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. They had four children: Cecily; Richard; Thomas, my eight times great-grandfather, in 1578; Christopher; George.
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’.
Thomas would have been prevented from marrying, by the requirement that priests remain celibate, until the Thirty Nine Articles came into effect in 1563 during the church reforms of Elizabeth I.
Not long afterwards, he married a woman named Mary; the exact date of their marriage is unknown, but based on the evidence of the age of their eldest child Richard they must have married before or during 1565.
Together they had five children:
Richard was the oldest child and was over 21 when his father died in 1587, so he must have been born before 1566.
Cecily was under 21 in 1587, so she must have been born after 1566.
Thomas, my eight times great-grandfather was also a minor in 1587, so he too must have been born after 1566; some sources show that he was born in 1578.
Christopher was the fourth child, so was not only a minor but possibly not born until 1579 or later.
George, their fifth and youngest child was possibly not born until 1580 or later.
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.
He died later in 1587 and was buried, as he wished, in the graveyard of All Saints Church, Newland.
The will was proved in Gloucester on 8th May 1588.
Note: Thomas describes himself as ‘gent’ not ‘clerk’ in his will …