Richard Berkeley (died 1604)
Encyclopedia
Sir Richard Berkeley of Stoke Gifford
, Gloucestershire was MP for Gloucestershire
in 1604. He had previously served as Sheriff of Gloucestershire
in 1564, and as Deputy Lieutenant
of Gloucestershire. He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth I
in 1568. In 1595 he was appointed Lieutenant of the Tower of London
. In 1599 he was appointed custodian of Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex
(d.1601), who was kept under house arrest at Essex House
in London. He died in 1604, whilst serving as MP, and was buried in The Gaunts Chapel
, Bristol, where exists an effigy of him, which chapel had been founded in 1220 by Maurice de Gaunt
(d.1230), a member of the Berkeley family.
, Gloucestershire by Isabel Denys, a daughter of Sir William Denys
(d.1535) of Dyrham
, Gloucestershire. He was 7th in descent from Maurice de Berkeley(d.1347), who had acquired the manor of Stoke Gifford in 1337, the second son of Maurice de Berkeley, 2nd Baron Berkeley
(1271-1326). In 1545/6, when Richard was aged 14, his father died from splinter wounds whilst on board a ship at Portsmouth
, and by an addition to his father's will Richard was given in wardship to King Henry VIII
(1509-1547).
(d.1563) was rebuilding nearby Siston Court
. The house was built on a great artificial plateau. It was rebuilt in 1750 by Berkeley's descendant Norborne Berkeley, 4th Baron Botetourt
.
, adjacent to the south, and Rendcomb
a considerable distance to the north, 5 miles north of Cirencester
.
Henry Berkeley (died 1606), of Stoke Gifford, married Mary (or Mirryell) Throckmorton, da. Of Thomas Throckmorton of Coughton Court
, Warwickshire. Father of Richard Berkeley
(1579-1661), MP.
Elizabeth, married Sir Thomas Throckmorton of Tortworth
, Glos.,
Mary
Ann
Dorothy
He married secondly Eleanor Jermy, da. Of Sir Robert Jermy and widow of Sir Thomas Rowe.
, Bristol, records. He was replaced on 30th May 1604 as one of the pair of MP's for Glos. By John Throckmorton.
, Bristol. He is dressed in plate-armour, with his hands clasped in prayer pointed heavenwards. The effigy probably had originally an elaborate sculpted canopy above it, which has now been lost, following the repositioning of the effigy to its current location against a wall. On an entablature on the wall behind the effigy, surmounted by the arms of Berkeley of Stoke Gifford, is the following Latin inscription:
Translated thus into English:
His epitaph follows:
Stoke Gifford
Stoke Gifford is a large dormitory village, and parish in South Gloucestershire, England, in the northern suburbs of Bristol. It has around 11,000 residents as of the 2001 Census. It is home to Bristol Parkway station, on the London-South Wales railway line, and the Bristol offices of Friends Life...
, Gloucestershire was MP for Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire (UK Parliament constituency)
The constituency of Gloucestershire was a UK Parliamentary constituency. After it was abolished under the 1832 Electoral Reform Act, two new constituencies, West Gloucestershire and East Gloucestershire, were created....
in 1604. He had previously served as Sheriff of Gloucestershire
High Sheriff of Gloucestershire
This is a list of High Sheriffs of Gloucestershire.The High Sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown. Formerly the High Sheriff was the principal law enforcement officer in the county but over the centuries most of the responsibilities associated with the post have been transferred...
in 1564, and as Deputy Lieutenant
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
of Gloucestershire. He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth I
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...
in 1568. In 1595 he was appointed Lieutenant of the Tower of London
Constable of the Tower
The Constable of the Tower is the most senior appointment at the Tower of London. In the middle ages a constable was the person in charge of a castle when the owner - the king or a nobleman - was not in residence...
. In 1599 he was appointed custodian of Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex
Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex
Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, KG was an English nobleman and a favourite of Elizabeth I. Politically ambitious, and a committed general, he was placed under house arrest following a poor campaign in Ireland during the Nine Years' War in 1599...
(d.1601), who was kept under house arrest at Essex House
Essex House (London)
Essex House was a house in London, built around 1575 for Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester and originally called Leicester House.The property occupied the site where the Outer Temple, part of the London headquarters of the Knights Templar, had previously stood , and was immediately adjacent to the...
in London. He died in 1604, whilst serving as MP, and was buried in The Gaunts Chapel
St Mark's Church, Bristol
St Mark's Church is an ancient small church on the north-east side of College Green, Bristol, England, built c. 1230. Better known to mediaeval and Tudor historians as the Gaunt's Chapel, it has also been known within Bristol since 1722 as the Mayor's Chapel. It is the only church in England...
, Bristol, where exists an effigy of him, which chapel had been founded in 1220 by Maurice de Gaunt
Maurice de Gaunt
Maurice de Gaunt was the founder of Beverston Castle in Gloucestershire, England. He began the construction circa 1225 without royal licence, and completed the project in 1229 with the granting of a licence for the final crenellation. Beverston Castle was further enlarged in the mid...
(d.1230), a member of the Berkeley family.
Background
He was born in 1531, the eldest son of Sir John Berkeley(d.1546) of Stoke GiffordStoke Gifford
Stoke Gifford is a large dormitory village, and parish in South Gloucestershire, England, in the northern suburbs of Bristol. It has around 11,000 residents as of the 2001 Census. It is home to Bristol Parkway station, on the London-South Wales railway line, and the Bristol offices of Friends Life...
, Gloucestershire by Isabel Denys, a daughter of Sir William Denys
William Denys
Sir William Denys of Dyrham, Gloucestershire, was a courtier of King Henry VIII and High Sheriff of Gloucestershire in 1518 and 1526.-Origins:...
(d.1535) of Dyrham
Dyrham
Dyrham is a village and parish in South Gloucestershire, England.-Location and communications:Dyrham is at lat. 51° 29' north, long. 2° 22' west . It lies at an altitude of 100 metres above sea level. It is near the A46 trunk road, about north of Bath and a little south of the M4 motorway...
, Gloucestershire. He was 7th in descent from Maurice de Berkeley(d.1347), who had acquired the manor of Stoke Gifford in 1337, the second son of Maurice de Berkeley, 2nd Baron Berkeley
Maurice de Berkeley, 2nd Baron Berkeley
Maurice Berkeley, 2nd Baron Berkeley , sometimes termed The Magnanimous, was an English baron and rebel....
(1271-1326). In 1545/6, when Richard was aged 14, his father died from splinter wounds whilst on board a ship at Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
, and by an addition to his father's will Richard was given in wardship 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...
(1509-1547).
Builds Stoke Park
In 1553 he rebuilt the manor house at Stoke Gifford in the late-Tudor style, at about the same time his uncle Sir Maurice DenysMaurice Denys
Sir Maurice Denys was an English lawyer in London, a property speculator during the Dissolution of the Monasteries, during which period he served as a "powerful figure at the Court of Augmentations", a Member of Parliament for Malmesbury in Wiltshire, Treasurer of Calais and the builder of Siston...
(d.1563) was rebuilding nearby Siston Court
Siston
Siston is a small village in South Gloucestershire, England east of Bristol Castle, ancient centre of Bristol, recorded historically as Syston, Sistone, Syton, Sytone and Systun etc. The village lies at the confluence of the two sources of the Siston Brook, a tributary of the River Avon...
. The house was built on a great artificial plateau. It was rebuilt in 1750 by Berkeley's descendant Norborne Berkeley, 4th Baron Botetourt
Norborne Berkeley, 4th Baron Botetourt
Norborne Berkeley, 4th Baron Botetourt , was a courtier, member of parliament, and royal governor of the colony of Virginia from 1768 until his death in 1770.-Life:...
.
Land purchases
In 1564 he purchased the Gloucestershire manors of StapletonStapleton
-Places:Australia* Stapleton Island, QueenslandUnited Kingdom*Stapleton, Bristol*Stapleton, Cumbria*Stapleton, Herefordshire*Stapleton, Leicestershire*Stapleton, Richmondshire, North Yorkshire*Stapleton, Selby, North Yorkshire*Stapleton, Shropshire...
, adjacent to the south, and Rendcomb
Rendcomb
Rendcomb is a village in the Cotswold local authority area of the English county of Gloucestershire. It is about five miles north of Cirencester....
a considerable distance to the north, 5 miles north of Cirencester
Cirencester
Cirencester is a market town in east Gloucestershire, England, 93 miles west northwest of London. Cirencester lies on the River Churn, a tributary of the River Thames, and is the largest town in the Cotswold District. It is the home of the Royal Agricultural College, the oldest agricultural...
.
Marriage & progeny
Berkeley married twice, firstly to Elizabeth Read, daughter of William Read of Milton, Esq., by whom he had issue:Henry Berkeley (died 1606), of Stoke Gifford, married Mary (or Mirryell) Throckmorton, da. Of Thomas Throckmorton of Coughton Court
Coughton Court
Coughton Court is an English Tudor country house, situated on the main road between Studley and Alcester in Warwickshire. It is a Grade I listed building....
, Warwickshire. Father of Richard Berkeley
Richard Berkeley (died 1661)
Richard Berkeley was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1614.Berkeley was the only son of Sir Henry Berkeley of Stoke Gifford and Rendcomb, Gloucestershire, and grandson of Sir Richard Berkeley of Stoke Gifford, whose effigy can be seen at the Gaunt's Chapel, Bristol...
(1579-1661), MP.
Elizabeth, married Sir Thomas Throckmorton of Tortworth
Tortworth
Tortworth is a hamlet, and civil parish, near Thornbury in South Gloucestershire, England. It has a population of 150, and is noted for a huge and ancient chestnut tree, believed to be over 1000 years old. The tree, in St...
, Glos.,
Mary
Ann
Dorothy
He married secondly Eleanor Jermy, da. Of Sir Robert Jermy and widow of Sir Thomas Rowe.
Death & burial
He died on 26th April 1604, as his monument in The Gaunt's ChapelSt Mark's Church, Bristol
St Mark's Church is an ancient small church on the north-east side of College Green, Bristol, England, built c. 1230. Better known to mediaeval and Tudor historians as the Gaunt's Chapel, it has also been known within Bristol since 1722 as the Mayor's Chapel. It is the only church in England...
, Bristol, records. He was replaced on 30th May 1604 as one of the pair of MP's for Glos. By John Throckmorton.
Effigy in The Gaunts Chapel
The recumbent effigy of Sir Richard Berkeley is situated to the immediate right hand side on entering The Gaunt's ChapelSt Mark's Church, Bristol
St Mark's Church is an ancient small church on the north-east side of College Green, Bristol, England, built c. 1230. Better known to mediaeval and Tudor historians as the Gaunt's Chapel, it has also been known within Bristol since 1722 as the Mayor's Chapel. It is the only church in England...
, Bristol. He is dressed in plate-armour, with his hands clasped in prayer pointed heavenwards. The effigy probably had originally an elaborate sculpted canopy above it, which has now been lost, following the repositioning of the effigy to its current location against a wall. On an entablature on the wall behind the effigy, surmounted by the arms of Berkeley of Stoke Gifford, is the following Latin inscription:
Domini : Rich : Berkelaei : Militis : in : suam : mortem : carmen : monitorium : Cum genus et nomen capiunt cognoscere cuncti mentem nemo : si quis qui sim inquirere pergat nescio responde : verum hunc se nosse moneto
Translated thus into English:
“...Of the lord Richard de Berkeley, knight, in his death, a song of those admonishing: Though all men may desire to know my name and race, yet no man may desire to know my mind. If any one should take up the enquiry as to who I am, reply I know not, but let that man be advised to know himself”
His epitaph follows:
Whom youth could not corrupt, nor change of dayes
Add anything but years, he, full of them
As they of knowledge, what need this stone prayse
Whose epitaph is writt in the heartes of men That did this world and her child Fame despise
His soule th.w. God loe here his coffin lyes
Obiit : Aprilis : xxvi : Ano. Domini : 1604 Aetatis suae 71
(Trans.: "He died the 26th of April in the year of Our Lord 1604, 71 (years) of age")
Sources
- Barker, W.R. St Mark's or The Mayor's Chapel, Bristol, Formerly called the Church of the Gaunts. Bristol, 1892, pp.146-8
- Evans, Rev. D.R., A History of Stoke Gifford, 1958. Extracts reproduced in: Kerton, Adrian (ed.), History of Stoke Gifford, 2005 (www.sbarch.org.uk)
- Smyth, John, The Lives of the Berkeleys, Lords of the Honour, Castle and Manor of Berkeley, in the County of Gloucester, from 1066 to 1618. First published 1618. Main source of Barker, W.R.
- Maclean, Sir John (ed.), The Visitation of the County of Gloucester Taken in the Year 1623 by Henry Chitty and John Phillipot, London, 1885, pp.8-9, “Barkley” (contains errors)
- Berkeley genealogy website