yeovil people

the stourton family

Lords of Kingston Manor for twelve generations

 

William Stourton, 2nd Baron Stourton (c.1430-1479) was the son of John Stourton and Marjory Wadham and the grandson of John Stourton of Preston Plucknett. He succeeded to his father's title in 1462 and although his father had supported the House of Lancaster, William supported Edward IV. In 1469 he sat on the Commission which condemned Henry Courtenay and Thomas Hungerford to death for treason. He was also close to the King's brother-in-law John de la Pole, 2nd Duke of Suffolk and two Stourton-de la Pole marriages took place in the next generation. He married Margaret Chidiock (born c1425) daughter of John Chidiock and Catherine Lumley and as a result of her bringing the Manor of Kingston to the marriage, William Stourton became the first of twelve generations of his family to be Lord of Kingston Manor. They had at least three sons; John who became 3rd Baron Stourton in 1479, William who became 5th Baron Stourton in 1487 and Edward who became 6th Baron Stourton in 1523.

John Stourton, 3rd Baron Stourton (c1454-1485) was the eldest son and successor of William, 2nd Baron Staunton and his wife Margaret Chidiock. He married Katherine Berkeley, daughter of Sir Maurice Berkeley of Beverstone Castle, Gloucestershire and they had a son and a daughter. His brother-in-law, Sir William Berkeley, was a leading member of Buckingham's Revolt in 1483, and was attainted as a traitor by the Parliament of 1484. King Richard III was prepared to pardon Berkeley on condition that Stourton, who held the King's confidence, and had sat in the Parliament which passed the attainder, enter a bond for 1000 marks. Shortly afterwards Berkeley fled the country to join Henry VII and Stourton was obliged to find the money. The triumph of Henry VII in 1485 might have brought rewards, but both Stourton and Berkeley died in the first months of the new reign. He was succeeded by his son Francis in 1485. His widow remarried Sir John Brereton.

Francis Stourton, 4th Baron Stourton (1485-1487) was the son and successor of John, 3rd Baron Stourton. He died young, and was succeeded by his uncle William, a younger son of William, 2nd Baron Stourton.

William Stourton, 5th Baron Stourton (c1457-1523) was a younger son of William, 2nd Baron Stourton and succeeded his nephew Francis in 1487. Having no children of his own from his marriage to Catherine de la Pole (c1477-1513), daughter of John de la Pole, 2nd Duke of Suffolk, and his second wife Elizabeth of York, he was succeeded by a younger brother Edward in 1523.

Edward Stourton, 6th Baron Stourton (1463–1535) was a son of William, 2nd Baron Stourton and succeeded his elder brother William in 1523. He was a Justice of the Peace and was succeeded by his son William in 1535.

William Stourton, 7th Baron Stourton (c1505-1548) was the son of Edward, 6th Baron Stourton and succeeded his father in 1535. He was a Mmember of Parliament for Somerset in 1529 and upon his death was succeeded by his son Charles.

Charles Stourton, 8th Baron Stourton (c1520-1557) was the son of William, 7th Baron Stourton and Elizabeth Dudley, daughter of Edmond Dudley. They had two sons; John became 9th Baron Stourton in 1557 and Edward who became 10th Baron Stourton in 1588. Charles succeeded his father in 1548. He was a nephew of John Dudley, 1st Duke of Northumberland and a Catholic. As such he was asked for help by Mary Tudor in the succession crisis of 1553, but waited with supporting her until her victory was clear. In August 1553 he was described as an "archpapist" by a London pamphleteer and was executed on March 16, 1557 at Salisbury for murdering two men, William Hartgill and his son John Hartgill.

John Stourton, 9th Baron Stourton (1553-1588) was the elder son of Charles, 8th Baron Stourton, and was one of the peers who tried Mary, Queen of Scots. He was succeeded by his brother Edward in 1588.

Edward Stourton, 10th Baron Stourton (c1555-1633) was a younger son of Charles, 8th Baron Stourton. He succeeded his brother John in 1588. He married his cousin, Frances Tresham, and they had four children; Margaret, Mary, William who became 11th Baron Stourton and Francis. In 1605, during the Gunpowder Plot, Edward was imprisoned in the Tower of London because he had received a letter from his cousin and brother in law, Sir Francis Tresham, one of the conspirators of the plot, telling him to be absent from Parliament.

William Stourton, 11th Baron Stourton (c1594-1672) was the son ofEdward, 10th Baron Stourton and Frances Tresham. He married Frances Moore (d. 5 January 1662), daughter of Sir Edward Moore. William and Frances had five children; William, Mary, Frances (a nun), Edward and Thomas (a monk). His eldest son William died young and childless, and he was succeeded by his grandson William, son of Edward. William was a papist and a royalist and suffered heavily as a consequence.His home, Stourhead, was at one point garrisoned for the King and then, in September 1644, was ravaged by General Ludlow.

William Stourton, 12th Baron Stourton (d1685) was the grandson and successor of William, 11th Baron Stourton. He was the son of Edward Stourton (1617-1644) and Mary Petre. He married Elizabeth Preston (died April 1688), daughter of Sir John Preston, in 1665. The couple had at least four sons; Edward became 13th Baron Stourton in 1685, Thomas became 14th Baron Stourton in 1720, Charles whose two sons became subsequent Baron Stourtons, and John.

Edward Stourton, 13th Baron Stourton (1665-1720) was the eldest son of William, 11th Baron Stourton and succeeded his father in 1685. Since he had no children, he was succeeded by his younger brother Thomas in 1720.

Thomas Stourton, 14th Baron Stourton (1667–1744) was a younger son of William, 11th Baron Stourton and succeeded his brother Edward in 1720. As Thomas died without children, he was succeeded by his nephew Charles in 1744.

Thomas sold the Manor of Kingston to George Prowse.