Thomas Thynne (died 1639)
Encyclopedia
Sir Thomas Thynne of Longleat
, Wiltshire, was an English
landowner
and member of parliament
.
Thynne was the son and heir of Sir John Thynne of Longleat, a knight of the shire, by his marriage to Joan Hayward, daughter of Sir Rowland Hayward, a Lord Mayor of London
.
Thynne first made his mark in May 1594, at the age of sixteen, when he clandestinely married Maria (or Mary) Touchet, also sixteen, a gentlewoman
at the court of Queen Elizabeth
and a daughter of Lord Audley
. The two were married on the day they first met and for some time kept their marriage secret because their fathers were bitterly opposed to each other. When their story became known, Thynne's father, John Thynne the Younger, tried unsuccessfully to have the marriage annulled
. The story is said to have contributed to the inspiration for Shakespeare
's Romeo and Juliet
. With Maria, Thynne had three sons, before his wife died in childbirth. Two of these sons survived childhood, James Thynne
(died 1670) and Sir Thomas Thynne
.
Maria's surviving correspondence between 1595 and 1611 was published by the Wiltshire Record Society
in 1983 under the title Two Elizabethan Women: correspondence of Joan and Maria Thynne. After the death of Maria in 1611, Thynne married secondly Catherine Howard, a daughter of Hon. Charles Howard, son of the first Viscount Howard
and niece of Lord Howard of Bindon
. With her he had further sons, including Sir Henry Frederick Thynne, 1st Baronet (1615–1680), ancestor of the Marquesses of Bath
.
Thynne succeeded his father to the family estates in 1604. He was already one of the members of parliament for Hindon
, and on his father's death he had himself returned at a by-election for the county of Wiltshire
. However, this election was disallowed by the Commons
on the grounds that a sitting member was not eligible to be returned for a second constituency. Thus, Sir Walter Vaughan gained the vacant seat. Although Thynne sat in five more Parliaments of England, he never became one of the knights of the shire. He was elected for Heytesbury
in 1621 and 1624.
Thynne was High Sheriff of Wiltshire
for 1607–08.
Among the estates Thynne inherited was one at Kempsford
in Gloucestershire, where he built a new country house
, demolishing an important fortified manor house
which since the 13th century had defended a crossing of the River Thames
.
Thynne died on 1 August 1639. Among his many descendants are Diana, Princess of Wales
, and her sons William and Harry
.
Longleat
Longleat is an English stately home, currently the seat of the Marquesses of Bath, adjacent to the village of Horningsham and near the towns of Warminster in Wiltshire and Frome in Somerset. It is noted for its Elizabethan country house, maze, landscaped parkland and safari park. The house is set...
, Wiltshire, was an English
Kingdom of England
The Kingdom of England was, from 927 to 1707, a sovereign state to the northwest of continental Europe. At its height, the Kingdom of England spanned the southern two-thirds of the island of Great Britain and several smaller outlying islands; what today comprises the legal jurisdiction of England...
landowner
Landed gentry
Landed gentry is a traditional British social class, consisting of land owners who could live entirely off rental income. Often they worked only in an administrative capacity looking after the management of their own lands....
and member of parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
.
Thynne was the son and heir of Sir John Thynne of Longleat, a knight of the shire, by his marriage to Joan Hayward, daughter of Sir Rowland Hayward, a Lord Mayor of London
Lord Mayor of London
The Right Honourable Lord Mayor of London is the legal title for the Mayor of the City of London Corporation. The Lord Mayor of London is to be distinguished from the Mayor of London; the former is an officer only of the City of London, while the Mayor of London is the Mayor of Greater London and...
.
Thynne first made his mark in May 1594, at the age of sixteen, when he clandestinely married Maria (or Mary) Touchet, also sixteen, a gentlewoman
Gentlewoman
A gentlewoman in the original and strict sense is a woman of good family, analogous to the Latin generosus and generosa...
at the court of Queen Elizabeth
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...
and a daughter of Lord Audley
George Tuchet, 1st Earl of Castlehaven
George Tuchet, 1st Earl of Castlehaven , was the son of Henry Tuchet, 10th Baron Audley and his wife, née Elizabeth Sneyd....
. The two were married on the day they first met and for some time kept their marriage secret because their fathers were bitterly opposed to each other. When their story became known, Thynne's father, John Thynne the Younger, tried unsuccessfully to have the marriage annulled
Annulment
Annulment is a legal procedure for declaring a marriage null and void. Unlike divorce, it is usually retroactive, meaning that an annulled marriage is considered to be invalid from the beginning almost as if it had never taken place...
. The story is said to have contributed to the inspiration for Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
's Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy written early in the career of playwright William Shakespeare about two young star-crossed lovers whose deaths ultimately unite their feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular archetypal stories of young, teenage lovers.Romeo and Juliet belongs to a...
. With Maria, Thynne had three sons, before his wife died in childbirth. Two of these sons survived childhood, James Thynne
James Thynne
Sir James Thynne was an English landowner and politician who sat in the House of Commons in two periods between 1640 and 1670....
(died 1670) and Sir Thomas Thynne
Thomas Thynne (died 1669)
Sir Thomas Thynne was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1660.Thynne was the second surviving son of Sir Thomas Thynne and his first wife Maria Tuchet, daughter of Lord Audley. He matriculated at Magdalen Hall, Oxford on 28 June 1620, aged 10. He entered Middle Temple in...
.
Maria's surviving correspondence between 1595 and 1611 was published by the Wiltshire Record Society
Wiltshire Record Society
The Wiltshire Record Society is a publishing association in Wiltshire, England, which edits and publishes historic documents concerned with the history of Wiltshire.-History:...
in 1983 under the title Two Elizabethan Women: correspondence of Joan and Maria Thynne. After the death of Maria in 1611, Thynne married secondly Catherine Howard, a daughter of Hon. Charles Howard, son of the first Viscount Howard
Viscount Howard of Bindon
Viscount Howard of Bindon was a title in the Peerage of England. It was created in 1559 for Thomas Howard, second son of Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk. His two sons, the second and third Viscount, both succeeded him in the title. As neither had any male children, the title became extinct on...
and niece of Lord Howard of Bindon
Thomas Howard, 3rd Viscount Howard of Bindon
Thomas Howard, 3rd Viscount Howard of Bindon was an English peer and politician. He was a Knight of the Garter, Lord Lieutenant of Dorset 25 April 1601 – 1 March 1611, Custos Rotulorum of Dorset bef. 1605–1611, and Vice-Admiral of Dorset 1603–1611. He was the son of Thomas Howard, 1st Viscount...
. With her he had further sons, including Sir Henry Frederick Thynne, 1st Baronet (1615–1680), ancestor of the Marquesses of Bath
Marquess of Bath
Marquess of Bath is a title in the Peerage of Great Britain. It was created in 1789 for Thomas Thynne, 3rd Viscount Weymouth. The Thynne family descends from the soldier and courtier Sir John Thynne , who constructed Longleat House between 1567 and 1579...
.
Thynne succeeded his father to the family estates in 1604. He was already one of the members of parliament for Hindon
Hindon (UK Parliament constituency)
Hindon was a parliamentary borough consisting of the village of Hindon in Wiltshire, which elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons from 1448 until 1832, when the borough was abolished by the Great Reform Act...
, and on his father's death he had himself returned at a by-election for the county of Wiltshire
Wiltshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Wiltshire was a constituency of the House of Commons of England from 1290 to 1707, of the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1832. It was represented by two Members of Parliament , elected by the bloc vote...
. However, this election was disallowed by the Commons
House of Commons of England
The House of Commons of England was the lower house of the Parliament of England from its development in the 14th century to the union of England and Scotland in 1707, when it was replaced by the House of Commons of Great Britain...
on the grounds that a sitting member was not eligible to be returned for a second constituency. Thus, Sir Walter Vaughan gained the vacant seat. Although Thynne sat in five more Parliaments of England, he never became one of the knights of the shire. He was elected for Heytesbury
Heytesbury (UK Parliament constituency)
Heytesbury was a parliamentary borough in Wiltshire which elected two Members of Parliament. From 1449 until 1707 it was represented in the House of Commons of England, and then in the British House of Commons until 1832, when the borough was abolished by the Reform Act 1832.-History:The borough...
in 1621 and 1624.
Thynne was High Sheriff of Wiltshire
High Sheriff of Wiltshire
This is a list of High Sheriffs of Wiltshire.Until the 14th century the shrievalty was held ex officio by the castellans of Old Sarum.-To 1400:*1066: Edric*1067-1070: Philippe de Buckland*1085: Aiulphus the Sheriff*1070–1105: Edward of Salisbury...
for 1607–08.
Among the estates Thynne inherited was one at Kempsford
Kempsford
Kempsford is a small village in Gloucestershire, England. RAF Fairford is located near the village, as is Fairford itself.The first Kempsford Literary Festival takes place between Friday 12th and Saturday 14th March 2010...
in Gloucestershire, where he built a new country house
English country house
The English country house is a large house or mansion in the English countryside. Such houses were often owned by individuals who also owned a London house. This allowed to them to spend time in the country and in the city—hence, for these people, the term distinguished between town and country...
, demolishing an important fortified manor house
Manor house
A manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...
which since the 13th century had defended a crossing of the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
.
Thynne died on 1 August 1639. Among his many descendants are Diana, Princess of Wales
Diana, Princess of Wales
Diana, Princess of Wales was the first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales, whom she married on 29 July 1981, and an international charity and fundraising figure, as well as a preeminent celebrity of the late 20th century...
, and her sons William and Harry
Prince Harry of Wales
Prince Henry of Wales , commonly known as Prince Harry, is the younger son of Charles, Prince of Wales and the late Diana, Princess of Wales, and fourth grandchild of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
.