Sir Thomas Wroughton, of Broad Hinton

Not the same as Sir Thomas Wroughton, of Moore’s Court

Family

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Wroughton-9

Sir Thomas Wroughton was the 1st s. of Sir William Wroughton by his 2nd w. Eleanor Lewknor, da. of Edward Lewknor of Kingston Buci, Sussex. He became a ward of John Berwick, whose daughter he later married.[1] He m. Anne, da. and coh. of John Berwick of Wilcot, 4s. 3 or 4 da. [2]

He suc.fa. 1559, Kntd.1574, sheriff of Wilts. 1576-7, MP Heytesbury 1571. He d. 4 June 1597.

Children:

1. William Wroughton
2. Giles Wroughton
3. George Wroughton m. Anna Gibbes
4. Thomas Wroughton
5. Dorothy Wroughton m. Henry Unton
6. Mary
7. Gertrude Wroughton m. Raphe Gibbs

Sir Thomas wrote his will on 28 May 1597 and it was proved 24 May 1598.[3] In his will he mentioned

• Mary, daughter
• Giles, son
• George, son
• Dame Anne, wife
• William, son
• Lady Unton, daughter
• Gertroyte [Gertrude] Gibbes, daughter
• George Wroughton, brother
• William Wroughton, brother
• James Wroughton, brother
• Thomas, son

Research Notes

Sir John Thynne was his brother-in-law.

Son George married Anna Gibbs/Gibbes, daughter of Robert Gibbs while daughter Gertrude married Raphe Gibbs son of Robert Gibbs..[4]

Biography

From WROUGHTON, Thomas (c.1540-97), of Broad Hinton, Wilts. The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1558-1603, ed. P.W. Hasler, 1981 HOP http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1558-1603/member/wr...

Family and Education b. c.1540, 1st s. of Sir William Wroughton† by his 2nd w. Eleanor, and bro. of James. m. Anne, da. and coh. of John Berwick† of Wilcot, 4s. 3 or 4 da. suc.fa. 1559. Kntd.1574. He died 4 June 1597 and was buried at Broad Hinton, where the parish church contains a monument to him.

Offices Held

J.p. Wilts. from c.1574, q. by 1576, sheriff 1576-7, capt. of levies 1588, col. by 1596.2

Biography Of a family established at Broad Hinton since the mid-fourteenth century, Wroughton’s father twice achieved knight of the shire status, but although short-listed thrice for the office, he was never sheriff. Wroughton himself was returned to Parliament only once, for the small borough of Heytesbury, and his brother James was, so far as is known, the last of the family to sit in Parliament.

Before the general election of 1571, Hugh Hawker, the owner of the borough of Heytesbury wrote to Sir John Thynne:3

I promised you the nomination of one of the burgesses of Heytesbury ... and when I know whom you will appoint, I then mind to return the same. In the event Thynne suggested Wroughton, his brother-in-law.

At his father’s death, Thomas Wroughton was aged 19, and his wardship was granted to John Berwick, who became his father-in-law. In addition to the manor of Broad Hinton near Swindon, Wroughton owned property at Beversbrook, a short distance from Calne, and a manor house at Kennett, five miles south-west of Marlborough and close to his wife’s lands in Wilcot and Stowell. He also inherited the manor of Bawdrip, Somerset. In 1573 he and Sir Giles Poole and his wife conveyed Broad Hinton for £700 to Henry Poole† and John Polwell, but the property was entailed, and remained in Wroughton’s possession until he died: the transaction was probably a mortgage. The Somerset property caused litigation in the Star Chamber about 1577 over one Humphrey Willis, whom Wroughton had presented to the living at Bawdrip, and who in turn had appointed an ‘heretical and idolatrous’ curate at a salary of 20 marks. Nevertheless, most of the information about Wroughton shows him going about his official duties in Wiltshire, where from 1574 he attended quarter sessions regularly. In 1576 he was a subsidy commissioner, his own assessment being on £20 in lands. Though in general a satisfactory official, he was censured in 1596 for negligence in connexion with the local levies. Although he was one of the four colonels responsible for sending a detachment to the Isle of Wight, he had remained in London during the preparations, appointing no ‘sufficient lieutenant’, and his band, instead of reporting with the others at Salisbury, ‘went confusedly the nearest way to Southampton’.4

Wroughton was fond of hunting, and like other Wiltshire gentlemen was not too particular about the forest boundaries. The Earl of Hertford, warden of Savernake, wrote to Sir John Thynne in 1567 about ‘great abuses committed by your brother Wroughton in and about my forest’. William Darrell complained to the Wiltshire justices (September 1588) that the servants of ‘Mr. Wroughton’, possibly one of Sir Thomas’s sons, had attacked him, and that Wroughton himself was violent. A letter from Sir Francis Walsingham about the matter advised Darrell to ‘stay all proceedings against Sir Thomas Wroughton’s men, for that I am in hope to end all controversy between you’. It is unlikely that, considering Darrell’s own reputation, authority treated his charges seriously. However, Wroughton may have been partly to blame: at least one of his tenants sued him in Chancery for high-handed and illegal actions.5

He died 4 June 1597 and was buried at Broad Hinton, where the parish church contains a monument to him. His will, drawn up in May 1597, was not proved until nearly a year after his death. The bequests, which were mainly to relatives and servants, were in some cases considerable: one daughter, Mary, was to have £900. The will mentioned two married daughters, one of them ‘my sweet and well-beloved daughter, the Lady Unton’ (Dorothy, wife of Henry Unton), and four sons. Wroughton asked the executors, his widow and their son Giles, to make arrangements for the disposal of goods, including several satin suits and other clothing which he had left in London. Sir Henry Knyvet, Wroughton’s brother George and his brother-in-law Sir Henry Poole were to act as overseers. The heir, William, was 36 at his father’s death.6

Ref Volumes: 1558-1603 Author: N. M. Fuidge Notes 1. Wards 7/102/169; Wilts. Vis. Peds. (Harl. Soc. cv, cvi), 219. 2. Harl. 168, ff. 166-9; Lansd. 63, f. 179; HMC Foljambe, 38; HMC Hatfield, vi. 506. 3. Bath mss, Thynne pprs. 3, f. 252. 4. CPR , 1560-3. p. 23; C142/249/81; Wards 7/102/169; Wilts. N. and Q. vii. 412; St. Ch. 5/W1/33; APC , ix. 157; Mins. Proc. Sess. (Wilts. Arch. Soc. recs. br. iv), passim; Two Taxation Lists (same ser. x), 78, 87; Lansd. 63, f. 179; HMC Hatfield , vi. 506. 5. Wilts. Arch. Mag. vi. 209-10; liii. 199; C3/230/18, 252/72. 6. Aubrey Topog. Colls. (Wilts. Arch. and Nat. Hist. Soc.), 336; C142/249/81; PCC 36 Lewyn.

The tomb of Sir William Wroughton, who died in 1559, has a canopy and inscription in a fine strapwork cartouche, can be seen at the Bradford-on-Avon, Holy Trinity Church. Family and Education b. c.1540, 1st s. of Sir William Wroughton† by his 2nd w. Eleanor, and bro. of James. m. Anne, da. and coh. of John Berwick† of Wilcot, 4s. 3 or 4 da. suc.fa. 1559. Kntd.1574.1

Offices Held

J.p. Wilts. from c.1574, q. by 1576, sheriff 1576-7, capt. of levies 1588, col. by 1596.2

Biography Of a family established at Broad Hinton since the mid-fourteenth century, Wroughton’s father twice achieved knight of the shire status, but although short-listed thrice for the office, he was never sheriff. Wroughton himself was returned to Parliament only once, for the small borough of Heytesbury, and his brother James was, so far as is known, the last of the family to sit in Parliament.

Before the general election of 1571, Hugh Hawker, the owner of the borough of Heytesbury wrote to Sir John Thynne:3

I promised you the nomination of one of the burgesses of Heytesbury ... and when I know whom you will appoint, I then mind to return the same. In the event Thynne suggested Wroughton, his brother-in-law.

At his father’s death, Thomas Wroughton was aged 19, and his wardship was granted to John Berwick, who became his father-in-law. In addition to the manor of Broad Hinton near Swindon, Wroughton owned property at Beversbrook, a short distance from Calne, and a manor house at Kennett, five miles south-west of Marlborough and close to his wife’s lands in Wilcot and Stowell. He also inherited the manor of Bawdrip, Somerset. In 1573 he and Sir Giles Poole and his wife conveyed Broad Hinton for £700 to Henry Poole† and John Polwell, but the property was entailed, and remained in Wroughton’s possession until he died: the transaction was probably a mortgage. The Somerset property caused litigation in the Star Chamber about 1577 over one Humphrey Willis, whom Wroughton had presented to the living at Bawdrip, and who in turn had appointed an ‘heretical and idolatrous’ curate at a salary of 20 marks. Nevertheless, most of the information about Wroughton shows him going about his official duties in Wiltshire, where from 1574 he attended quarter sessions regularly. In 1576 he was a subsidy commissioner, his own assessment being on £20 in lands. Though in general a satisfactory official, he was censured in 1596 for negligence in connexion with the local levies. Although he was one of the four colonels responsible for sending a detachment to the Isle of Wight, he had remained in London during the preparations, appointing no ‘sufficient lieutenant’, and his band, instead of reporting with the others at Salisbury, ‘went confusedly the nearest way to Southampton’.4

Wroughton was fond of hunting, and like other Wiltshire gentlemen was not too particular about the forest boundaries. The Earl of Hertford, warden of Savernake, wrote to Sir John Thynne in 1567 about ‘great abuses committed by your brother Wroughton in and about my forest’. William Darrell complained to the Wiltshire justices (September 1588) that the servants of ‘Mr. Wroughton’, possibly one of Sir Thomas’s sons, had attacked him, and that Wroughton himself was violent. A letter from Sir Francis Walsingham about the matter advised Darrell to ‘stay all proceedings against Sir Thomas Wroughton’s men, for that I am in hope to end all controversy between you’. It is unlikely that, considering Darrell’s own reputation, authority treated his charges seriously. However, Wroughton may have been partly to blame: at least one of his tenants sued him in Chancery for high-handed and illegal actions.5

He died 4 June 1597 and was buried at Broad Hinton, where the parish church contains a monument to him. His will, drawn up in May 1597, was not proved until nearly a year after his death. The bequests, which were mainly to relatives and servants, were in some cases considerable: one daughter, Mary, was to have £900. The will mentioned two married daughters, one of them ‘my sweet and well-beloved daughter, the Lady Unton’ (Dorothy, wife of Henry Unton), and four sons. Wroughton asked the executors, his widow and their son Giles, to make arrangements for the disposal of goods, including several satin suits and other clothing which he had left in London. Sir Henry Knyvet, Wroughton’s brother George and his brother-in-law Sir Henry Poole were to act as overseers. The heir, William, was 36 at his father’s death.6

Image: The Hands Haven’t It July 17, 2014

Thomas lost his hands because he was praying, that on a tombstone might imply a belief in purgatory: Anglican protestants still got very anxious about gravestones where the dead asked for prayers well into the nineteenth century. Interestingly though Anne was left alone. Why? Because she is doing the Protestant, not the Catholic thing: she is reading holy scripture. No self-respecting evangelical hooligan could cut off the gospels, even a stone version.

The children in the panel beneath have followed their father and have also lost their hands.

Sources

1. BERWICK, John (by 1508-72), of Wilcot, Wilts. Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1509-1558, ed. S.T. Bindoff, 1982 HOP
2. WROUGHTON, Thomas (c.1540-97), of Broad Hinton, Wilts. The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1558-1603, ed. P.W. Hasler, 1981 HOP
3. Will of Sir Thomas Wroughton of Broad Hinton, Wiltshire. 24 May 1598. PROB 11/91/484
4. Camden, William. The visitation of the county of Warwick in the year 1619. p.218 archive.org
5. Royal Berkshire History, his son-in-law, Henry Unton [1]
6. Foster, Joseph. The royal lineage of our noble and gentle families. Together with their paternal ancestry, Volume: 2. Publisher: London, Hatchards. Year: 1884. amb
7. British History online: Wilcot, Wiltshire
8. Visitation of Wiltshire 1565. Edited by Metcalfe W.C. Published by William Pollard & Co. 1897. Wroughton Pedigree pp52-53 < Archive.Org > Thomas Wroughton of Brodehenton, son and heir of Sir William, mar. Ann, da. and one of the heirs of John Barwich of Wilcott, co. Wilts., Esq., and by her hath issue, — William, son and heir; Gyles, second son j and Dorathe, now living.