Lady Bridget Wingfield
Encyclopedia
Lady Bridget Wingfield was a neighbour, close friend and lady-in-waiting to Anne Boleyn
, the second wife of Henry VIII of England
. She was the wife of Sir Richard Wingfield
(widower of Catherine Woodville) and the daughter of Sir John Wiltshire of Stone Castle
, Kent
, a neighbour of the Boleyn family.
A letter written by Queen Anne to Bridget was used as evidence in the trial of the Queen for adultery, incest and conspiring against the life of the King. As Bridget had died, she could not refute the interpretation the prosecution placed on the Queen's words. The report also questioned the morality of Bridget: And note that this matter was disclosed by a woman called Lady Wingfield who was a servant of the said queen and shared the same tendencies. And suddenly the said Wingfield became ill and a little time before her death she showed the matter to one of those etc.
She married three times; her first husband was Sir Richard Wingfield
K.G., by whom she had ten children; he died in 1525. Her second husband was Sir Nicholas Harvey, and her third husband was Sir Robert Tyrwhitt.
, of Stone Castle, in Shurland
, Kent
, and Isabella Clothall. She became a member of Catherine of Aragon
's household, sometime before 1520, as Bridget was present at the Field of the Cloth of Gold
in France. Later, on an unknown date, Bridget became a Lady of the Bedchamber
to Queen Catherine's successor, Anne Boleyn.
. He was one of twelve brothers and the widower of Catherine Woodville
, a younger sister of Edward IV's queen consort Elizabeth Woodville
. Together, Sir Richard and Bridget had ten children:
Sir Richard died in 1525, and she married secondly, Sir Nicholas Harvey of Ickworth
, Ambassador
to Emperor Charles V
, but a loyal supporter of Anne Boleyn. Bridget and Sir Nicholas had a son, George Harvey. After the death of Sir Nicholas on 5 August 1532, Bridget married her third husband, Sir Robert Tyrwhitt of Kettleby
, a man of whom Queen Anne did not approve. The two quarrelled possibly on account of the latter's disapproval. Bridget is last mentioned in the list of New Years' Gifts in 1534, although as there were many Lady Wingfields it is hard to be sure who was being referred to.
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...
, the second wife of Henry VIII of England
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...
. She was the wife of Sir Richard Wingfield
Richard Wingfield
Sir Richard Wingfield, of Kimbolton Castle was an influential courtier and diplomat in the early years of the Tudor dynasty of England.-Life:...
(widower of Catherine Woodville) and the daughter of Sir John Wiltshire of Stone Castle
Stone Castle
Stone Castle is a castle at Stone, near Bluewater in Kent, England. It was built between 1135 and 1140 on the site where William the Conqueror signed a treaty with the men of Kent in 1067.-History:...
, 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...
, a neighbour of the Boleyn family.
A letter written by Queen Anne to Bridget was used as evidence in the trial of the Queen for adultery, incest and conspiring against the life of the King. As Bridget had died, she could not refute the interpretation the prosecution placed on the Queen's words. The report also questioned the morality of Bridget: And note that this matter was disclosed by a woman called Lady Wingfield who was a servant of the said queen and shared the same tendencies. And suddenly the said Wingfield became ill and a little time before her death she showed the matter to one of those etc.
She married three times; her first husband was Sir Richard Wingfield
Richard Wingfield
Sir Richard Wingfield, of Kimbolton Castle was an influential courtier and diplomat in the early years of the Tudor dynasty of England.-Life:...
K.G., by whom she had ten children; he died in 1525. Her second husband was Sir Nicholas Harvey, and her third husband was Sir Robert Tyrwhitt.
Family and career
Bridget was born on an unknown date, the daughter of Sir John WiltshireJohn Wiltshire
John Wiltshire was an Australian actor and producer who worked extensively in stage, radio and television, notably at the ABC. He produced some of Noel Coward's shows in Australia in 1940, helped establish the Mercury Theatre with Peter Finch and produced a number of films with Cecil Holmes...
, of Stone Castle, in Shurland
Shurland
Shurland is a place near Eastchurch, Isle of Sheppey, Kent, England. Shurland Hall stood here and was visited by Henry VIII of England and used during World War I for billeting....
, 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...
, and Isabella Clothall. She became a member of Catherine of Aragon
Catherine of Aragon
Catherine of Aragon , also known as Katherine or Katharine, was Queen consort of England as the first wife of King Henry VIII of England and Princess of Wales as the wife to Arthur, Prince of Wales...
's household, sometime before 1520, as Bridget was present at the Field of the Cloth of Gold
Field of the Cloth of Gold
The Field of Cloth of Gold is the name given to a place in Balinghem, between Guînes and Ardres, in France, near Calais. It was the site of a meeting that took place from 7 June to 24 June 1520, between King Henry VIII of England and King Francis I of France. The meeting was arranged to increase...
in France. Later, on an unknown date, Bridget became a Lady of the Bedchamber
Lady of the Bedchamber
This is an incomplete list of those who have served as Lady of the Bedchamber in the British Royal Household...
to Queen Catherine's successor, Anne Boleyn.
Marriages and children
In 1513, she married her first husband, Sir Richard Wingfield, courtier, diplomat, and Lord Deputy of CalaisLord Deputy of Calais
The town of Calais, now part of France, was in English hands from 1347 to 1558, and this page lists the commanders of Calais, holding office from the English Crown, called at different times Captain of Calais, King's Lieutenant of Calais , or Lord Deputy of Calais.-Terminology and...
. He was one of twelve brothers and the widower of Catherine Woodville
Lady Katherine Neville
Katherine Neville or Catherine de Neville was the eldest daughter of Ralph Neville, 1st Earl of Westmorland and Joan Beaufort , daughter of John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster by his mistress Catherine de Roet.Katherine was married firstly to John Mowbray, 2nd Duke of Norfolk...
, a younger sister of Edward IV's queen consort Elizabeth Woodville
Elizabeth Woodville
Elizabeth Woodville was Queen consort of England as the spouse of King Edward IV from 1464 until his death in 1483. Elizabeth was a key figure in the series of dynastic civil wars known as the Wars of the Roses. Her first husband, Sir John Grey of Groby was killed at the Second Battle of St Albans...
. Together, Sir Richard and Bridget had ten children:
- Charles Wingfield (1513- 24 May 1540), married Joan Knollys, sister of Sir Francis KnollysFrancis Knollys (the elder)Sir Francis Knollys , of Greys Court, in Oxfordshire, KG was an English courtier in the service and favour of Henry VIII, Edward VI and Elizabeth I of England, and was a Member of Parliament for a number of constituencies....
, and sister-in-law of Catherine CareyCatherine CareyKatherine Carey, often spelt Catherine Carey, after her marriage Katherine Knollys and later Lady Knollys, pronounced "Noles" Katherine Carey, often spelt Catherine Carey, after her marriage Katherine Knollys and later Lady Knollys, pronounced "Noles" Katherine Carey, often spelt Catherine Carey,...
, who was the niece of Anne Boleyn. Together, Charles and Joan had four children. - Thomas Maria Wingfield, Member of ParliamentMember of ParliamentA Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
, married firstly Margaret Sabyn; he married secondly Margaret Kerrye, by whom he had issue, including celebrated VirginiaVirginiaThe Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
colonist, Edward Maria WingfieldEdward Maria WingfieldSir Edward Maria Wingfield, sometimes hyphenated as Edward-Maria Wingfield, was a soldier, Member of Parliament, and English colonist in America...
. - James Wingfield (1519- 1587), a politician in the service of Bishop Stephen GardinerStephen GardinerStephen Gardiner was an English Roman Catholic bishop and politician during the English Reformation period who served as Lord Chancellor during the reign of Queen Mary I of England.-Early life:...
. - Lawrence Wingfield
- Jane Wingfield, married firstly Thomas Worlich, by whom she had issue, and secondly Francis Roe.
- Mary Wingfield
- Margaret Wingfield, married firstly Sir Thomas Newman, and secondly a son of the Moyle family.
- Cecily Wingfield, married into the Maidenhead family.
- Elizabeth Wingfield, married into the Latimer family.
- Catherine Wingfield
Sir Richard died in 1525, and she married secondly, Sir Nicholas Harvey of Ickworth
Ickworth
Ickworth is a small village and civil parish in the St Edmundsbury district of Suffolk in eastern England. Located on the A143 around a mile and a half south-west of Bury St Edmunds, in 2005 its population was 30....
, Ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
to Emperor Charles V
Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles V was ruler of the Holy Roman Empire from 1519 and, as Charles I, of the Spanish Empire from 1516 until his voluntary retirement and abdication in favor of his younger brother Ferdinand I and his son Philip II in 1556.As...
, but a loyal supporter of Anne Boleyn. Bridget and Sir Nicholas had a son, George Harvey. After the death of Sir Nicholas on 5 August 1532, Bridget married her third husband, Sir Robert Tyrwhitt of Kettleby
Kettleby
Kettleby may refer to:* Kettleby, Ontario, Canada, a community in the township of King* Ab Kettleby, a village in the Melton district of Leicestershire, England* Eye Kettleby...
, a man of whom Queen Anne did not approve. The two quarrelled possibly on account of the latter's disapproval. Bridget is last mentioned in the list of New Years' Gifts in 1534, although as there were many Lady Wingfields it is hard to be sure who was being referred to.