Henry VIII, the Reign - Holinshed's Articles
By Mark Holinshed
The Royal Progress - Thornbury Castle to Bromham House
Dendro – Dating at Acton Court
The journey from Thornbury Castle to Acton Court was six miles.
The host there was young twenty-three year old Sir Nicholas Poyntz, knighted during the visit, who was married to Joan, daughter of Thomas Berkeley, 5th Baron Berkeley. Poyntz had spent the previous nine months – so the story goes [1] – building a new east wing for a visit in August 1535.
‘Acton manor place standithe about a quartar of a myle from the village and parish churche in a playne grounde on a redde sandy soyle. Ther is a goodly howse and 2 parks by the howse, one of redd dere, an other of fallow,’ was how Tudor antiquarian John Leland described Acton Court in about 1540, no mention of a new wing for a recent royal visit though.
We are informed, however, that the wing was built especially for the visit by the employment of Dendro – dating. Yes, tree ring evidence, ‘from the core of the primary tie beams and roof timbers in the still-standing east range of the Tudor house, they indicate a felling date of Spring 1535.’ The word ‘indicate’ may be enough evidence for some. Notwithstanding, whether it was built at the time or not, the royal entourage did arrive on 21 August.
The host there was young twenty-three year old Sir Nicholas Poyntz, knighted during the visit, who was married to Joan, daughter of Thomas Berkeley, 5th Baron Berkeley. Poyntz had spent the previous nine months – so the story goes [1] – building a new east wing for a visit in August 1535.
‘Acton manor place standithe about a quartar of a myle from the village and parish churche in a playne grounde on a redde sandy soyle. Ther is a goodly howse and 2 parks by the howse, one of redd dere, an other of fallow,’ was how Tudor antiquarian John Leland described Acton Court in about 1540, no mention of a new wing for a recent royal visit though.
We are informed, however, that the wing was built especially for the visit by the employment of Dendro – dating. Yes, tree ring evidence, ‘from the core of the primary tie beams and roof timbers in the still-standing east range of the Tudor house, they indicate a felling date of Spring 1535.’ The word ‘indicate’ may be enough evidence for some. Notwithstanding, whether it was built at the time or not, the royal entourage did arrive on 21 August.
The Ubiquitous Wykes family
To quote David Daniell, William Tyndale’s biographer ‘the progress had an evangelical flavour.’ Indeed, it did, and the visit to Acton Court and Sir John Walsh’s place at Little Sodbury, just six miles away, merge somewhat because the two families were so closely related. Sir John and Lady Anne Walsh were Nicolas’s maternal uncle and aunt, and they had a common political and religious friend – William Tyndale – who at the time was in grave danger.
Both families, wealthy and landed, had long been established in Gloucestershire, as had arch evangelist William Tyndale’s kinfolk. Tyndale famously and at the time illegally translated the Bible into English and had for some time tutored Walsh’s sons, all were well known and most related to each other. At nearby Dodington the were other close relations, the ubiquitous Wykes family headed by Nicholas, who was married to Elizabeth Poyntz.
So often, tinted with roses, this visit is portrayed as part of a romantic ‘royal couple’ tour with the wondrous Anne Boleyn being presented to her subjects along the way. In reality, it was a vicious politico-religious prelude to an evangelist take over of government.
Both families, wealthy and landed, had long been established in Gloucestershire, as had arch evangelist William Tyndale’s kinfolk. Tyndale famously and at the time illegally translated the Bible into English and had for some time tutored Walsh’s sons, all were well known and most related to each other. At nearby Dodington the were other close relations, the ubiquitous Wykes family headed by Nicholas, who was married to Elizabeth Poyntz.
So often, tinted with roses, this visit is portrayed as part of a romantic ‘royal couple’ tour with the wondrous Anne Boleyn being presented to her subjects along the way. In reality, it was a vicious politico-religious prelude to an evangelist take over of government.
Cromwell's Letters Blocked
Years earlier during Wolsey’s dictatorial tenure, in 1524, Tyndale had left England bound for Germany. He fled after having criticised Henry’s divorce from Catherine of Aragon, in his book, The Practyse of Prelates, as being unscriptural. So vehement was his criticism that the king asked Charles V to have Tyndale arrested and deported to England. In the eleven years since he left, he had not returned home. Latterly, for nine months, until the spring of 1535, he had been living in the English Merchants House in Antwerp, under the protection of Thomas Poyntz, a cousin from the Essex line of the Poyntz family.
The Bishop of London, John Stokesley, was probably behind clandestine efforts to capture Tyndale who lived as a wanted man. Poyntz going about his business, travelled from Antwerp to Bergen op Zoom to attend the Easter Fair there, and during his absence, Tyndale was lured into the confidence of, and later betrayed by an Englishman, Harry Philips. He was arrested on 21 May 1535.
It was against this backdrop, three months after Tyndale’s incarceration, jailed in large part because of his derision of the king’s marriage to Anne Boleyn, the ‘royal couple’ arrived at Acton.
On 25 August 1535 Thomas Poyntz, from Antwerp, wrote a letter to his brother John in England pleading with him to ask for more help for Tyndale from the English government.
He told his brother that Cromwell’s [2] letters written on behalf of the king, somewhere along the line, had been blocked. For the next year or so Cromwell continued to make efforts on Tyndale’s behalf, but eventually, in early October 1536, he was dragged from his cell, before being throttled and burned at the stake in Vilvoorde – present-day Belgium. His last words were, ‘Lord, open the King of England's eyes.’
There is perhaps a certain irony that Anne Boleyn met with her executioner some months before Tyndale – in May that year – in any event, her next host was one who’s testimony would be instrumental in condemning her to the scaffold.
The Bishop of London, John Stokesley, was probably behind clandestine efforts to capture Tyndale who lived as a wanted man. Poyntz going about his business, travelled from Antwerp to Bergen op Zoom to attend the Easter Fair there, and during his absence, Tyndale was lured into the confidence of, and later betrayed by an Englishman, Harry Philips. He was arrested on 21 May 1535.
It was against this backdrop, three months after Tyndale’s incarceration, jailed in large part because of his derision of the king’s marriage to Anne Boleyn, the ‘royal couple’ arrived at Acton.
On 25 August 1535 Thomas Poyntz, from Antwerp, wrote a letter to his brother John in England pleading with him to ask for more help for Tyndale from the English government.
He told his brother that Cromwell’s [2] letters written on behalf of the king, somewhere along the line, had been blocked. For the next year or so Cromwell continued to make efforts on Tyndale’s behalf, but eventually, in early October 1536, he was dragged from his cell, before being throttled and burned at the stake in Vilvoorde – present-day Belgium. His last words were, ‘Lord, open the King of England's eyes.’
There is perhaps a certain irony that Anne Boleyn met with her executioner some months before Tyndale – in May that year – in any event, her next host was one who’s testimony would be instrumental in condemning her to the scaffold.
Little Sodbury to Bromham House - A Treacherous Host
The journey from Little Sodbury to Bromham House, some twenty-two miles, was one of the longest on the tour. A mile or so northeast of the village of Bromham was Sir Edward Bayton’s - also spelt Bayntun - place. Bromham House was a grand house, apparently grand enough to accommodate seven hundred people. Sir Edward was Anne de Boulogne’s Vice-Chamberlain, here she might wish for some friendship, but this is what he had to say about the allegations of adultery brought against her just a few months later.
"Only the wretched Mark Smeaton would confess against the Queen, although I have no doubt the others were as fully culpable as ever was he. It would in my foolish conceit, much touch the King's honour if it should no further appear."
Next Stop…Wolf Hall and the Seymours
"Only the wretched Mark Smeaton would confess against the Queen, although I have no doubt the others were as fully culpable as ever was he. It would in my foolish conceit, much touch the King's honour if it should no further appear."
Next Stop…Wolf Hall and the Seymours
1. ‘Today, the East Wing which was built in just nine months comprises most of what remains at Acton Court. It offers a rare example of 16th century royal state apartments and some decorations which are said to be the finest of their kind in England.’
2. Melivn Bragg, Baron Bragg William Tyndale (pg.71)
2. Melivn Bragg, Baron Bragg William Tyndale (pg.71)