Thomas Seckford
Encyclopedia
Thomas Seckford was an official at the court of Queen Queen Elizabeth I
.
Born near Woodbridge
, Suffolk
, England, Seckford was educated at Cambridge
, and in 1540 entered Gray's Inn
, Thomas became one of Queen Elizabeth I’s two Masters in Ordinary of the Court of Requests
which dealt with poor men’s causes. One of the duties of this post was to accompany the monarch as she journeyed around her realm. He would thus have been particularly known to the Queen. He is believed to have played a prominent part in arranging the Elizabethan Church Settlement. In 1564, she sold him the manor of Woodbridge, including the site of Woodbridge Priory
, and he became a benefactor to both the church and town. He was junior Knight of the Shire (MP) for Suffolk
in 1571.
Elizabeth is known to have held court at the Seckford family seat, Seckford Hall
.
In 1574 Thomas commissioned Christopher Saxton
to survey all the English counties and produce an atlas of the realm. This was published in 1579, the first ever done from an actual survey. Elizabeth granted him a patent for its sole publication for ten years.
He founded seven almshouse
s in Woodbridge in 1586 which he endowed with an income of £112 13s 4d (£112.66p) per year from land in Clerkenwell
, Middlesex
. He also paid for the old Woodbridge Abbey to be rebuilt. His wealth is still benefiting Woodbridge today.
He died in 1587 aged 72, never having had children, and was buried in a chapel on the north side of Woodbridge Church which is now an organ chamber. His coat of arms can be seen in the north window of the west wall of the church.
Sekforde Street in Clerkenwell
, London, is built on land once owned by Seckford and is named for him. Sekforde Street adjoins Woodbridge Street, laid out at the same time in the 1830s. In the film About a Boy
starring Hugh Grant
the main character, Will, lives in a flat in No.1 Sekforde Street. Woodbridge Chapel on Woodbridge Street also features in the film as the scene of the "Single Parents Alone Together" (SPAT) meeting.
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
.
Born near Woodbridge
Woodbridge, Suffolk
Woodbridge is a town in Suffolk, East Anglia, England. It is in the East of England, not far from the coast. It lies along the River Deben, with a population of about 7,480. The town is served by Woodbridge railway station on the Ipswich-Lowestoft East Suffolk Line. Woodbridge is twinned with...
, Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
, England, Seckford was educated at Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
, and in 1540 entered Gray's Inn
Gray's Inn
The Honourable Society of Gray's Inn, commonly known as Gray's Inn, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
, Thomas became one of Queen Elizabeth I’s two Masters in Ordinary of the Court of Requests
Master of Requests
The Master of Requests was a Great Officer of State in Scotland.The office first appeared in the reign of James V. Its functions in Scotland included that of receiving petitions from subjects and presenting them for consideration by the Privy Council...
which dealt with poor men’s causes. One of the duties of this post was to accompany the monarch as she journeyed around her realm. He would thus have been particularly known to the Queen. He is believed to have played a prominent part in arranging the Elizabethan Church Settlement. In 1564, she sold him the manor of Woodbridge, including the site of Woodbridge Priory
Woodbridge Priory
Woodbridge Priory was a small Augustine priory in Woodbridge in the English county of Suffolk. The priory was founded in about 1193 by Ernald Rufus and was dissolved in about 1537 during the dissolution of the monasteries. The site was given to the Wingfield family before passing to Thomas Seckford...
, and he became a benefactor to both the church and town. He was junior Knight of the Shire (MP) for Suffolk
Suffolk (UK Parliament constituency)
Suffolk was a county constituency of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons from 1290 until 1832, when it was split into two divisions.-Boundaries and franchise:...
in 1571.
Elizabeth is known to have held court at the Seckford family seat, Seckford Hall
Seckford Hall
Seckford Hall is a Tudor period house in Seckford Hall Road, Woodbridge, Suffolk. In the same road are Seckford Golf Club and Seckford Farm.The Hall was the family home of Thomas Seckford and is now a luxury hotel, which is said to contain furniture that was once used in Buckingham Palace and...
.
In 1574 Thomas commissioned Christopher Saxton
Christopher Saxton
Christopher Saxton was an English cartographer, probably born in the parish of Dewsbury, in the West Riding of Yorkshire, England around 1540....
to survey all the English counties and produce an atlas of the realm. This was published in 1579, the first ever done from an actual survey. Elizabeth granted him a patent for its sole publication for ten years.
He founded seven almshouse
Almshouse
Almshouses are charitable housing provided to enable people to live in a particular community...
s in Woodbridge in 1586 which he endowed with an income of £112 13s 4d (£112.66p) per year from land in Clerkenwell
Clerkenwell
Clerkenwell is an area of central London in the London Borough of Islington. From 1900 to 1965 it was part of the Metropolitan Borough of Finsbury. The well after which it was named was rediscovered in 1924. The watchmaking and watch repairing trades were once of great importance...
, Middlesex
Middlesex
Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...
. He also paid for the old Woodbridge Abbey to be rebuilt. His wealth is still benefiting Woodbridge today.
He died in 1587 aged 72, never having had children, and was buried in a chapel on the north side of Woodbridge Church which is now an organ chamber. His coat of arms can be seen in the north window of the west wall of the church.
Sekforde Street in Clerkenwell
Clerkenwell
Clerkenwell is an area of central London in the London Borough of Islington. From 1900 to 1965 it was part of the Metropolitan Borough of Finsbury. The well after which it was named was rediscovered in 1924. The watchmaking and watch repairing trades were once of great importance...
, London, is built on land once owned by Seckford and is named for him. Sekforde Street adjoins Woodbridge Street, laid out at the same time in the 1830s. In the film About a Boy
About a Boy
About a Boy is a 1998 novel by British writer Nick Hornby. It was adapted into a film of the same name in 2002.-Plot summary:The novel is about Will Freeman, a 36-year-old bachelor, and Marcus, an introverted, bullied 12-year-old who lives alone with his suicidal mother, Fiona...
starring Hugh Grant
Hugh Grant
Hugh John Mungo Grant is an English actor and film producer. He has received a Golden Globe Award, a BAFTA, and an Honorary César. His films have earned more than $2.4 billion from 25 theatrical releases worldwide. Grant achieved international stardom after appearing in Richard Curtis's...
the main character, Will, lives in a flat in No.1 Sekforde Street. Woodbridge Chapel on Woodbridge Street also features in the film as the scene of the "Single Parents Alone Together" (SPAT) meeting.