John Scudamore, 1st Viscount Scudamore
Encyclopedia
John Scudamore, 1st Viscount Scudamore (22 March 1601 – 19 May 1671), diplomat and politician, was the eldest son of Sir James Scudamore
of Holme Lacy
, Herefordshire
.
After matriculating from Magdalen College, Oxford
and being admitted to the Middle Temple
, he travelled in France
from November 1618, but returned the following year after the death of his father. His grandfather Sir John Scudamore
obtained a baronet
cy for him in 1620, giving him precedence locally three years. He was elected as knight of the shire for Herefordshire
in 1621 (and at the two following elections), and was appointed a Justice of the Peace
in 1622. In 1628, he was given an Irish peerage, as Viscount Scudamore
, though he had no connection with that country.
By 1622, he had a warm friendship with William Laud
(later Archbishop of Canterbury), and followed his religious views. One aspect of this was his restoration of the church
of Abbey Dore
, the church of the former Cistercian abbey
, whose estates had come to his family at the dissolution
. This he did in full Laudian style. He also did work on other churches, and endowed some with impropriate tithes.
From 1635 to 1639, he was ambassador to France, and caused controversy by adorning the embassy chapel in Laudian style. However, the staunchly Protestant Earl of Leicester
was appointed as extraordinary ambassador over his head, with the result that they two could not agree on policy.
He was not particularly active on his return and his early participation in the English Civil War
was limited, partly due to rivalry with Coningsby for control of his native county. This meant that Hereford
was surrendered to a small Roundhead force in 1643. He was sent to London as a delinquent and remained there under house arrest until 1647. After the English Restoration
, he resumed various local offices.
Sir James Scudamore
Sir James Scudamore was a gentleman usher at the court of Queen Elizabeth I. Born at Holme Lacy, Herefordshire, he was the eldest son of Sir John Scudamore, Custos Rotulorum of Herefordshire and his first wife Eleanor Croft, daughter of former Lord Deputy of Ireland James Croft...
of Holme Lacy
Holme Lacy
-Etymology:Holme Lacy is not from Old Norse holmr "island" like other places of the name Holme, but from the fairly similar Old English hamm "land in a river-bend". The name was recorded as Hamme in the Domesday Book in 1086...
, Herefordshire
Herefordshire
Herefordshire is a historic and ceremonial county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire" NUTS 2 region. It also forms a unitary district known as the...
.
After matriculating from Magdalen College, Oxford
Magdalen College, Oxford
Magdalen College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2006 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £153 million. Magdalen is currently top of the Norrington Table after over half of its 2010 finalists received first-class degrees, a record...
and being admitted to the Middle Temple
Middle Temple
The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers; the others being the Inner Temple, Gray's Inn and Lincoln's Inn...
, he travelled in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
from November 1618, but returned the following year after the death of his father. His grandfather Sir John Scudamore
John Scudamore (courtier)
Sir John Scudamore, as the eldest son of William Scudamore, but due to his father's early death was a ward of Sir James Croft of Croft Castle, Herefordshire, whose daughter Eleanor he married in 1563....
obtained a baronet
Baronet
A baronet or the rare female equivalent, a baronetess , is the holder of a hereditary baronetcy awarded by the British Crown...
cy for him in 1620, giving him precedence locally three years. He was elected as knight of the shire for Herefordshire
Herefordshire (UK Parliament constituency)
The county constituency of Herefordshire, in the West Midlands of England bordering on Wales, was abolished when the county was divided for parliamentary purposes in 1885...
in 1621 (and at the two following elections), and was appointed 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 1622. In 1628, he was given an Irish peerage, as Viscount Scudamore
Viscount Scudamore
Viscount Scudamore was a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created on 1 July 1628 for the diplomat and politician Sir John Scudamore, 1st Baronet...
, though he had no connection with that country.
By 1622, he had a warm friendship with William Laud
William Laud
William Laud was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1633 to 1645. One of the High Church Caroline divines, he opposed radical forms of Puritanism...
(later Archbishop of Canterbury), and followed his religious views. One aspect of this was his restoration of the church
Dore Abbey
Dore Abbey is a former Cistercian abbey in the village of Abbey Dore in the Golden Valley, Herefordshire, England. A large part of the original mediaeval building has been used since the 16th century as the parish church, with remaining parts either now ruined or no longer extant.-History:The...
of Abbey Dore
Abbey Dore
Abbey Dore is a village and civil parish in Herefordshire, England, known for Dore Abbey, a 12th century Cistercian abbey, expanded in the 13th century. The village is situated in the Golden Valley, and has a population of 342. Abbey Dore Court has large gardens open to the public in spring and...
, the church of the former Cistercian abbey
Abbey
An abbey is a Catholic monastery or convent, under the authority of an Abbot or an Abbess, who serves as the spiritual father or mother of the community.The term can also refer to an establishment which has long ceased to function as an abbey,...
, whose estates had come to his family at the dissolution
Dissolution of the Monasteries
The Dissolution of the Monasteries, sometimes referred to as the Suppression of the Monasteries, was the set of administrative and legal processes between 1536 and 1541 by which Henry VIII disbanded monasteries, priories, convents and friaries in England, Wales and Ireland; appropriated their...
. This he did in full Laudian style. He also did work on other churches, and endowed some with impropriate tithes.
From 1635 to 1639, he was ambassador to France, and caused controversy by adorning the embassy chapel in Laudian style. However, the staunchly Protestant Earl of Leicester
Robert Sidney, 2nd Earl of Leicester
Robert Sidney, 2nd Earl of Leicester was an English aristocrat and diplomat.-Life:He was the son of Robert Sidney, 1st Earl of Leicester, and his first wife, Barbara Gamage...
was appointed as extraordinary ambassador over his head, with the result that they two could not agree on policy.
He was not particularly active on his return and his early participation in the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
was limited, partly due to rivalry with Coningsby for control of his native county. This meant that Hereford
Hereford
Hereford is a cathedral city, civil parish and county town of Herefordshire, England. It lies on the River Wye, approximately east of the border with Wales, southwest of Worcester, and northwest of Gloucester...
was surrendered to a small Roundhead force in 1643. He was sent to London as a delinquent and remained there under house arrest until 1647. After the English Restoration
English Restoration
The Restoration of the English monarchy began in 1660 when the English, Scottish and Irish monarchies were all restored under Charles II after the Interregnum that followed the Wars of the Three Kingdoms...
, he resumed various local offices.