Sir John Shelton
Encyclopedia
Sir John Shelton of Carrow, courtier, was, through marriage, the uncle of King Henry VIII's
second Queen, Anne Boleyn
, and controller of the joint household of the King's daughters, Princess Mary
and Princess Elizabeth
.
, Norfolk
. His family took its name from the village of Shelton near Norwich
, and had held land in East Anglia
for three centuries before Shelton's birth. Before 1503, Shelton married Anne
(18th Nov 1475 – 06 Jan 1555), the daughter of Sir William Boleyn of Blickling
, Norfolk. Shelton was appointed High Sheriff of Norfolk and Suffolk
in 1504 and 1522, and was a Justice of the Peace
for Norfolk. At the coronation of King Henry VIII he was made a Knight of the Bath.
Shelton and his wife rose to prominence when King Henry VIII
, married, as his second Queen, Lady Shelton's niece, Anne Boleyn
, the daughter of Lady Shelton's brother, Sir Thomas Boleyn
. After Queen Anne's accession to the throne in 1533, Lady Shelton and her sister, Lady Alice Clere (d. 1 November 1538), were placed in charge of the King's daughter, Princess Mary
, at Hatfield Palace. According to Block, this was likely done to pressure Princess Mary to recognize Anne as Queen.
By July 1536 Shelton was controller of the household established for Princess Mary and Queen Anne Boleyn's
daughter, Princess Elizabeth
. On 22 November 1538 he was granted the site of the former Benedictine nunnery of Carrow
just outside Norwich. This property became the family seat.
Shelton died on 21 December 1539 at the age of 62, and was buried in the chancel of Shelton church. He was said to have been "a man of great possessions", which he sought to pass on to his heirs contrary to the Statute of Uses
. When the stratagem came to light after Shelton's death, the lawyers involved were punished, and an Act of Parliament was passed annulling such "crafty conveyances".
Shelton had at least six children. His son and heir, Sir John Shelton
(b. in or before 1503, d. 1558), married Margaret, the daughter of Henry Parker, 10th Baron Morley
. His daughter, Margaret, is said to have been a mistress of King Henry VIII. His youngest daughter, Mary, married firstly, Sir Anthony Heaveningham, and secondly, Philip Appleyard.
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...
second 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...
, and controller of the joint household of the King's daughters, Princess 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...
and Princess Elizabeth
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...
.
Life
Sir John Shelton (1476/7–1539) was the son of Ralph Shelton and Margaret Clere of OrmesbyOrmesby
Ormesby is a former village, and now suburb, spanning the Middlesbrough and Redcar and Cleveland unitary authorities in north east England, within the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire. It forms part of the Middlesbrough urban agglomeration...
, Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
. His family took its name from the village of Shelton near Norwich
Norwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
, and had held land in East Anglia
East Anglia
East Anglia is a traditional name for a region of eastern England, named after an ancient Anglo-Saxon kingdom, the Kingdom of the East Angles. The Angles took their name from their homeland Angeln, in northern Germany. East Anglia initially consisted of Norfolk and Suffolk, but upon the marriage of...
for three centuries before Shelton's birth. Before 1503, Shelton married Anne
Anne Shelton (courtier)
Anne Shelton née Boleyn was the elder sister of Thomas Boleyn, 1st Earl of Wiltshire, and an aunt of his daughter, Queen Anne Boleyn, the second wife of King Henry VIII.-Life:...
(18th Nov 1475 – 06 Jan 1555), the daughter of Sir William Boleyn of Blickling
Blickling
Blickling is a village and civil parish in the Broadland district of Norfolk, England, about north-west of Aylsham on the B1354 road. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 136 and covers . Since the 17th century the village has been concentrated in two areas, around the church and...
, Norfolk. Shelton was appointed High Sheriff of Norfolk and Suffolk
High Sheriff of Norfolk and Suffolk
This is a list of High Sheriffs of Norfolk and Suffolk. The High Sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown and is appointed annually by the Crown. He was originally the principal law enforcement officer in the county and presided at the Assizes and other important county meetings...
in 1504 and 1522, and was a Justice of the Peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
for Norfolk. At the coronation of King Henry VIII he was made a Knight of the Bath.
Shelton and his wife rose to prominence when 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...
, married, as his second Queen, Lady Shelton's niece, 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...
, the daughter of Lady Shelton's brother, Sir Thomas Boleyn
Thomas Boleyn, 1st Earl of Wiltshire
Thomas Boleyn, 1st Earl of Wiltshire, KG was an English diplomat and politician in the Tudor era. He was born at the family home, Hever Castle, Kent, which had been purchased by his grandfather Geoffrey Boleyn, who was a wealthy mercer. He was buried at St. Peter's parish church in the village of...
. After Queen Anne's accession to the throne in 1533, Lady Shelton and her sister, Lady Alice Clere (d. 1 November 1538), were placed in charge of the King's daughter, Princess 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...
, at Hatfield Palace. According to Block, this was likely done to pressure Princess Mary to recognize Anne as Queen.
By July 1536 Shelton was controller of the household established for Princess Mary and Queen Anne Boleyn's
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...
daughter, Princess Elizabeth
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...
. On 22 November 1538 he was granted the site of the former Benedictine nunnery of Carrow
Carrow Abbey
Carrow Abbey is a former Benedictine Priory in Bracondale, northeast Norwich, England. The village on the site was previously called Carrow and gives its name to Carrow Road, the football ground of Norwich F.C., located just metres to the north. Granted by charter of King Stephen, it was founded ca...
just outside Norwich. This property became the family seat.
Shelton died on 21 December 1539 at the age of 62, and was buried in the chancel of Shelton church. He was said to have been "a man of great possessions", which he sought to pass on to his heirs contrary to the Statute of Uses
Statute of Uses
The Statute of Uses was an Act of the Parliament of England that restricted the application of uses in English property law. The Statute was originally conceived by Henry VIII of England as a way to rectify his financial problems by simplifying the law of uses, which moved land outside the royal...
. When the stratagem came to light after Shelton's death, the lawyers involved were punished, and an Act of Parliament was passed annulling such "crafty conveyances".
Shelton had at least six children. His son and heir, Sir John Shelton
John Shelton (courtier)
Sir John Shelton was the son of Sir John Shelton and Anne Boleyn, the aunt of Queen Anne Boleyn. John's sister, Margaret Shelton was possibly the mistress of Henry VIII of England during 1535...
(b. in or before 1503, d. 1558), married Margaret, the daughter of Henry Parker, 10th Baron Morley
Henry Parker, 10th Baron Morley
Henry Parker, 10th Baron Morley , was an English peer and translator, Lord of Morley, Hingham, Hockering, &c., in Norfolk. He was the son of Alice Parker, 9th Baroness Morley, née Lovel Henry Parker, 10th Baron Morley (1476/1480/1481 – 3 December 1553/1556), was an English peer and translator, Lord...
. His daughter, Margaret, is said to have been a mistress of King Henry VIII. His youngest daughter, Mary, married firstly, Sir Anthony Heaveningham, and secondly, Philip Appleyard.