Christopher Barnewall

Sir Christopher Barnewall ( 1522–1575 ) was a leading Anglo-Irish statesman of the Pale in the 1560s and 1570s,and was effective Leader of the Opposition in the Irish House of Commons in the Parliament of 1568-71. He is remembered for building Turvey House and sheltering the future martyr Edmund Campion there;for his impressive tomb in Lusk Church, and for the eulogy to him in Holinshed's Chronicles.

Background

He was the son of Patrick Barnewall (Solicitor General) and Anne Luttrell.^[1] Through both paternal grandparents he was closely related to Baron Trimleston. His father, a close associate of Thomas Cromwell, was a key figure in the Irish administration between about 1535 and 1542: initially opposed to the Dissolution of the Monasteries, he turned in time to profit handsomely, acquiring Grace Dieu in Dublin and Knocktopher in Kilkenny.^[2] Christopher himself built Turvey House near the ruins of Grace Dieu, reputedly from its stones.

Unlike his father and his uncle Thomas Luttrell, who both became senior judges, he does not seem to have practiced at the bar. Nor was he a Bencher of the KIng's Inns, which his father had helped found, although he was party to the renewal of the lease in 1567.^[3] He may however have had some legal training since the Earl of Ormonde, of whom he was a close associate appointed Barnewall in 1556 steward and receiver of all the Earl's lands within the Pale.^[4]

Politics

He sat in the Parliament of 1560 and was Sheriff of Dublin the same year. He played a greater role in Elizabeth I's second Irish Parliament, especially in the crucial year 1569. He had emerged as effective head of the Anglo-Irish landowners of the Pale, and opponent of the Court party loyal to the Lord Deputy Sir Henry Sidney. His friends attempted to have Barnewall chosen Speaker of the House of Commons but he was defeated by the Crown candidate James Stanyhurst.^[5] Barnewall assumed the role of Leader of the Opposition, concentrating his assault on the composition of the House, which he alleged had been "packed" with Crown supporters; in particular he objected to the presence of English members who represented boroughs where the did not reside and had never even visited. Although the judges ruled for him on two points, he was not successful in excluding the members complained of, and Sidney was able to pass legislation without serious difficulty.

Edmund Campion

As a Member of Parliament Barnewall was required under the Act of Supremacy (Ireland ) 1560 to acknowledge Elizabeth I as head of the Church, and his family had benefitted greatly from the suppression of the religious houses. His own private sympathies were however apparently with the old faith; certainly he agreed to shelter the future martyr Edmund Campion in 1569, at the request of Richard Stanyhurst ( son of James ), Campion's pupil. Campion spent several weeks at Turvey House and later acknowledged Barnewall's role in saving his life.

Death and memorial

Barnewall died in 1575 and was buried in Lusk Church. His widow Marion, who remarried Sir Lucas Dillon, commissioned an impressive tomb, dated 1589,which still exists. Marion died in 1607 and was buried in the same tomb.

Character

Holinshed's Chronicles^[6] contain a remarkable tribute to Barnewall; the personal tone is explained by the fact that it was written by Richard Stanyhurst, who know Barnewall all his life and married his daughter Janet:

"the lantern and light as well of his house as of that part of Ireland where he dwelt,who being sufficiently well furnished with the knowledge of the Latin tongue as of the common laws of England, was zealously bent on the reformation of his country; a deep and a wise gentleman, spare of speech and therewithal pithy,wholly addicted to gravity..very upright in dealing, measuring all his affairs with the safety of conscience, as true as steel..fast to his friend, stout in a good quarrel, a great householder..of nature mild, rather choosing to pleasure where he might harm than harm where he might pleasure."

Family

Barnewall married Marion Sherle, daughter of Richard Sherle of Shallan, County Meath.They had thirteen children, most of whom reached adulthood:

• Patrick Barnewall (died 1622) who inherited his fathers estets and was the father of the first Viscount Barnewall
• John
• Catherine
• Margaret, who married Nicholas St.Lawrence, 9th Baron Howth
• Janet, who married Richard Stanyhurst
• Alison, who married John Plunkett
• Elizabeth, who married Richard Finglas
• Anne
• Mabel, who married Sir Ruchard Masterson
• Ismay, who married Richard Delahide
• Eleanor, who married James Dillon, 1st Earl of Roscommon
• Maud
• Mary, who married Patrick Plunkett, 7th Baron Dunsany

References

1. ^ Ball, F. Elrington The Judges in Ireland 1221-1921 John Murray London 1926
2. ^ Ball The Judges in Ireland 1221-1921
3. ^ Kenny, Colum The King's Inns and the Kingdom of Ireland Irish Academic Press Dublin 1992
4. ^ Kenny King's Inns
5. ^ Kenny King's Inns
6. ^ Holinshed, Raphael Chronicles England Scotland Ireland Ed. Vernon P. Snow New York 1965

Persondata
Name
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Date of birth	1522
Place of birth
Date of death	1575
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