John Wyndham (1558-1645)

Sir John Wyndham (1558 – 1645) JP was an aristocratic English landowner who played an important role in the establishment of defence organisation in the West Country against the threat of Spanish invasion.

He was born at Orchard Wyndham in Somerset, the son and only child of Sir John Wyndham and Florence Wadham, sister to Nicholas Wadham. He was a minor of twelve years when his father died and his wardship and the disposal of him in marriage became Elizabeth I's, to be sold to whom she pleased. His grandfather was able to acquire these rights and he later married Joan, daughter of Sir Henry Portman, by whom he had nine sons and six daughters. In 1599 he succeeded to the Felbrigg estate including Felbrigg Hall from his cousin Thomas Wyndham.

He played an important role in the defence organisation of Somerset, the substantial growth of which is shown by the muster in 1580 being 12,000 able footmen, double the total twenty years earlier. The special census of horses taken on 26 August 1583 shows that their number had also increased to forty-seven great horses and 308 light horses. While the defeat of the Spanish Armada saved England from the feared invasion, the significance and value of the defence movement was in keying up the nation and teaching it to realise the heritage it had to defend. He was also one of the County Justices and as such shared effective responsibility for local government and administration, acting as the representative and general agent of the central government, as well as sitting in quarter sessions.

At the start of the English Civil War his sympathies appear to have been with the Parliament, which is borne out by a foray made by his cousin Sir Francis Wyndham, governor of Dunster Castle, in June 1644 against Orchard Wyndham and which ended with £4,000 worth of plunder being seized for the Royalist cause. Three months after this event he gave his eighth and ninth sons, Sir Hugh Wyndham and Sir Wadham Wyndham, £4,000 each for safe keeping. He died on 1 April 1645.

References

* Wyndham, the Hon H A, "A Family History, The Wyndhams of Norfolk and Somerset", 1939.
* Wyndham, the Hon H A, "A Family History, The Wyndhams of Somerset, Sussex and Wiltshire", 1950.

External links

* [http://holmesacourt.org/d8/i0000471.htm Holmes à Court Family Website.]
* [http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=16074 Victoria County History.]