Ralph de Cromwell, 3rd Baron Cromwell
Encyclopedia
Ralph de Cromwell, 3rd Baron Cromwell ( – 4 January 1456) was an English
politician and diplomat. A Privy Councillor from 1422, he served as Treasurer of England
(1433–1443) and twice as Chamberlain of the Household
(1425–1432 and 1450–1455) during the reign of Henry VI
.
He also owned and developed a number of properties, including Tattershall Castle
in Lincolnshire
.
and joined him when his army crossed into Normandy in August 1412.
Cromwell served Henry V at the battle of Agincourt in 1415, and throughout the reign he continued fighting in France. In 1417 he was present when Henry took Caen
by assault, and subsequently acted as Clarence's lieutenant and constable of the army. He was present at the capture of Courtonne on 6 March 1418, of Chambrays on the 9th, and of Rivière-Thibonville on the 11th. In May 1420 he was one of the commissioners who assisted Henry in negotiating the Treaty of Troyes
.
, and during the minority of Henry VI he gained an important position among the lords of the council. He was first summoned to parliament on 29 September 1422, and in November he was one of the lords appointed in parliament to form the council of regency. Soon afterwards he was appointed Chamberlain of the Household
, and on 29 January 1426 he was one of those sent to mediate with Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester and reconcile him with Cardinal Beaufort. He seems to have generally sided with Beaufort against Gloucester, and on 1 March 1432, during Beaufort's absence in France, Gloucester seized the opportunity to remove the cardinal's friends from office; Cromwell lost the Chamberlainship. In the following May he was warned not to bring more than his usual retinue to parliament, but on 16 June, following Beaufort's example, he laid his case before the House of Lords. He complained that he had been dismissed without cause shown and contrary to the ordinances of 1429, by which the council's proceedings were regulated. He appealed to testimonials from Bedford as to the value of his services in France, but an assurance that he left office without a stain on his character was all the satisfaction he could get.
In the summer of 1433 Bedford returned to England, and during his visit the disgraced ministers were restored to power, with Cromwell made Treasurer of England
. During his tenure, the French war was the single biggest drain on resources, and the crown debt significantly increased despite his attempts to reign in spending and introduce reforms. In July 1443 Cromwell resigned the treasury, possibly due to the rising influence of William de la Pole, Duke of Suffolk
, who now succeeded Beaufort as the most influential adviser of the king.
Cromwell does not again come prominently forward until 1449. One of Suffolk's partisans was William Tailboys
, a Lincolnshire squire, with whom Cromwell had had some local disputes; and on 28 November 1449 Cromwell was attacked by Tailboys. Cromwell began legal proceedings against Tailboys, but was blocked by Suffolk, against whom Cromwell seemingly began impeachment proceedings. Tailboys was sent to the Tower of London
and later convicted in February 1450; Suffolk was impeached by the Commons in January 1450 and later murdered on crossing to France. Cromwell was reappointed Chamberlain in the same year.
The fall of Suffolk let loose a flood of personal jealousies, and among Cromwell's enemies were Yorkists as well as Lancastrians, though he seems to have belonged to the former party. This included a bitter disagreement over lands with Henry Holland, Duke of Exeter
.
Cromwell died on 4 January 1456 at South Wingfield
in Derbyshire
and was buried at the church at Tattershall
in Lincolnshire
.
in Northamptonshire
and at South Wingfield in Derbyshire. He instructed in his will that the church at Lambley in Nottinghamshire
be rebuilt, where his parents and grandparents were buried.
He inherited Tattershall Castle
in Lincolnshire
, which became his primary residence. Here, he funded the construction of several buildings, including the Grand Tower at the castle, the college
, the Holy Trinity church and two almshouse
s. The Grand Tower is described by the National Trust
, to whom it was given in 1925, as "a masterpiece of early English brickwork" and as "one of the three most important surviving mid 15th-century brick castles in England".
He married, before 1433, Margaret, daughter and co-heir of John Deincourt, 12th Baron Deincourt. She died in 1454 and they were childless. The barony on Cromwell's death fell into abeyance between his two nieces, daughters of his only sister Maud, who was second wife of Sir Richard Stanhope. The elder was Maud, who married firstly Robert Willoughby, 6th Baron Willoughby de Eresby
; secondly Sir Thomas Neville, son of Richard Neville, 5th Earl of Salisbury
; and thirdly Sir Gervase Clifton
. The younger sister was Joan, who married firstly Sir Humphrey Bourchier, son of Henry Bourchier, 1st Earl of Essex
, who was summoned to parliament from 1461 to 1471 as Lord Cromwell or Lord Bourchier de Cromwell; and secondly Sir Robert Radcliffe of Hunstanton. Following Joan's death in 1490, Maud became the sole heir and succeeded to the barony. Tattershall Castle was inherited by Joan, but was confiscated by the crown following the death of her husband.
Kingdom of England
The Kingdom of England was, from 927 to 1707, a sovereign state to the northwest of continental Europe. At its height, the Kingdom of England spanned the southern two-thirds of the island of Great Britain and several smaller outlying islands; what today comprises the legal jurisdiction of England...
politician and diplomat. A Privy Councillor from 1422, he served as Treasurer of England
Lord High Treasurer
The post of Lord High Treasurer or Lord Treasurer was an English government position and has been a British government position since the Act of Union of 1707. A holder of the post would be the third highest ranked Great Officer of State, below the Lord High Chancellor and above the Lord President...
(1433–1443) and twice as Chamberlain of the Household
Lord Chamberlain
The Lord Chamberlain or Lord Chamberlain of the Household is one of the chief officers of the Royal Household in the United Kingdom and is to be distinguished from the Lord Great Chamberlain, one of the Great Officers of State....
(1425–1432 and 1450–1455) during the reign of Henry VI
Henry VI of England
Henry VI was King of England from 1422 to 1461 and again from 1470 to 1471, and disputed King of France from 1422 to 1453. Until 1437, his realm was governed by regents. Contemporaneous accounts described him as peaceful and pious, not suited for the violent dynastic civil wars, known as the Wars...
.
He also owned and developed a number of properties, including Tattershall Castle
Tattershall Castle, Lincolnshire
Tattershall Castle is a castle in Tattershall, Lincolnshire, England, north east of Sleaford, and in the care of the National Trust.-History:...
in Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
.
Early life
In his youth he served in the household of Thomas, Duke of ClarenceThomas of Lancaster, 1st Duke of Clarence
Thomas of Lancaster, 1st Duke of Clarence, KG , also known as Thomas Plantagenet, was the second son of King Henry IV of England and his first wife, Mary de Bohun. He was born before 25 November 1387 as on that date his father's accounts note a payment made to a woman described as his nurse...
and joined him when his army crossed into Normandy in August 1412.
Cromwell served Henry V at the battle of Agincourt in 1415, and throughout the reign he continued fighting in France. In 1417 he was present when Henry took Caen
Caen
Caen is a commune in northwestern France. It is the prefecture of the Calvados department and the capital of the Basse-Normandie region. It is located inland from the English Channel....
by assault, and subsequently acted as Clarence's lieutenant and constable of the army. He was present at the capture of Courtonne on 6 March 1418, of Chambrays on the 9th, and of Rivière-Thibonville on the 11th. In May 1420 he was one of the commissioners who assisted Henry in negotiating the Treaty of Troyes
Treaty of Troyes
The Treaty of Troyes was an agreement that Henry V of England and his heirs would inherit the throne of France upon the death of King Charles VI of France. It was signed in the French city of Troyes on 21 May 1420 in the aftermath of the Battle of Agincourt...
.
Politics
Cromwell gained the confidence of Henry V and of his brother John, Duke of BedfordJohn of Lancaster, 1st Duke of Bedford
John of Lancaster, 1st Duke of Bedford, KG , also known as John Plantagenet, was the third surviving son of King Henry IV of England by Mary de Bohun, and acted as Regent of France for his nephew, King Henry VI....
, and during the minority of Henry VI he gained an important position among the lords of the council. He was first summoned to parliament on 29 September 1422, and in November he was one of the lords appointed in parliament to form the council of regency. Soon afterwards he was appointed Chamberlain of the Household
Lord Chamberlain
The Lord Chamberlain or Lord Chamberlain of the Household is one of the chief officers of the Royal Household in the United Kingdom and is to be distinguished from the Lord Great Chamberlain, one of the Great Officers of State....
, and on 29 January 1426 he was one of those sent to mediate with Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester and reconcile him with Cardinal Beaufort. He seems to have generally sided with Beaufort against Gloucester, and on 1 March 1432, during Beaufort's absence in France, Gloucester seized the opportunity to remove the cardinal's friends from office; Cromwell lost the Chamberlainship. In the following May he was warned not to bring more than his usual retinue to parliament, but on 16 June, following Beaufort's example, he laid his case before the House of Lords. He complained that he had been dismissed without cause shown and contrary to the ordinances of 1429, by which the council's proceedings were regulated. He appealed to testimonials from Bedford as to the value of his services in France, but an assurance that he left office without a stain on his character was all the satisfaction he could get.
In the summer of 1433 Bedford returned to England, and during his visit the disgraced ministers were restored to power, with Cromwell made Treasurer of England
Lord High Treasurer
The post of Lord High Treasurer or Lord Treasurer was an English government position and has been a British government position since the Act of Union of 1707. A holder of the post would be the third highest ranked Great Officer of State, below the Lord High Chancellor and above the Lord President...
. During his tenure, the French war was the single biggest drain on resources, and the crown debt significantly increased despite his attempts to reign in spending and introduce reforms. In July 1443 Cromwell resigned the treasury, possibly due to the rising influence of William de la Pole, Duke of Suffolk
William de la Pole, 1st Duke of Suffolk
William de la Pole, 1st Duke of Suffolk, KG , nicknamed Jack Napes , was an important English soldier and commander in the Hundred Years' War, and later Lord Chamberlain of England.He also appears prominently in William Shakespeare's Henry VI, part 1 and Henry VI, part 2 and other...
, who now succeeded Beaufort as the most influential adviser of the king.
Cromwell does not again come prominently forward until 1449. One of Suffolk's partisans was William Tailboys
William Tailboys
Sir William Tailboys, de jure 7th Baron Kyme was a wealthy Lincolnshire squire and adherent of the Lancastrian cause during the Wars of the Roses.He was born in Kyme, Lincolnshire the son of Sir Walter Tailboys and his first wife...
, a Lincolnshire squire, with whom Cromwell had had some local disputes; and on 28 November 1449 Cromwell was attacked by Tailboys. Cromwell began legal proceedings against Tailboys, but was blocked by Suffolk, against whom Cromwell seemingly began impeachment proceedings. Tailboys was sent to the Tower of London
Tower of London
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...
and later convicted in February 1450; Suffolk was impeached by the Commons in January 1450 and later murdered on crossing to France. Cromwell was reappointed Chamberlain in the same year.
The fall of Suffolk let loose a flood of personal jealousies, and among Cromwell's enemies were Yorkists as well as Lancastrians, though he seems to have belonged to the former party. This included a bitter disagreement over lands with Henry Holland, Duke of Exeter
Henry Holland, 3rd Duke of Exeter
Henry Holland, 3rd Duke of Exeter was a Lancastrian leader during the English Wars of the Roses. He was the only son of John Holland, 2nd Duke of Exeter and his first wife Lady Anne Stafford. His maternal grandparents were Edmund Stafford, 5th Earl of Stafford and Anne of Gloucester.He inherited...
.
Cromwell died on 4 January 1456 at South Wingfield
South Wingfield
South Wingfield is a village in the Scarsdale Hundred of Derbyshire, England, and is now part of the district council area of Amber Valley.An ex-mining village, it has a mixed community. Its most famous landmark is Wingfield Manor, a ruined manor house built around 1450. It is situated about from...
in Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
and was buried at the church at Tattershall
Tattershall
Tattershall is a village and civil parish in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England, located on the A153 Horncastle to Sleaford road, east of the point where that road crosses the River Witham. At its eastern end, Tattershall adjoins the village of Coningsby, to the north of the village...
in Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
.
Property
Cromwell financed a number of projects in his lifetime. These included properties at CollywestonCollyweston
Collyweston is a village and civil parish about three miles south-west of Stamford on the road to Kettering.-Geography:The village is on the southern side of the Welland valley of Tixover. The River Welland, at the point nearby to the north-west, is the boundary between Rutland and...
in Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire is a landlocked county in the English East Midlands, with a population of 629,676 as at the 2001 census. It has boundaries with the ceremonial counties of Warwickshire to the west, Leicestershire and Rutland to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshire to the south-east,...
and at South Wingfield in Derbyshire. He instructed in his will that the church at Lambley in Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire is a county in the East Midlands of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west...
be rebuilt, where his parents and grandparents were buried.
He inherited Tattershall Castle
Tattershall Castle, Lincolnshire
Tattershall Castle is a castle in Tattershall, Lincolnshire, England, north east of Sleaford, and in the care of the National Trust.-History:...
in Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
, which became his primary residence. Here, he funded the construction of several buildings, including the Grand Tower at the castle, the college
Tattershall College
Tattershall College was a grammar school in Tattershall, Lincolnshire. The college was established in 1439 and the building which still stands today was constructed between 1454 and 1460. This building was built by the 3rd Baron Cromwell for the education of the church choristers and was once a...
, the Holy Trinity church and two almshouse
Almshouse
Almshouses are charitable housing provided to enable people to live in a particular community...
s. The Grand Tower is described by the National Trust
National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty
The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
, to whom it was given in 1925, as "a masterpiece of early English brickwork" and as "one of the three most important surviving mid 15th-century brick castles in England".
Family
Cromwell was the son of Ralph de Cromwell, 2nd Baron Cromwell and his wife Joan.He married, before 1433, Margaret, daughter and co-heir of John Deincourt, 12th Baron Deincourt. She died in 1454 and they were childless. The barony on Cromwell's death fell into abeyance between his two nieces, daughters of his only sister Maud, who was second wife of Sir Richard Stanhope. The elder was Maud, who married firstly Robert Willoughby, 6th Baron Willoughby de Eresby
Robert Willoughby, 6th Baron Willoughby de Eresby
Robert Willoughby, 6th Baron Willoughby de Eresby KG was an English baron in the 15th century. He was the son of William Willoughby, 5th Baron Willoughby de Eresby and Lucy, née le Strange....
; secondly Sir Thomas Neville, son of Richard Neville, 5th Earl of Salisbury
Richard Neville, 5th Earl of Salisbury
Richard Neville, jure uxoris 5th Earl of Salisbury and 7th and 4th Baron Montacute, KG, PC was a Yorkist leader during the early parts of the Wars of the Roses.-Background:...
; and thirdly Sir Gervase Clifton
Gervase Clifton
Sir Gervase Clifton was a 15th century English knight and landowner.He was a junior member of the Clifton family of Nottinghamshire and possibly a younger son of Sir Gervase Clifton ....
. The younger sister was Joan, who married firstly Sir Humphrey Bourchier, son of Henry Bourchier, 1st Earl of Essex
Henry Bourchier, 1st Earl of Essex
Henry Bourchier, 5th Baron Bourchier, 1st Viscount Bourchier, 1st Earl of Essex, KG , was the eldest son of William Bourchier, 1st Count of Eu and Anne of Gloucester...
, who was summoned to parliament from 1461 to 1471 as Lord Cromwell or Lord Bourchier de Cromwell; and secondly Sir Robert Radcliffe of Hunstanton. Following Joan's death in 1490, Maud became the sole heir and succeeded to the barony. Tattershall Castle was inherited by Joan, but was confiscated by the crown following the death of her husband.