Sir William Martin of Athelhampton

Biography

< William Martin (Athelhampton) > From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sir William Martyn of Athelhampton, near Dorchester, Dorset (c. 1446 – 14 January 1503).

Sir William Martin of Athelhampton, near Dorchester, Dorset (c. 1446 – 24 March 1503/4) was MP for Dorset in 1478.[1] He built the current Great Hall of Athelhampton in or around 1485. He also received licence to enclose 160 acres (647,000 m2) of deer park and licence to fortify his manor. Sir William's pet ape is said to haunt the Great Hall for, after his master's death, he wandered the house looking for his master.

William Martin was born about 1446, the son and heir of Thomas Martin of Athelhampton, and his wife Elizabeth Clevedon.

Family and legacy

William Martin married twice. He first married Isolde or Isabel Farrington, who bore his son Christopher Martin. He then married Christina or Christian Paulet, who bore his son Richard Martin and his daughter Elizabeth Martyn, who in turn married John Carew.

He died in 1504, and was buried at nearby St Mary the Virgin, Puddletown, where effigies of him and his family can still be seen.[1]

He has sometimes been conflated with another Sir William Martyn, who was Lord Mayor of London around the same time.[2]

Some of this biography may be conflated with the other William Martin:

Sir William Martin built the current Great Hall of Athelhampton in or around 1485. He also received licence to enclose 160 acres (647,000 m²) of deer park and to fortify his manor. Effigies of him and his family can be seen at nearby Piddletown Church. William initially took the side of Richard III in his quest to keep the throne of England; Richard had awarded him good appointments and trusted him in times of danger. William was part owner of a ship called "Kateryne" and in 1483 was accused of piracy on the goods of an English merchant in Bordeaux. When Richard was defeated and killed at the Battle of Bosworth, he quickly changed his loyalty, and was appointed to prepare the city of London for the entry of Henry VII; one of his first duties was to deliver the plate of John Howard, the dead Duke of Norfolk, to Henry. He obtained a license to import and distribute wine and continued in the service of Henry. He was one of the knights who accompanied Catherine, Princess of Aragon, across England in 1501.From 1492-1493 he was mayor of London. In 1494 he was knighted by Henry.

Through his marriage to first wife Isolde Farringdon, he obtained the property of Winterbourne and Farringdon named the county of this name in Dorset Winterbourne Farringdon. Their son was Christopher Martyn.

His second wife was Christian Poulette of Hinton St. George, and through this alliance came a line of Martyns that were intimately connected to the counties of Somerset and Devonshire. Sir William was sheriff of Somerset in 1490 and 1501. He made his will in 1503 and it was proved in 1504. His son Christopher and daughter Elizabeth are mentioned in his will.

Sir William's pet ape is said to haunt the Great Hall for, after his master's death, he wandered the house looking for his master. (1)

References

• History Of Parliament (1439-1509)". 20 December 1936 – via Internet Archive. Page 579. < link >
• Dorset Ancestors “ Sir William Martyn of Athelhampton.”
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Martin_(Athelhampton)_
• http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=sandberg&...
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Martyn
• Discovering the Family of Miles Malleson1888 to 1969. By Andrew Malleson. Page 178
• Visitation of the County of Devon, 1620. Vivian, John Lambrick.  Henry S. Eland, Exeter, 1895.  Comprising the Heralds' Visitations of 1531, 1564, & 1620. With additions by Lieutenant-Colonel J.L. Vivian. cont. by John Young.  Page 553. "Martyn of Oxton"

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