Oxfordshire, Somerton - about his necke a double cheyne of gold
“To Thomas Fermor, Knight, a man of generosity towards scholars, mercy and goodness towards his people, admirable piety towards all men, the kindly lord of this estate, and the excellent founder of a school. In perpetual memory of himself and his beloved wife Brigitta, his executors, in accordance with his will, have with tears erected this monument. He died in the year of our Lord 1580, the 8th day of August”.
Thomas was the 4th son of Richard Fermor and Anne Browne www.flickr.com/photos/52219527@N00/11131090304/ of Easton Neston
Thomas followed his father entering the Grocers’ Company and becoming a merchant of the staple after some time at the Inner Temple. He was MP for Brackley 1553 & Shropshire 1558. He was High Sheriff of Shropshire 1558–59 and Recorder of Bridgnorth 1561-1580
Thomas inherited the estates (including Somerton) from his uncle William Fermor in 1552 www.flickr.com/photos/52219527@N00/11287970666/ previously he had married 2 heiress wives
He m1 Frances 1530-1570 heiress daughter of Thomas Hoord of Horde Park or Bridgnorth, Widow of Edward Raleigh of Farthinghoe
He m2 1571 Bridget d1580 co-heiress daughter of Henry Bradshaw of Halton www.flickr.com/photos/52219527@N00/11448504594/ ,.Widow of Henry White d1572 1st son of Thomas White 1566 of South Warnborough www.flickr.com/photos/52219527@N00/11293999484/ having already 3 daughters
1. Agnes m Thomas Scudamore
2. Jane m Henry Ferrers
3. Philippa m Walter Giffard of Brewood www.flickr.com/photos/52219527@N00/9239795743/ & Chillington
Children of John and Bridget Bradshaw
1. John dsp1625 www.flickr.com/photos/52219527@N00/11293141116/ m Cecily daughter of Henry Compton of Brambletye, East Grinstead by Cecily Sackville (Cecily m2 Henry Arundel Baron Arundell of Wardour )
2. Richard 1643 www.flickr.com/photos/52219527@N00/11288100453/ m Cornelia d1654 daughter of Sir William son of Sir Thomas Cornwallis of Brome 1518-1604 and wife Anne Jerningham www.flickr.com/photos/52219527@N00/9392457045/ by Lucy daughter of John Neville, 4th Lord Latymer www.flickr.com/photos/52219527@N00/2313867321/ and Lucy Somerset www.flickr.com/photos/52219527@N00/2316107831/
3. Mary m Francis heir of Edmund Plowden (parents of Mary wife of Henry Kervill of Wiggenhall St Mary Norfolk www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/2Z1PA7 )
Bridget inherited Halton and Wendover manors from her father
Thomas was a catholic but ‘large-hearted and tolerant of opinions differing from his own’ as well as being ‘obedient to existing authorities’. He entrusted the education of his son Richard to a Catholic kinsman George Shirley of Staunton Harold who was also to take care of his only surviving daughter Mary and see her ‘bestowed in marriage to a man in like sort inclined’"
Thomas lived at the manor house built by his uncle, his first act on arriving here was to found a school. He also built a chapel specifically for catholic worship and a priest’s residence in the grounds of the old castle and set aside land for burials. During the reign of Elizabeth I the laws against Catholics were tightened so that they could no longer hold public assemblies, including attending mass. The chapel therefore fell into disuse He then installed a private chapel in his manor house which remained the centre of Catholicism in the village for more than a century after the Fermors left. Catholicism did not prevent Thomas from continuing to support the parish church financially or from specifying burial in the Fermor chapel there in his will of 15 June 1580..
The original contract for his tomb's design and erection funded by £40 willed by Thomas, still exists. Dated 20 September 1581 it was made between Thomas’s executors and Richard and Gabriell Roiley of Burton upon Trent. ‘…ye said Richard and Gabriell Roiley… shall and will worke, make, laye, and place, artificially substantially durably and decently in or on ye uppermost p’te of ye said Tumbe… a very faire decent and well p’portioned picture or portraiture of a gentleman representing ye said Thomas Fermor wth furniture and ornaments in armour, and about his necke a double cheyne of gold wth creste and helmette under his head, wth sword and dagger by his side, and a lion at his feete and in or on the uttermoste parte of the uppermost parte of the said Tumbe a decent and p’fect picture or portraiture of a faire gentlewoman wth a Frenchehood, edge and abilliment, with all other apparell furniture jewells ornamentes and things in all respects usuall, decent, and seemly, for a gentlewoman"’.
Thomas’s son Richard c1625 moved his seat from Somerton to Tusmore, which he had bought at some point before 1612 with monies accumulated by his father’s executors during their trusteeship.
www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1509-1558/member...
www.flickr.com/photos/13706945@N00/8553588352/
Picture - church site somertonoxon.co.uk/?page_id=225
www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1509-1558/member...
Oxfordshire, Somerton - about his necke a double cheyne of gold
“To Thomas Fermor, Knight, a man of generosity towards scholars, mercy and goodness towards his people, admirable piety towards all men, the kindly lord of this estate, and the excellent founder of a school. In perpetual memory of himself and his beloved wife Brigitta, his executors, in accordance with his will, have with tears erected this monument. He died in the year of our Lord 1580, the 8th day of August”.
Thomas was the 4th son of Richard Fermor and Anne Browne www.flickr.com/photos/52219527@N00/11131090304/ of Easton Neston
Thomas followed his father entering the Grocers’ Company and becoming a merchant of the staple after some time at the Inner Temple. He was MP for Brackley 1553 & Shropshire 1558. He was High Sheriff of Shropshire 1558–59 and Recorder of Bridgnorth 1561-1580
Thomas inherited the estates (including Somerton) from his uncle William Fermor in 1552 www.flickr.com/photos/52219527@N00/11287970666/ previously he had married 2 heiress wives
He m1 Frances 1530-1570 heiress daughter of Thomas Hoord of Horde Park or Bridgnorth, Widow of Edward Raleigh of Farthinghoe
He m2 1571 Bridget d1580 co-heiress daughter of Henry Bradshaw of Halton www.flickr.com/photos/52219527@N00/11448504594/ ,.Widow of Henry White d1572 1st son of Thomas White 1566 of South Warnborough www.flickr.com/photos/52219527@N00/11293999484/ having already 3 daughters
1. Agnes m Thomas Scudamore
2. Jane m Henry Ferrers
3. Philippa m Walter Giffard of Brewood www.flickr.com/photos/52219527@N00/9239795743/ & Chillington
Children of John and Bridget Bradshaw
1. John dsp1625 www.flickr.com/photos/52219527@N00/11293141116/ m Cecily daughter of Henry Compton of Brambletye, East Grinstead by Cecily Sackville (Cecily m2 Henry Arundel Baron Arundell of Wardour )
2. Richard 1643 www.flickr.com/photos/52219527@N00/11288100453/ m Cornelia d1654 daughter of Sir William son of Sir Thomas Cornwallis of Brome 1518-1604 and wife Anne Jerningham www.flickr.com/photos/52219527@N00/9392457045/ by Lucy daughter of John Neville, 4th Lord Latymer www.flickr.com/photos/52219527@N00/2313867321/ and Lucy Somerset www.flickr.com/photos/52219527@N00/2316107831/
3. Mary m Francis heir of Edmund Plowden (parents of Mary wife of Henry Kervill of Wiggenhall St Mary Norfolk www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/2Z1PA7 )
Bridget inherited Halton and Wendover manors from her father
Thomas was a catholic but ‘large-hearted and tolerant of opinions differing from his own’ as well as being ‘obedient to existing authorities’. He entrusted the education of his son Richard to a Catholic kinsman George Shirley of Staunton Harold who was also to take care of his only surviving daughter Mary and see her ‘bestowed in marriage to a man in like sort inclined’"
Thomas lived at the manor house built by his uncle, his first act on arriving here was to found a school. He also built a chapel specifically for catholic worship and a priest’s residence in the grounds of the old castle and set aside land for burials. During the reign of Elizabeth I the laws against Catholics were tightened so that they could no longer hold public assemblies, including attending mass. The chapel therefore fell into disuse He then installed a private chapel in his manor house which remained the centre of Catholicism in the village for more than a century after the Fermors left. Catholicism did not prevent Thomas from continuing to support the parish church financially or from specifying burial in the Fermor chapel there in his will of 15 June 1580..
The original contract for his tomb's design and erection funded by £40 willed by Thomas, still exists. Dated 20 September 1581 it was made between Thomas’s executors and Richard and Gabriell Roiley of Burton upon Trent. ‘…ye said Richard and Gabriell Roiley… shall and will worke, make, laye, and place, artificially substantially durably and decently in or on ye uppermost p’te of ye said Tumbe… a very faire decent and well p’portioned picture or portraiture of a gentleman representing ye said Thomas Fermor wth furniture and ornaments in armour, and about his necke a double cheyne of gold wth creste and helmette under his head, wth sword and dagger by his side, and a lion at his feete and in or on the uttermoste parte of the uppermost parte of the said Tumbe a decent and p’fect picture or portraiture of a faire gentlewoman wth a Frenchehood, edge and abilliment, with all other apparell furniture jewells ornamentes and things in all respects usuall, decent, and seemly, for a gentlewoman"’.
Thomas’s son Richard c1625 moved his seat from Somerton to Tusmore, which he had bought at some point before 1612 with monies accumulated by his father’s executors during their trusteeship.
www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1509-1558/member...
www.flickr.com/photos/13706945@N00/8553588352/
Picture - church site somertonoxon.co.uk/?page_id=225
www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1509-1558/member...