Thomas Hungerford
Encyclopedia
Sir Thomas Hungerford (died 1397) was the first person to be recorded in the rolls of the Parliament of England
as holding the (pre-existing) office of Speaker of the House of Commons of England
.
, Wiltshire, by his marriage to Elizabeth, daughter and heiress of Sir Adam Fitz-John of Cherhill
in the same county. The Hungerford family was seated in Wiltshire by the twelfth century, and Hungerford's father sat for the county in the parliaments of 1331/2, 1333/4, and 1336. An uncle, Robert, sat for Wiltshire in the parliament of 1316, was a commissioner to inquire into the possessions of the Despensers after their attainder in 1328, and gave much land to the hospital at Calne
in memory of his first wife, Joan, to the church of Hungerford
, Wiltshire, and to other religious foundations. He was buried in 1355 in Hungerford Church, where an elaborate monument long existed above his grave. An inscription to his memory is still extant in the church. His second wife was Geva, widow of Adam de Stokke, but he left no issue.
Hungerford was himself High Sheriff of Wiltshire
from 1355 to 1360 and was returned as a knight of the shire for Wiltshire
in April 1357, and was re-elected for the same constituency in 1360, 1362, January 1376/7, to the two parliaments of 1380, in 1383, 1384, 1386, January 1389/90, and in January 1392/3. He sat for the county of Somerset
in 1378, 1382, 1388, and 1390. He was returned for both constituencies in 1384 and January 1389/90. He was knighted in Feb 1375. He was closely associated with John of Gaunt and acted for some time as steward of Gaunt's household.
Owing to Gaunt's influence, he was chosen in January 1376/7, in the last of Edward III's
parliaments (the Bad Parliament
), to act as speaker. According to the rolls of parliament (ii. 374) Hungerford "avait les paroles pur les communes d'Angleterre en cet parliament". He is thus the first person formally mentioned in the rolls of parliament as holding the office of speaker. Sir Peter de la Mare
preceded him in the post, without the title, in the Good Parliament
of 1376. In 1380 Hungerford was confirmed in the forestership of Selwood. In 1369 he purchased of Walter Pavely, de jure Lord Burghersh, the manor of Farleigh-Montfort, since called Farleigh Hungerford
, and the chief residence of his descendants, and in 1383 obtained permission to convert the manor house
there into a castle. About 1384 he aroused the suspicion of Richard II
, who attached him, but he obtained a pardon and confirmation of his free warren of Farleigh.
Hungerford died at Farleigh on 3 December 1398, and was buried in the chapel of the castle, where a monument was erected to his memory, and a portrait placed in a stained-glass window. The latter is engraved in Hoare's "Mod. Wiltshire, Heytesbury Hundred," p. 90. He married, first, Eleanor, daughter and heiress of Sir John Strug of Heytesbury, and, secondly, Joan, heiress of Sir Edmund Hussey of Holbrook. By his second wife, who died on 1 March 1412, he was father of Walter, lord Hungerford
(d. 1449), and three other sons who predeceased him.
Parliament of England
The Parliament of England was the legislature of the Kingdom of England. In 1066, William of Normandy introduced a feudal system, by which he sought the advice of a council of tenants-in-chief and ecclesiastics before making laws...
as holding the (pre-existing) office of Speaker of the House of Commons of England
House of Commons of England
The House of Commons of England was the lower house of the Parliament of England from its development in the 14th century to the union of England and Scotland in 1707, when it was replaced by the House of Commons of Great Britain...
.
Biography
Hungerford was the son of Walter de Hungerford of HeytesburyHeytesbury
Heytesbury is a village in Wiltshire, England, in the Wylye Valley, about three miles south of Warminster.-History:...
, Wiltshire, by his marriage to Elizabeth, daughter and heiress of Sir Adam Fitz-John of Cherhill
Cherhill
Cherhill is a village in Wiltshire, England located on the A4 road between Calne and Marlborough and about west of London.- Overview :Cherhill is known for the Cherhill White Horse cut into the chalk hillside in 1780, the Landsdowne obelisk on the Cherhill Downs, and the crop circles that appeared...
in the same county. The Hungerford family was seated in Wiltshire by the twelfth century, and Hungerford's father sat for the county in the parliaments of 1331/2, 1333/4, and 1336. An uncle, Robert, sat for Wiltshire in the parliament of 1316, was a commissioner to inquire into the possessions of the Despensers after their attainder in 1328, and gave much land to the hospital at Calne
Calne
Calne is a town in Wiltshire, southwestern England. It is situated at the northwestern extremity of the North Wessex Downs hill range, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty....
in memory of his first wife, Joan, to the church of Hungerford
Hungerford
Hungerford is a market town and civil parish in Berkshire, England, 9 miles west of Newbury. It covers an area of and, according to the 2001 census, has a population of 5,559 .- Geography :...
, Wiltshire, and to other religious foundations. He was buried in 1355 in Hungerford Church, where an elaborate monument long existed above his grave. An inscription to his memory is still extant in the church. His second wife was Geva, widow of Adam de Stokke, but he left no issue.
Hungerford was himself High Sheriff of Wiltshire
High Sheriff of Wiltshire
This is a list of High Sheriffs of Wiltshire.Until the 14th century the shrievalty was held ex officio by the castellans of Old Sarum.-To 1400:*1066: Edric*1067-1070: Philippe de Buckland*1085: Aiulphus the Sheriff*1070–1105: Edward of Salisbury...
from 1355 to 1360 and was returned as a knight of the shire for Wiltshire
Wiltshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Wiltshire was a constituency of the House of Commons of England from 1290 to 1707, of the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1832. It was represented by two Members of Parliament , elected by the bloc vote...
in April 1357, and was re-elected for the same constituency in 1360, 1362, January 1376/7, to the two parliaments of 1380, in 1383, 1384, 1386, January 1389/90, and in January 1392/3. He sat for the county of Somerset
Somerset (UK Parliament constituency)
Somerset was a parliamentary constituency in Somerset, which returned two Members of Parliament , known traditionally as knights of the shire, to the House of Commons of England until 1707, the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800, and the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from...
in 1378, 1382, 1388, and 1390. He was returned for both constituencies in 1384 and January 1389/90. He was knighted in Feb 1375. He was closely associated with John of Gaunt and acted for some time as steward of Gaunt's household.
Owing to Gaunt's influence, he was chosen in January 1376/7, in the last of Edward III's
Edward III of England
Edward III was King of England from 1327 until his death and is noted for his military success. Restoring royal authority after the disastrous reign of his father, Edward II, Edward III went on to transform the Kingdom of England into one of the most formidable military powers in Europe...
parliaments (the Bad Parliament
Bad Parliament
The Bad Parliament sat in England between 27 January and 2 March 1377. Influenced by Prince John of Gaunt, it undid the work done by the Good Parliament to reduce corruption in the Royal Council. It also introduced a poll tax which was a contributing factor to the Peasants' Revolt in 1381....
), to act as speaker. According to the rolls of parliament (ii. 374) Hungerford "avait les paroles pur les communes d'Angleterre en cet parliament". He is thus the first person formally mentioned in the rolls of parliament as holding the office of speaker. Sir Peter de la Mare
Peter de la Mare
Sir Peter de la Mare was an English politician and Presiding Officer of the House of Commons during the Good Parliament of 1376....
preceded him in the post, without the title, in the Good Parliament
Good Parliament
The Good Parliament is the name traditionally given to the English Parliament of 1376. Sitting in London from April 28 to July 10, it was the longest Parliament up until that time....
of 1376. In 1380 Hungerford was confirmed in the forestership of Selwood. In 1369 he purchased of Walter Pavely, de jure Lord Burghersh, the manor of Farleigh-Montfort, since called Farleigh Hungerford
Farleigh Hungerford
Farleigh Hungerford is a village within the civil parish of Norton St Philip in Somerset, England, 9 miles southeast of Bath, 3½ miles west of Trowbridge on A366, in the valley of the River Frome....
, and the chief residence of his descendants, and in 1383 obtained permission to convert the manor house
Manor house
A manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...
there into a castle. About 1384 he aroused the suspicion of Richard II
Richard II of England
Richard II was King of England, a member of the House of Plantagenet and the last of its main-line kings. He ruled from 1377 until he was deposed in 1399. Richard was a son of Edward, the Black Prince, and was born during the reign of his grandfather, Edward III...
, who attached him, but he obtained a pardon and confirmation of his free warren of Farleigh.
Hungerford died at Farleigh on 3 December 1398, and was buried in the chapel of the castle, where a monument was erected to his memory, and a portrait placed in a stained-glass window. The latter is engraved in Hoare's "Mod. Wiltshire, Heytesbury Hundred," p. 90. He married, first, Eleanor, daughter and heiress of Sir John Strug of Heytesbury, and, secondly, Joan, heiress of Sir Edmund Hussey of Holbrook. By his second wife, who died on 1 March 1412, he was father of Walter, lord Hungerford
Walter Hungerford, 1st Baron Hungerford
Walter Hungerford, 1st Baron Hungerford KG was an English knight, landowner, from 1400 to 1414 Member of the House of Commons, of which he became Speaker, then was an Admiral and peer....
(d. 1449), and three other sons who predeceased him.