John Scudamore
Encyclopedia
Sir John Scudamore was a 15th century English
landowner from Herefordshire
who acted as constable
and steward
of a number of Royal castle
s in South Wales
. Active in fighting with the Welsh in 1402, he was still living in 1432, when it was discovered that he had married a daughter of Owain Glyndwr
.
in 1066. He received the demesne of 'Sancta Keyna' as recorded in the Domesday Book
, later called Kenchirche, which evolved into Kentchurch
. The Scudamore family split into two lines over the generations and centuries, one line based at Holme Lacy
and the other line based at Kentchurch.
The Holme Lacy line were anti-Welsh
and opponents of the Welsh rising under Owain Glyndŵr
. The Kentchurch line were more sympathetic to the Welsh grievances, possibly because their geographical location, closer to Wales, enabled a greater understanding and knowledge of the people and their culture first hand.
In the 13th century, through marriage they also inherited property and land within the Lordship of Abergavenny
, at Troy, very near Monmouth
. A Sir Alan Scudamore married the sole heiress of Troy House. A Philip Scudamore of Troy became a leader of some of Owain Glyndŵr's forces and was captured at Shrewsbury in 1409 and beheaded for his part in the rebellion.
, Kentchurch and Holme Lacy and was the Deputy Squire of King Henry IV
's Lordship of Brecon
.
In 1402 Sir John Scudamore was actively defending Carreg Cennen Castle in Carmarthenshire
against Welsh forces and actually repelling successive onslaughts of Owain Glyndŵr. The siege lasted one whole year and considerable damage was inflicted on the castle - in 1416 the repair bills record that the walls had been 'destroyed and thrown down by rebels'. He is recorded as referring to Owain Glyndŵr as a 'false traytor' at this time. The castle didn't fall to the Welsh. Sir John Scudamore as constable of the castle wrote to John Fairford, the Receiver at Brecon: "He (Owain) lay last night at Dryslwyn with Rhys ab Gruffydd, and there I was and spoke to him upon Wales and prayed for a safe conduct under his seal, to send home my wife and her mother and their company, and he would none grant me".
, in 1410. By implication it seems to have been his second marriage. This marriage, to a Welsh woman, and the daughter of the rebel himself, must have been kept a secret from the authorities locally and nationally.
However it came to the notice of King Henry VI in 1432, who summarily stripped Sir John Scudamore of the honours he held at that time as steward of the castles of Monmouth
, Grosmont
and White Castle
.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
landowner from Herefordshire
Herefordshire
Herefordshire is a historic and ceremonial county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire" NUTS 2 region. It also forms a unitary district known as the...
who acted as constable
Constable
A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions.-Etymology:...
and steward
Steward (office)
A steward is an official who is appointed by the legal ruling monarch to represent him or her in a country, and may have a mandate to govern it in his or her name; in the latter case, it roughly corresponds with the position of governor or deputy...
of a number of Royal castle
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
s in South Wales
South Wales
South Wales is an area of Wales bordered by England and the Bristol Channel to the east and south, and Mid Wales and West Wales to the north and west. The most densely populated region in the south-west of the United Kingdom, it is home to around 2.1 million people and includes the capital city of...
. Active in fighting with the Welsh in 1402, he was still living in 1432, when it was discovered that he had married a daughter of Owain Glyndwr
Owain Glyndwr
Owain Glyndŵr , or Owain Glyn Dŵr, anglicised by William Shakespeare as Owen Glendower , was a Welsh ruler and the last native Welshman to hold the title Prince of Wales...
.
Family background
A Scudamore received lands allotted him by the new Norman King, William the Conqueror, in the 11th century after the defeat of Harold GodwinsonHarold Godwinson
Harold Godwinson was the last Anglo-Saxon King of England.It could be argued that Edgar the Atheling, who was proclaimed as king by the witan but never crowned, was really the last Anglo-Saxon king...
in 1066. He received the demesne of 'Sancta Keyna' as recorded in the Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
, later called Kenchirche, which evolved into Kentchurch
Kentchurch
Kentchurch is a small village in Herefordshire, England. It is located some south-west of Hereford and north-east of Abergavenny, beside the River Monnow and adjoining the boundary between England and Wales...
. The Scudamore family split into two lines over the generations and centuries, one line based at Holme Lacy
Holme Lacy
-Etymology:Holme Lacy is not from Old Norse holmr "island" like other places of the name Holme, but from the fairly similar Old English hamm "land in a river-bend". The name was recorded as Hamme in the Domesday Book in 1086...
and the other line based at Kentchurch.
The Holme Lacy line were anti-Welsh
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
and opponents of the Welsh rising under Owain Glyndŵr
Owain Glyndwr
Owain Glyndŵr , or Owain Glyn Dŵr, anglicised by William Shakespeare as Owen Glendower , was a Welsh ruler and the last native Welshman to hold the title Prince of Wales...
. The Kentchurch line were more sympathetic to the Welsh grievances, possibly because their geographical location, closer to Wales, enabled a greater understanding and knowledge of the people and their culture first hand.
In the 13th century, through marriage they also inherited property and land within the Lordship of Abergavenny
Abergavenny
Abergavenny , meaning Mouth of the River Gavenny, is a market town in Monmouthshire, Wales. It is located 15 miles west of Monmouth on the A40 and A465 roads, 6 miles from the English border. Originally the site of a Roman fort, Gobannium, it became a medieval walled town within the Welsh Marches...
, at Troy, very near Monmouth
Monmouth
Monmouth is a town in southeast Wales and traditional county town of the historic county of Monmouthshire. It is situated close to the border with England, where the River Monnow meets the River Wye with bridges over both....
. A Sir Alan Scudamore married the sole heiress of Troy House. A Philip Scudamore of Troy became a leader of some of Owain Glyndŵr's forces and was captured at Shrewsbury in 1409 and beheaded for his part in the rebellion.
Officer of the Crown
Sir John Scudamore held lands in EwyasEwyas
Ewyas was a possible early Welsh kingdom which may have been formed around the time of the Roman withdrawal from Britain in the 5th century. The name was later used for a much smaller commote or administrative sub-division, which covered the area of the modern Vale of Ewyas and a larger area to...
, Kentchurch and Holme Lacy and was the Deputy Squire of King Henry IV
Henry IV of England
Henry IV was King of England and Lord of Ireland . He was the ninth King of England of the House of Plantagenet and also asserted his grandfather's claim to the title King of France. He was born at Bolingbroke Castle in Lincolnshire, hence his other name, Henry Bolingbroke...
's Lordship of Brecon
Brecon
Brecon is a long-established market town and community in southern Powys, Mid Wales, with a population of 7,901. It was the county town of the historic county of Brecknockshire; although its role as such was eclipsed with the formation of Powys, it remains an important local centre...
.
In 1402 Sir John Scudamore was actively defending Carreg Cennen Castle in Carmarthenshire
Carmarthenshire
Carmarthenshire is a unitary authority in the south west of Wales and one of thirteen historic counties. It is the 3rd largest in Wales. Its three largest towns are Llanelli, Carmarthen and Ammanford...
against Welsh forces and actually repelling successive onslaughts of Owain Glyndŵr. The siege lasted one whole year and considerable damage was inflicted on the castle - in 1416 the repair bills record that the walls had been 'destroyed and thrown down by rebels'. He is recorded as referring to Owain Glyndŵr as a 'false traytor' at this time. The castle didn't fall to the Welsh. Sir John Scudamore as constable of the castle wrote to John Fairford, the Receiver at Brecon: "He (Owain) lay last night at Dryslwyn with Rhys ab Gruffydd, and there I was and spoke to him upon Wales and prayed for a safe conduct under his seal, to send home my wife and her mother and their company, and he would none grant me".
Secret marriage
Sir John Scudamore married one of the daughters of Owain Glyndŵr, AlysAlys ferch Owain Glyndwr
Alys ferch Owain Glyndŵr was one of the daughters of Margaret Hanmer and Owain Glyndŵr, the disinherited prince of the old Welsh royal house of Powys Fadog who led a major revolt in Wales between 1400 and ca...
, in 1410. By implication it seems to have been his second marriage. This marriage, to a Welsh woman, and the daughter of the rebel himself, must have been kept a secret from the authorities locally and nationally.
However it came to the notice of King Henry VI in 1432, who summarily stripped Sir John Scudamore of the honours he held at that time as steward of the castles of Monmouth
Monmouth Castle
Monmouth Castle is a castle site in the town of Monmouth, county town of Monmouthshire, south east Wales.- Location :Monmouth Castle is located close to the centre of Monmouth town on a hill towering over the River Monnow, behind shops and the main square and streets...
, Grosmont
Grosmont Castle
Grosmont Castle is a ruined castle in Grosmont, Monmouthshire very near the present English / Welsh border, approximately 8 miles northeast of Abergavenny, between Abergavenny, Hereford and Monmouth.-Grosmont Castle:...
and White Castle
White Castle (Wales)
White Castle is a medieval castle located in Monmouthshire, Wales. The name "White Castle" was first recorded in the thirteenth century, and was derived from the whitewash put on the stone walls. The castle was originally called Llantilio Castle , after Llantilio Crossenny, the mediæval manor of...
.