ID: PH01_HRY / Elaine Barker

TitlePeldon and Henry VIII
AbstractHenry VIII and Peldon

In 1544 there is an entry in 'Acts not in the Parliamentary Roll' in which the preamble states that King Henry VIII 'this winter last past hath had divers and many of his ships royal lying and remaining in his haven and water called Colne in the county of Essex which is more meet for them than any other place heretofore found, and therefore he intends to have much more of his navy remain there in future, and the manor of Peldon lying thereby is convenient for him'

So a private bill was drafted by which William Bonham and Frances his wife were to exchange Peldon with the King for other land, the Manor of Bovylles, Ardleigh and a share in the Manor of Stanway Hall.

Frances Bonham was one of the four co-heiresses of Sir Thomas Tey and her share of their inheritance included Peldon. Her husband was a son of Thomas Bonham of Stanway Hall and his wife Kathryn, (daughter of Lord Henry Marney P.C. K.G. Lord Privy Seal).

The plan to shelter the royal navy locally did fall through but in April 1544 there is a note of a payment of £680 by the court of augmentations, by virtue of the King's warrant, to the Bonhams for the Manor of Peldon. The Manor however, did not remain with the crown but was soon afterwards granted to Sir William Petre and his wife.

It appears William Petre wished to relinquish the Peldon estate not long after. In the Essex Records Office there is an indenture between Henry VIII and Sir William Petre dated 1547, where it seems the King was taking back Peldon Manor from Petre, in return granting him the Manor of Churchstow in Devon and a Parsonage and Church in Gynge Abbes [Ingatestone], Essex. Ingatestone was where Petre had built Ingatestone Hall in 1539; it remains the principal seat of the Petre family to this day.

This indenture made between ... our Natural Sovereign Lord Henry the Eighth by the Grace of God King of England France and Ireland Defender of the Faith and of the Church of England and also of Ireland in Earth the Supreme head on the one part and Sir William Petre Knight one of the said Sovereigne Lord the King his Secretary on the other part

Doth fully and clearly bargain and sell unto our Soveraigne Lord the King all that his Mannor of Peldon in the County of Essex with all and Singular the rights, Members and Appurtenances and all the Advowson, Gift, presentation, fre dispossion and right of Patronage of the Parsonage and Church of Peldon in the said County of Essex and also all and singular Messuages, Grainges, Mills, tofts, cottages, houses, buildings. lands, tenements ... Meadows, Commons, Woods, Underwoods, rents revercions Services Rents Charges Farms waters ... fishings, fishpots ... moors, marshes fenns bondmen waifs and villans ... heriots..

Clear yearly vallue of thirty and four pounds over and above all manner of charges and reprises and that the benefice of Peldon is worth to the Incumbent £16 15s 9d. Essex Records Office D/DP E130

Henry VIII died on 28th January 1547 and after his death, his son, King Edward VI granted the manor of Peldon to Thomas, first Lord Darcy, K.G. P.C. in whose family it remained until 1650.

Elaine Barker
Peldon History Project

Sources
Essex Record Office D/DP E130
British History Online Henry VIII: January 1544, 1-15

AuthorElaine Barker
PublishedMarch 2020
SourceMersea Museum
IDPH01_HRY