Thomas Tesdale
Encyclopedia
Thomas Tesdale was an English malt
ster, benefactor of the town of Abingdon
in the English county of Berkshire
(now Oxfordshire
) and the primary founding benefactor of Pembroke College, Oxford
.
in Berkshire, the son of farmer and trader Thomas Tesdale (1507–1556) and his second wife, the twice widowed Joan (d. 1548), daughter of William Knapp of Stanton Harcourt
in Oxfordshire. After his father's death, Tesdale was brought up by his uncle, Richard Tesdale, a saddler who lived in Abingdon, and was the first scholar admitted to John Roysse
's Free School in Abingdon (now Abingdon School
).
By the age of twenty Tesdale had taken over the malt-making side of the family business. In June 1567 he married Maud (1545–1616), daughter of Reynold Stone of Henley-on-Thames
and widow of Edward Little of Abingdon. None of their children survived infancy.
Tesdale grew weathly as maltster in Abingdon, and served as Master of Christ's Hospital of Abingdon
. In 1581 he was elected mayor, but he did not serve his term as he had left the borough when he bought the manor
of Ludwell in Oxfordshire
. Soon after 1586 he moved to Glympton
near Woodstock, Oxfordshire
, where he rented the manor, raised livestock and grew and milled woad for dyeing.
. Following his widow's death in 1616 an ornate alabaster monument to husband and wife was erected on the chancel wall above his original tombstone.
Tesdale left no children when he died, but bequests from his will dated 31 May 1610 gave £5,000 for the education of seven fellows and six scholars from Abingdon School at Balliol College, Oxford
. In 1623, this money was augmented by the Reverend Richard Wightwick of East Ilsley
and used instead for the transformation of Broadgates Hall into Pembroke College, named after the Chancellor, William Herbert, 3rd Earl of Pembroke
.
Malt
Malt is germinated cereal grains that have been dried in a process known as "malting". The grains are made to germinate by soaking in water, and are then halted from germinating further by drying with hot air...
ster, benefactor of the town of Abingdon
Abingdon, Oxfordshire
Abingdon or archaically Abingdon-on-Thames is a market town and civil parish in Oxfordshire, England. It is the seat of the Vale of White Horse district. Previously the county town of Berkshire, Abingdon is one of several places that claim to be Britain's oldest continuously occupied town, with...
in the English county of Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
(now Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
) and the primary founding benefactor of Pembroke College, Oxford
Pembroke College, Oxford
Pembroke College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England, located in Pembroke Square. As of 2009, Pembroke had an estimated financial endowment of £44.9 million.-History:...
.
Life and career
Thomas was born in Stanford DingleyStanford Dingley
Stanford Dingley is a village and civil parish in Berkshire, England. It is also an ecclesiastical parish within the Diocese of Oxford, part of the Church of England.It is situated in the West Berkshire district, between Newbury and Theale....
in Berkshire, the son of farmer and trader Thomas Tesdale (1507–1556) and his second wife, the twice widowed Joan (d. 1548), daughter of William Knapp of Stanton Harcourt
Stanton Harcourt
Stanton Harcourt is a village and civil parish in Oxfordshire about southeast of Witney and west of Oxford.-Archaeology:Within the parish of Stanton Harcourt is a series of paleochannel deposits buried beneath the second gravel terrace of the river Thames...
in Oxfordshire. After his father's death, Tesdale was brought up by his uncle, Richard Tesdale, a saddler who lived in Abingdon, and was the first scholar admitted to John Roysse
John Roysse
John Roysse was a Mercer, , who was born in 1500 or 1501 and raised in Abingdon, Berkshire . He is best known as being the benefactor of Abingdon School in Abingdon, Oxfordshire.- Biography :...
's Free School in Abingdon (now Abingdon School
Abingdon School
Abingdon School is a British day and boarding independent school for boys situated in Abingdon, Oxfordshire , previously known as Roysse's School. In 1998 a formal merger took place between Abingdon School and Josca's, a preparatory school four miles to the west at Frilford...
).
By the age of twenty Tesdale had taken over the malt-making side of the family business. In June 1567 he married Maud (1545–1616), daughter of Reynold Stone of Henley-on-Thames
Henley-on-Thames
Henley-on-Thames is a town and civil parish on the River Thames in South Oxfordshire, England, about 10 miles downstream and north-east from Reading, 10 miles upstream and west from Maidenhead...
and widow of Edward Little of Abingdon. None of their children survived infancy.
Tesdale grew weathly as maltster in Abingdon, and served as Master of Christ's Hospital of Abingdon
Christ's Hospital of Abingdon
Christ's Hospital of Abingdon is a charity with a long history, based in Abingdon, England.Christ's Hospital was established in 1553 by royal charter under the full name of the Master and Governors of the Hospital of Christ of Abingdon. Sir John Mason, an Elizabethan diplomat, served as the first...
. In 1581 he was elected mayor, but he did not serve his term as he had left the borough when he bought the manor
Manorialism
Manorialism, an essential element of feudal society, was the organizing principle of rural economy that originated in the villa system of the Late Roman Empire, was widely practiced in medieval western and parts of central Europe, and was slowly replaced by the advent of a money-based market...
of Ludwell in Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
. Soon after 1586 he moved to Glympton
Glympton
Glympton is a village and civil parish on the River Glyme about north of Woodstock, Oxfordshire.-Prehistory:Grim's Ditch in the southern part of the parish, just north of Grim's Dyke Farm, was dug in the 1st century. The surviving section is about long....
near Woodstock, Oxfordshire
Woodstock, Oxfordshire
Woodstock is a small town northwest of Oxford in Oxfordshire, England. It is the location of Blenheim Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.Winston Churchill was born in Blenheim Palace in 1874 and is buried in the nearby village of Bladon....
, where he rented the manor, raised livestock and grew and milled woad for dyeing.
Death and legacy
Tesdale died at Glympton on 13 June 1610 and was buried at Glympton parish church, where he was commemorated by a black marble tombstone in the chancel with a brass figure and inscriptionMonumental brass
Monumental brass is a species of engraved sepulchral memorial which in the early part of the 13th century began to partially take the place of three-dimensional monuments and effigies carved in stone or wood...
. Following his widow's death in 1616 an ornate alabaster monument to husband and wife was erected on the chancel wall above his original tombstone.
Tesdale left no children when he died, but bequests from his will dated 31 May 1610 gave £5,000 for the education of seven fellows and six scholars from Abingdon School at Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College , founded in 1263, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England but founded by a family with strong Scottish connections....
. In 1623, this money was augmented by the Reverend Richard Wightwick of East Ilsley
East Ilsley
East Ilsley is a village and civil parish in the English county of Berkshire.It is situated at in West Berkshire, north of Newbury very close to the A34 road which bypasses the village....
and used instead for the transformation of Broadgates Hall into Pembroke College, named after the Chancellor, William Herbert, 3rd Earl of Pembroke
William Herbert, 3rd Earl of Pembroke
William Herbert, 3rd Earl of Pembroke, KG, PC was the son of Henry Herbert, 2nd Earl of Pembroke and his third wife Mary Sidney. Chancellor of the University of Oxford, he founded Pembroke College, Oxford with King James. He was warden of the Forest of Dean, and constable of St Briavels from 1608...
.