Thomas Baynham of Noxon Park ( -1587)
Thomas, my nine times great-grandfather, was probably born at Clearwell Castle where his father had been living since 1518.
He married Mary Ely in 1575 and they had four children: Richard; Cecily; Thomas, my eight times great-grandfather, in 1581; Christopher; and George, in 1586.
He died, probably at his home in Noxon Park, in 1587.
The date of birth of Thomas, my nine times great-grandfather, is unknown.
In 1540 Thomas was admitted to the church of St. John the Baptist at Aston Ingham on the presentation of his mother Jane, widow of Sir Christopher who was Lord of Putley; he was admitted again on her presentation on 10th March 1544.
He was rector there until his resignation 1548 when he was succeeded by Thomas Flaunders who was appointed on 18th February on the presentation of Cecily, widow of Sir George Baynham (Jane’s eldest son).
He most likely then moved to Noxon Park which Sir Christopher had inherited from his mother Alice in 1518 but which he had excluded from the property transferred to his eldest son George. In his will, Thomas signs himself ‘Thomas Baynham of Noxon Park, Rector of this place’.
Until the Thirty Nine Articles came into effect in 1563, during the church reforms of Elizabeth I, Thomas would have been prevented from marrying by the requirement that priests remain celibate.
On 8th February 1575 he married Mary Ely in All Saints church at Newland. Thomas was recorded as ‘gent’ and both he and ‘Maria’ are ‘of Churchend’.
Together they had five children:
Richard was their first child, but there is no baptism record for him.
Richard had a son, Robert.
Richard died in 1626, leaving a will dated 31st May 1626 in which he was described as a Goldsmith and Citizen of London.
Robert had a son, Christopher.
Christopher was apprenticed in 1628 for nine years to James Prince of the Goldsmith’s Company in London.
Cecily was their second child, but there is no baptism record for her either.
On her father’s death she was a minor, so a bequest of £20 was placed in the guardianship of his trusty friends Christopher Aylway and George Partridge until Cecily reached the age of 21.
Their third child, Thomas my eight times great-grandfather, was born in 1581 and baptised on 6th September in All Saints church at Newland as ‘Thomas Baynham son of Thomas Baynham of Noxon’.
On his father’s death he too was a minor, so a bequest of £24 was placed in the guardianship of his father’s trusty friends Christopher Aylway and George Partridge until Thomas reached the age of 21.
Christopher was the fourth child, but there is no baptism record for him.
On his father’s death he too was a minor, so a bequest of £20 was to be held for him by his mother until Christopher reached the age of 21.
He married Elizabeth Harper on 20th February 1615 in All Saints church and they had three children, all baptised there :
Blanche, born in 1618 and baptised on 10th October 1618 as ‘Blanchia daughter of Christopher Baynham of Clearwell’.
She died in 1661, aged 43, and was buried on 11th February in the graveyard of All Saints church as ‘Blainch daughter of Christopher Baynham’ of ‘Breeme’, which suggests that she was unmarried and still living in the family home.
George, born in 1629 and baptised on 12th July as ‘Georgius son of Christopher Baynham of Breeme’.
Richard, born in 1632 and baptised on 3rd April as ‘Ricardus son of Christopher Baynham of Breeme’.
Elizabeth, Christopher’s wife, died in 1635 and was buried at the beginning of April in All Saints as ‘Elizabetha wife of Christopher Baynham of Bream’.
Christopher died in 1663 and was buried on 1st October in All Saints.
George, the fifth and youngest child of Thomas and Mary was born in 1586 and baptised on 23rd October in All Saints church at Newland as ‘George Baynham son of Thomas Baynham of Noxon’.
On his father’s death he too was a minor, so a bequest of £20 was to be held for him by his mother until George reached the age of 21.
Thomas’ will was dated 7th February 1587.
In it he expressed his wish to be buried in the parish church of Newland. He mentions his wife Mary, daughter Cecily, friends Christopher Aylway and George Partridge of Newland and his four sons Richard (son and heir), Thomas (second son), Christopher (son) and George (youngest son). He appointed Mary testatrix and left the tenement in Bream to her for life, remainder to Richard.
Note: Thomas describes himself as ‘gent’ not ‘clerk’ in his will …
He died later in 1587 and was (presumably) buried, as he wished, in the graveyard of All Saints Church, Newland.
The will was proved in Gloucester on 8th May 1588.
Notes:
Thomas Baynham
There is no evidence of where Thomas of Noxon Park was buried, as the parish records of All Saints church at Newland for that year are missing.
Acknowledgements:
- Baptism, marriage and burial records – www.ancestry.co.uk and www.familysearch.org
- Will of Thomas (original and probate copy) – Gloucestershire Archives, GDR/R8/1588/235
- Incumbents Board in the church of St. John the Baptist at Aston Ingham – Mark Baynham