherrington, dau. and cohrss. of Sir Henry Sherrington, of Lacock, co. Wiltshire
• children
  • .... etc.
• died 23 Mar 1628/9
• created 29 Dec 1624 Baron Burghersh and Earl of Westmorland
• suc. by son
• note Member of Parliament for Kent 1601, for Maidstone 1604-11, 1614 and 1620-22 and for Peterborough 1624; Knight of the Bath at the Coronation of King James I 1603; a Commissioner to preserve the King's game in Northamptonshire, Huntingdonshire and Rutland 1620; suc. his mother 28 Jun 1626 as 8th Baron le Despencer as well as 6th and 8th Baron Bergavenny
• .... etc.
• From: http://www.cracroftspeerage.co.uk/online/content/despencer1295.htm?... _______________________________
• (A)bergavenny, Baron (E, 1450 - abeyant 1762)
• .... etc.
• Hon Mary Nevill later Fane, de jure suo jure Baroness Bergavenny later suo jure Baroness la Despencer
• born 25 Mar 1554
• mar. 12 Dec 1574 as his second wife Sir Thomas Fane, of Badsell, co. Kent (d. 13 Mar 1588/9)
• died 28 Jun 1626
• suc. by son
• note with the agreement of her father's cousin, Edward Nevill, of Newton St Loo, co. Somerset, who was the heir of entail of the whole of her father's estates, she inherited the estate of Mereworth, co. Kent, which had come to the Nevills through the Beauchamps and the FitzAlans, and also the manor and park of Althorne, co. Essex
• On the death of Henry Nevill, 6th Lord (A)bergavenny of the 1392 creation and 4th Lord (A)bergavenny of the 1450 creation, in 1587 both baronies should have passed to his only child, Mary, wife of Sir Thomas Fane, as heir general of William [de Beauchamp], 1st Baron Bergavenny, and of Edward [Nevill], 1st Baron Bergavenny. She does not appear to have been very forceful in pursuing her claims to the two Baronies of (A)bergavenny. Her father's cousin, Edward Nevill, of Newton St Loo, co. Somerset, had inherited the bulk of the Nevill estates, including the Castle of Abergavenny, following a settlement by George, 3rd Lord (A)bergavenny of the 1450 creation (confirmed by Act of Parliament 31 Jan 1555/6). This Edward was never summoned to Parliament.
• In 1598 his son, Sir Edward Nevill, claimed the dignity of Baron of Bergavenny, not on the grounds that the dignity was in any way attached to the Castle of Abergavenny, but that he, as being seised of that castle and as heir male of the last Lord, was the more eligible person. The Lord Chief Justice of England, Sir John Popham, and the Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas were both of the opinion that the heir general had a prior claim to the heir male. Based upon these opinions Lady Fane petitioned to be allowed the Barony. Nothing further took place until 1604, when the claims by both parties were renewed. The House of Lords avoided a formal decision and it was decided that the King, James I, should be asked to ennoble both parties by way of restitution, the one to the Barony of le Despencer and the other to the Barony of Bergavenny. By a further resolution it was determined that Bergavenny should go to Nevill and le Despencer to Fane. This arrangement was approved of by the King, and a writ of summons was directed to Edwardo Neville de Bergavenny Chr on 25 May 1604, and letters patent dated the same day confirmed the dignity of le Despencer on Lady Fane.
• The writ of summons to Sir Edward Nevill in 1604 did not actually resolve the descent of the 1392 and 1450 Baronies of Bergavenny. Sir Edward was neither heir nor even co-heir of any barony created by writ in either 1392 or 1450. Unless it can be proven that the 1604 writ was subsequent to an as yet undiscovered patent, or was dependent upon the tenure of the Castle of Abergavenny, modern Peerage law would state (a) that the writ of 1604 must have created a new barony in fee, and (b) the Baronies of 1392 and 1450 would have descended to Lady Fane, as heir general of the first holders of those baronies, and through her to her own heirs general, i.e. following the same line of descent as the Barony of le Despencer.
• The son and heir of Lady Fane, Francis Fane, was created Earl of Westmorland in 1624. He inherited the Baronies of Bergavenny from his mother in 1626 and they remained merged with the Earldom of Westmorland until 26 Aug 1762, when on the death of John [Fane], 7th Earl of Westmorland, de jure 12th and 14th Baron Bergavenny, etc., the Baronies of Bergavenny, together with the Barony of le Despencer, fell into abeyance between the descendants of his two sisters, Lady Mary Dashwood and Lady Catherine Paul. The Barony of le Despencer was called out of abeyance on 19 Apr 1763 in favour of Sir Frances Dashwood, 2nd Bt., of West Wycombe, co. Buckingham, but the 1392 and 1450 Baronies of Bergavenny remain in abeyance.
• From: http://www.cracroftspeerage.co.uk/online/content/abergavenny1450.ht... _____________________________
• Memories of Malling and its valley; with a fauna and flora of Kent (1893)
• http://archive.org/details/memoriesofmallin00fieliala
• http://archive.org/stream/memoriesofmallin00fieliala#page/67/mode/1up
• Pg. 67
• Sir Robert Brett m. Frances dau. of Sir Thomas Fane & Mary, Baroness Le Despencer
• http://archive.org/stream/memoriesofmallin00fieliala#page/222/mode/1up
• Pg. 222
• The monument from Nettlestead is as below :
  • "Here sleepeth in the Lord with certain hope of resurrection, the body of borne Lady Mary, Barroness Despencer and Burwash, who departed this transitory life into an eternall, upon the 28th day of June anno dom. 1626. and the 72 year of her age. She was sole daughter and heir of Henry Barron of Abergavenny, all which three barronies were derived to him from Elizabeth, sole daughter, and heyre of William Beauchamp, barren of Abergavenny and Earl of Worcester, his great grandmother ; and from Isabella Despencer her mother. This noble lady was wife only to one husband, Sir Thomas Fane, Knight of Badsell in Kent, who left her a widdowe, at the age of 35 years, and he left this life the 28th day of February, Anno Dom. 1589, in the 52 year of his age. He was buried first at the Church of Tudely, in Kent, and now, in obedience to the command of her last will, her executors and executrix, her humble daughter-in-law. Mary Countess dowager of Westmoreland, who errected to her memory this monument in the year 1639, hath translated his body to accompany hers until the general day of resurrection." ____________
• Memorials of the family of Scott, of Scot's-hall, in the county of Kent. With an appendix of illustrative documents. (1876)
• http://movies10.archive.org/details/memorialsoffamil00scot
• http://movies10.archive.org/stream/memorialsoffamil00scot#page/n291...
• Pg. viii
  • (f) Sir Thomas Fane, of Badsell, Kent, Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, Governor of Dover Castle, and Sheriff of Kent 14th Elizabeth ; married Mary Neville, Baroness Despencer, her son Francis Fane Baron Despencer, was created Baron Burghersh and Earl of Westmoreland 29th December, 1624. Sir Thomas Scott was connected with the Fane family by the marriage of his son-in-law, Anthony St. Leger, whose mother, Ursula, was daughter of George Neville, Earl of Abergavenny, a near kinsman of Sir Thomas Fane and the Earl of Westmoreland his son. (See note, p. vii. ]
• http://movies10.archive.org/stream/memorialsoffamil00scot#page/n293...
• Pg. x
• .... In this said letter set down it appeareth that Sir Henry Cobham, Sir Thos. Scott, Sir James Hales, Sir Thos. Fane, Sir George Harte, and Sir Thos. Sondes were Commissioners, whereof the other four being dead, I take it that we two alone are to execute the contents of this letter. Since the receipt of this letter I have perused the Council's letter sent unto us in Anno 1585, wherein I find not Sir Thos. Fane (y) named Commissioner, but his brother, Mr. Thos. Fane, as it may appear unto you by the copy of the said letter and the general answer of all the said Commissioners, which I send you herewith, for that I know not how ready you can find the same yourself, which I could wish Mr. Fane was made acquainted withal when you are at Dover, for that he undertook the answering of the .. .. .. .. in the house of Sir Alexr. Culpepper.(z) ....
• http://movies10.archive.org/stream/memorialsoffamil00scot#page/n323...
• Pg. xl
• Henry Nevill, Baron Le Despencer
• Sir Thos. Fane m. Mary Nevill, Baroness Le Despencer, d. 1626
• Sir Francis Fane, 1st Earl of Westmoreland (in 1624), Baron of d'Espencer 1626, obt. 1628
• Mildmay Fane Earl of Westmoreland, died 1665 _________________________
• Links:
• http://europeanheraldry.org/house_of_vanefane_.html
• http://www.kentchurches.info/church.asp?p=Mereworth+
• http://www.tudorplace.com.ar/MILDMAY.htm#Mary MILDMAY (C. Westmoreland)

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