John Horsey (died 1546)
Encyclopedia
Sir John Horsey was a knight of Henry VIII and Lord of the Manor of Clifton Maubank
. He was also a friend of the poet Thomas Wyatt
.
He was born the son of Sir John Horsey (died 8 July 1531) and Elizabeth Turges. He married Joan Mawdley by whom he had two sons, Sir John Horsey (1510-64/65) and Roger Horsey, and two daughters, Mary and Joan.
He served as a Justice of the Peace
in Somerset and Dorset, and served as Sheriff
for those counties for 1537 and 1544. He was elected knight of the shire for Dorset in 1539.
When Henry VIII dissolved the monasteries in the 16th century, Sir John, intending to collect a large share of the monastic property from the Crown, bribed Thomas Cromwell, 1st Earl of Essex
to appoint the compliant John Barnstable Abbot of Sherborne Abbey
. John Barnstable was accordingly elected on 31 May 1535, and subsequently surrendered the monastery on 18 March 1539. The deed was acknowledged by his signature and those of 16 monks, who all got pensions. On 4 January 1539, "the demesne
lands of the monastery" including the Great Court, the Abbot's Garden, West Garden, Pyggy's Barton and the Prior's Garden, all in Sherborne
, were assigned by Henry VIII to Horsey, for which Horsey paid £1,242 3s. 9d. to the King, plus £16 10s. 6d. for "the site of the church, steeple, campanile and churchyard of the monastery," and other property.
Horsey subsequently sold Sherborne Abbey to the townspeople and vicar. Both Horsey and his son are buried in Sherborne Abbey: an "impressive" tomb with life-size effigies of the two in medieval armour is to be found there in the Wykeham Chapel.
Clifton Maybank
Clifton Maybank is a hamlet in west Dorset, England. It is perhaps best known for Clifton Maybank House, a country house with surviving Tudor fabric.-Clifton Maybank settlement:...
. He was also a friend of the poet Thomas Wyatt
Thomas Wyatt (poet)
Sir Thomas Wyatt was a 16th-century English lyrical poet credited with introducing the sonnet into English. He was born at Allington Castle, near Maidstone in Kent – though his family was originally from Yorkshire...
.
He was born the son of Sir John Horsey (died 8 July 1531) and Elizabeth Turges. He married Joan Mawdley by whom he had two sons, Sir John Horsey (1510-64/65) and Roger Horsey, and two daughters, Mary and Joan.
He served as 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...
in Somerset and Dorset, and served as Sheriff
High Sheriff of Somerset
The Office of High Sheriff of Somerset is an ancient High Sheriff title which has been in existence for over one thousand years. The position was once a powerful position responsible for collecting taxes and enforcing law and order in Somerset a county in South West England. In modern times the...
for those counties for 1537 and 1544. He was elected knight of the shire for Dorset in 1539.
When Henry VIII dissolved the monasteries in the 16th century, Sir John, intending to collect a large share of the monastic property from the Crown, bribed Thomas Cromwell, 1st Earl of Essex
Thomas Cromwell, 1st Earl of Essex
Thomas Cromwell, 1st Earl of Essex, , was an English statesman who served as chief minister of King Henry VIII of England from 1532 to 1540....
to appoint the compliant John Barnstable Abbot of Sherborne Abbey
Sherborne Abbey
The Abbey Church of St Mary the Virgin at Sherborne in the English county of Dorset, is usually called Sherborne Abbey. It has been a Saxon cathedral , a Benedictine abbey and is now a parish church.- Cathedral :...
. John Barnstable was accordingly elected on 31 May 1535, and subsequently surrendered the monastery on 18 March 1539. The deed was acknowledged by his signature and those of 16 monks, who all got pensions. On 4 January 1539, "the demesne
Demesne
In the feudal system the demesne was all the land, not necessarily all contiguous to the manor house, which was retained by a lord of the manor for his own use and support, under his own management, as distinguished from land sub-enfeoffed by him to others as sub-tenants...
lands of the monastery" including the Great Court, the Abbot's Garden, West Garden, Pyggy's Barton and the Prior's Garden, all in Sherborne
Sherborne
Sherborne is a market town in northwest Dorset, England. It is sited on the River Yeo, on the edge of the Blackmore Vale, east of Yeovil. The A30 road, which connects London to Penzance, runs through the town. The population of the town is 9,350 . 27.1% of the population is aged 65 or...
, were assigned by Henry VIII to Horsey, for which Horsey paid £1,242 3s. 9d. to the King, plus £16 10s. 6d. for "the site of the church, steeple, campanile and churchyard of the monastery," and other property.
Horsey subsequently sold Sherborne Abbey to the townspeople and vicar. Both Horsey and his son are buried in Sherborne Abbey: an "impressive" tomb with life-size effigies of the two in medieval armour is to be found there in the Wykeham Chapel.