John Norreys (Keeper of the Wardrobe)
Encyclopedia
Sir John Norreys was a high ranking Lancastrian
, and the head of the branch of the Norreys
family who became prominent under the reign of the House of Tudor
. He served as Keeper of the Wardrobe
for King Henry VI of England
.
of Ockwells Manor
and Christina Stretch, daughter and heiress of William Stretch of Ruscombe
. William Norreys was the son and heir of Roger Norreys of Bray
. The Norreys
family were descendants of the prominent le Norreys family, who are said to have come to England
soon after the Norman Invasion
.
(c. 1405 - c. 1450), daughter and heiress of Sir Richard Merbrook of Yattendon
, around 1425. Alice was created a Lady of the Most Noble Order of the Garter
in 1448. The couple had four children:
After Alice's death, John married Eleanor Clitherow, daughter and heiress of Roger Clitherow of Colderstone, Kent
. The couple had two sons and one daughter.
His third marriage, in September 1459, was with Lady Margaret Chedworth (1436-1494), daughter of Sir John Chedworth, a Sussex
knight
. Margaret was the widow of Nicholas Wyfold (1420-1456), Lord Mayor of London
. The couple had no children. Within a year of Sir John's death, Margaret married John Howard, 1st Duke of Norfolk
.
in 1446. The windows of its great hall still contain the fine stained glass he plaed there, showing the arms
of his friends, including the King
and Queen
, the Bishop of Salisbury
and the Dukes of Warwick
, Somerset
and Suffolk
.
Through his first marriage, to Alice, John gained ownership of Yattendon Castle
around 1440, then just a manor house. He received a Royal license to crenellate Yattendon Castle
on 20 January 1448 and to empark some 600 acres (2.4 km²). In 1450 he purchased the manor of Hampstead Ferrers, which soon became renamed Hampstead Norreys
. He then began buying many neighbouring estates, consolidating his extensive landholding in the county of Berkshire
.
(MP) for Berkshire
and Sheriff
of Oxfordshire
& Berkshire
in 1442 and 1457. He was made an usher
of the Chamber, and then Esquire of the Body in 1445, before finally being made Keeper of the Wardrobe
to King Henry VI
. He was later made a Knight of the Bath
.
, in a marble tomb. His tomb has not survived, but the Norreys arms, which are carved in stone and located on the walls, still exist.
of the body of King Henry VII
, and later usher
to King Henry VIII
, King Edward VI
, and Queen Mary
. Another of his great grandsons, Sir Henry Norreys
served under King Henry VIII
and was beheaded
for his supposed adultery
with Queen Anne Boleyn
.
Great-great-grandson Sir Henry Norris
was a life-long friend of Queen Elizabeth's
, serving as Ambassador to France
, and eventually was made 1st Baron Norreys
. Henry Norris' 6 sons all served with distinction in the military under Queen Elizabeth. One, Sir John Norreys
, was considered the most acclaimed soldier of his time.
House of Lancaster
The House of Lancaster was a branch of the royal House of Plantagenet. It was one of the opposing factions involved in the Wars of the Roses, an intermittent civil war which affected England and Wales during the 15th century...
, and the head of the branch of the Norreys
Norreys
Norreys may refer to various members of, or estates belonging to, a landed family chiefly seated in the English counties of Berkshire and Lancashire and the Irish county of Cork....
family who became prominent under the reign of the House of Tudor
Tudor dynasty
The Tudor dynasty or House of Tudor was a European royal house of Welsh origin that ruled the Kingdom of England and its realms, including the Lordship of Ireland, later the Kingdom of Ireland, from 1485 until 1603. Its first monarch was Henry Tudor, a descendant through his mother of a legitimised...
. He served as Keeper of the Wardrobe
Wardrobe (government)
The wardrobe, along with the chamber, made up the personal part of medieval English government known as the king's household. Its chief officer went under the title of Master or Keeper of the Great Wardrobe. As a result, the wardrobe often appropriated large funds from the exchequer, the main...
for King Henry VI of England
Henry VI of England
Henry VI was King of England from 1422 to 1461 and again from 1470 to 1471, and disputed King of France from 1422 to 1453. Until 1437, his realm was governed by regents. Contemporaneous accounts described him as peaceful and pious, not suited for the violent dynastic civil wars, known as the Wars...
.
Family
John was the son of William Norreys (born c. 1375) EsquireEsquire
Esquire is a term of West European origin . Depending on the country, the term has different meanings...
of Ockwells Manor
Ockwells
Ockwells Manor is a timber-framed 15th century manor house in the civil parish of Cox Green, adjoining Maidenhead, in the English county of Berkshire. It was previously in the parish of Bray....
and Christina Stretch, daughter and heiress of William Stretch of Ruscombe
Ruscombe
Ruscombe is a small village and civil parish, east of Twyford in the Borough of Wokingham, in the English county of Berkshire.Its most notable residents are William Penn, the founder of Pennsylvania, who lived there from 1710 to 1718, and the actor Dennis Price, co-star of Kind Hearts and Coronets,...
. William Norreys was the son and heir of Roger Norreys of Bray
Bray, Berkshire
Bray, sometimes known as Bray on Thames, is a village and civil parish in the English county of Berkshire. It stands on the banks of the River Thames, just south-east of Maidenhead. It is famous as the village mentioned in the song The Vicar of Bray...
. The Norreys
Norreys
Norreys may refer to various members of, or estates belonging to, a landed family chiefly seated in the English counties of Berkshire and Lancashire and the Irish county of Cork....
family were descendants of the prominent le Norreys family, who are said to have come to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
soon after the Norman Invasion
Norman conquest of England
The Norman conquest of England began on 28 September 1066 with the invasion of England by William, Duke of Normandy. William became known as William the Conqueror after his victory at the Battle of Hastings on 14 October 1066, defeating King Harold II of England...
.
Marriages and children
John married AliceAlice Norreys
Alice, Lady Norreys was an English Lady of the Most Noble Order of the Garter....
(c. 1405 - c. 1450), daughter and heiress of Sir Richard Merbrook of Yattendon
Yattendon
Yattendon is a village and civil parish northeast of Newbury, Berkshire. The M4 motorway passes about south of the village.-Geography:Yattendon stretches from Everington in the west to the hamlet of Burnt Hill in the east and the woodland just east of Yattendon Court, including Mumgrove Copse,...
, around 1425. Alice was created a Lady of the Most Noble Order of the Garter
Order of the Garter
The Most Noble Order of the Garter, founded in 1348, is the highest order of chivalry, or knighthood, existing in England. The order is dedicated to the image and arms of St...
in 1448. The couple had four children:
- Sir William Norreys (1433 - 4 January 1507)
- John Norreys, SheriffHigh SheriffA high sheriff is, or was, a law enforcement officer in the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States.In England and Wales, the office is unpaid and partly ceremonial, appointed by the Crown through a warrant from the Privy Council. In Cornwall, the High Sheriff is appointed by the Duke of...
of OxfordshireOxfordshireOxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
and BerkshireBerkshireBerkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and... - Anne Norris, married Sir John Harcourt of Stanton Harcourt
- Lettice Norreys, married Sir John Harcourt of Stanton HarcourtStanton HarcourtStanton Harcourt is a village and civil parish in Oxfordshire about southeast of Witney and west of Oxford.-Archaeology:Within the parish of Stanton Harcourt is a series of paleochannel deposits buried beneath the second gravel terrace of the river Thames...
in Oxfordshire
After Alice's death, John married Eleanor Clitherow, daughter and heiress of Roger Clitherow of Colderstone, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
. The couple had two sons and one daughter.
His third marriage, in September 1459, was with Lady Margaret Chedworth (1436-1494), daughter of Sir John Chedworth, a Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
. Margaret was the widow of Nicholas Wyfold (1420-1456), Lord Mayor of London
Lord Mayor of London
The Right Honourable Lord Mayor of London is the legal title for the Mayor of the City of London Corporation. The Lord Mayor of London is to be distinguished from the Mayor of London; the former is an officer only of the City of London, while the Mayor of London is the Mayor of Greater London and...
. The couple had no children. Within a year of Sir John's death, Margaret married John Howard, 1st Duke of Norfolk
John Howard, 1st Duke of Norfolk
John Howard, 1st Duke of Norfolk, KG, Earl Marshal was an English nobleman, soldier, and the first Howard Duke of Norfolk...
.
Property
John began rebuilding the family home of OckwellsOckwells
Ockwells Manor is a timber-framed 15th century manor house in the civil parish of Cox Green, adjoining Maidenhead, in the English county of Berkshire. It was previously in the parish of Bray....
in 1446. The windows of its great hall still contain the fine stained glass he plaed there, showing the arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
of his friends, including the King
Henry VI of England
Henry VI was King of England from 1422 to 1461 and again from 1470 to 1471, and disputed King of France from 1422 to 1453. Until 1437, his realm was governed by regents. Contemporaneous accounts described him as peaceful and pious, not suited for the violent dynastic civil wars, known as the Wars...
and Queen
Margaret of Anjou
Margaret of Anjou was the wife of King Henry VI of England. As such, she was Queen consort of England from 1445 to 1461 and again from 1470 to 1471; and Queen consort of France from 1445 to 1453...
, the Bishop of Salisbury
Richard Beauchamp
Richard Beauchamp was a medieval Bishop of Hereford and Bishop of Salisbury.He was the son of Walter Beauchamp, Speaker of the House of Commons in 1416 and studied at Oxford University....
and the Dukes of Warwick
Henry de Beauchamp, 1st Duke of Warwick
Henry de Beauchamp, 1st Duke of Warwick was an English nobleman.He was the son of Richard de Beauchamp, 13th Earl of Warwick and Isabel le Despenser...
, Somerset
Duke of Somerset
Duke of Somerset is a title in the peerage of England that has been created several times. Derived from Somerset, it is particularly associated with two families; the Beauforts who held the title from the creation of 1448 and the Seymours, from the creation of 1547 and in whose name the title is...
and Suffolk
John de la Pole, 2nd Duke of Suffolk
John de la Pole, 2nd Duke of Suffolk, KG , known as "the Trimming Duke". He was the son of William de la Pole, 1st Duke of Suffolk and Alice Chaucer, daughter of Thomas Chaucer.-Life:...
.
Through his first marriage, to Alice, John gained ownership of Yattendon Castle
Yattendon Castle
Yattendon Castle was a fortified manor house located in the civil parish of Yattendon, in the hundred of Faircross, in the English county of Berkshire.-History:...
around 1440, then just a manor house. He received a Royal license to crenellate Yattendon Castle
Yattendon Castle
Yattendon Castle was a fortified manor house located in the civil parish of Yattendon, in the hundred of Faircross, in the English county of Berkshire.-History:...
on 20 January 1448 and to empark some 600 acres (2.4 km²). In 1450 he purchased the manor of Hampstead Ferrers, which soon became renamed Hampstead Norreys
Hampstead Norreys
Hampstead Norreys is a village and civil parish in Berkshire, England.It is situated at on the River Pang, north of Newbury. As well as Hampstead Norreys itself, the parish includes the hamlets of Bothampstead, Eling and Wyld Court...
. He then began buying many neighbouring estates, consolidating his extensive landholding in the county of Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
.
Royal association
John made a life for himself at the royal court. He was a Knight of the ShireKnights of the Shire
From the creation of the Parliament of England in mediaeval times until 1826 each county of England and Wales sent two Knights of the Shire as members of Parliament to represent the interests of the county, when the number of knights from Yorkshire was increased to four...
(MP) for Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
and Sheriff
High Sheriff
A high sheriff is, or was, a law enforcement officer in the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States.In England and Wales, the office is unpaid and partly ceremonial, appointed by the Crown through a warrant from the Privy Council. In Cornwall, the High Sheriff is appointed by the Duke of...
of Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
& Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
in 1442 and 1457. He was made an usher
Gentleman Usher
Gentleman Usher is a title for some officers of the Royal Household of the United Kingdom. See List of Gentlemen Ushers for a list of office-holders.-Historical:...
of the Chamber, and then Esquire of the Body in 1445, before finally being made Keeper of the Wardrobe
Wardrobe (government)
The wardrobe, along with the chamber, made up the personal part of medieval English government known as the king's household. Its chief officer went under the title of Master or Keeper of the Great Wardrobe. As a result, the wardrobe often appropriated large funds from the exchequer, the main...
to King Henry VI
Henry VI of England
Henry VI was King of England from 1422 to 1461 and again from 1470 to 1471, and disputed King of France from 1422 to 1453. Until 1437, his realm was governed by regents. Contemporaneous accounts described him as peaceful and pious, not suited for the violent dynastic civil wars, known as the Wars...
. He was later made a Knight of the Bath
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
.
Later life
Sir John died on 1 September 1466. He was buried in the Norreys Chapel (of St. Nicholas) in Bray ChurchBray, Berkshire
Bray, sometimes known as Bray on Thames, is a village and civil parish in the English county of Berkshire. It stands on the banks of the River Thames, just south-east of Maidenhead. It is famous as the village mentioned in the song The Vicar of Bray...
, in a marble tomb. His tomb has not survived, but the Norreys arms, which are carved in stone and located on the walls, still exist.
Descendants
John's descendants all served at court. His great grandson Sir John Norreys served as EsquireEsquire
Esquire is a term of West European origin . Depending on the country, the term has different meanings...
of the body of King Henry VII
Henry VII of England
Henry VII was King of England and Lord of Ireland from his seizing the crown on 22 August 1485 until his death on 21 April 1509, as the first monarch of the House of Tudor....
, and later usher
Gentleman Usher
Gentleman Usher is a title for some officers of the Royal Household of the United Kingdom. See List of Gentlemen Ushers for a list of office-holders.-Historical:...
to King Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
, King Edward VI
Edward VI of England
Edward VI was the King of England and Ireland from 28 January 1547 until his death. He was crowned on 20 February at the age of nine. The son of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour, Edward was the third monarch of the Tudor dynasty and England's first monarch who was raised as a Protestant...
, and Queen Mary
Mary I of England
Mary I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from July 1553 until her death.She was the only surviving child born of the ill-fated marriage of Henry VIII and his first wife Catherine of Aragon. Her younger half-brother, Edward VI, succeeded Henry in 1547...
. Another of his great grandsons, Sir Henry Norreys
Sir Henry Norreys
Sir Henry Norris was a groom of the stool in the privy chamber of King Henry VIII. While a close servant of the King he also supported the faction in court led by Queen Anne Boleyn, and when Anne fell out of favour he was among those accused of adultery with her. He was found guilty of treason and...
served under King Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
and was beheaded
Decapitation
Decapitation is the separation of the head from the body. Beheading typically refers to the act of intentional decapitation, e.g., as a means of murder or execution; it may be accomplished, for example, with an axe, sword, knife, wire, or by other more sophisticated means such as a guillotine...
for his supposed adultery
Adultery
Adultery is sexual infidelity to one's spouse, and is a form of extramarital sex. It originally referred only to sex between a woman who was married and a person other than her spouse. Even in cases of separation from one's spouse, an extramarital affair is still considered adultery.Adultery is...
with Queen Anne Boleyn
Anne Boleyn
Anne Boleyn ;c.1501/1507 – 19 May 1536) was Queen of England from 1533 to 1536 as the second wife of Henry VIII of England and Marquess of Pembroke in her own right. Henry's marriage to Anne, and her subsequent execution, made her a key figure in the political and religious upheaval that was the...
.
Great-great-grandson Sir Henry Norris
Henry Norris, 1st Baron Norreys
Henry Norris , Baron Norris belonged to an old Berkshire family, many members of which had held positions at the English court. He was the son of Sir Henry Norreys, who was beheaded for his supposed adultery with Queen Anne Boleyn, and Mary Fiennes Henry Norris (or Norreys), Baron Norris (15257...
was a life-long friend of Queen Elizabeth's
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
, serving as Ambassador to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, and eventually was made 1st Baron Norreys
Baron Norreys
The title Baron Norreys of Rycote has been created in the Peerage of England, by writ. The creation was for Henry Norris in 1572. The 2nd Baron Norreys was created Viscount Thame and Earl of Berkshire, both titles became extinct on his death...
. Henry Norris' 6 sons all served with distinction in the military under Queen Elizabeth. One, Sir John Norreys
John Norreys
Sir John Norreys , also frequently spelt John Norris, was an English soldier of a Berkshire family of court gentry, the son of Henry Norris, 1st Baron Norreys a lifelong friend of Queen Elizabeth....
, was considered the most acclaimed soldier of his time.