58:
421:
709:
717:
433:
42:
50:
34:
728:
22:
534:
615:, inherited the deanery's legal obligations. The lease still stood and Littleton was able to continue exploiting the estate in return for annual rent. The assessment carried out at the dissolution in 1547 valued the college's property at £82 6s. 8d. annually. It was because of his attempts to maximise the value of the deanery manor that Littleton got into dispute with Stafford. The latter believed that Northumberland was used as a
412:. However, in testifying against Blagge, Littleton was acting, consciously or not, in the interests of the Howard dynasty. Henry clearly shared Blagge's fears, and soon acted against both the Howards. So Littleton's part in the case did not endear him to the king. Still less did it endear him to the subsequent regime. This is probably part of the reason he stayed away from Parliament for some years.
460:
619:
in the dispute, i.e. that his great power shielded
Littleton when he was in the wrong. The downfall of Northumberland at the beginning of Mary's reign returned the deanery manor to the Crown, but the Littletons continued to lease it until, in the 1580s Littleton's grandson was able to buy the estate.
494:
in 1546: it was to rest in the Paget family's hands for at least two centuries. However, the
Littletons, as terre tenants, were secure in possession of Pillaton. When Edward Littleton died in 1558, the rent they paid to the overlord amounted to just 16 shillings, while the estate was valued at £15
316:
Littleton seems to have accepted rather than welcomed the restoration of
Catholicism in Mary's reign. As there was never a suggestion of restoring the monasteries and chantries, the gains made by the landed interest in the previous reigns were never under threat. Littleton's attitude was not warm
173:
It was probably
Giffard who helped Littleton gain a number of appointments at court and locally in Staffordshire. Littleton himself was of greater note after Richard Littleton's death in 1516 left him in possession of some property. The execution of Buckingham, the most important Staffordshire
222:, assembled in November and was to last for six and a half years. The most important measures in the early years were concerned with stripping away the privileges of the clergy, particularly those that tied them to the Pope, with whom Henry VIII was in continual conflict over the proposed
501:, Brewood, was one of the very small houses swept away in the first round of dissolutions in 1536. Littleton and Thomas Giffard both petitioned the King for the right to buy the site and property. Both apparently received his consent. Littleton won the support of
513:
who decided to sell to
Giffard, who, after some negotiation, bought the site, mill and demesne lands, worth £7 9s. 1d. a year, for £134 1s. 8d. The competition for the priory does not seem to have affected relationship between Gifdfard and Littleton adversely.
238:, the architect of the act, listed Littleton and Giffard as opposed. However, he was probably generally in favour of the Reformation measures. Both Giffard and Littleton were happy to buy and speculate in lands that came on the market as a result of the
317:
enough to get him into the next
Parliament, in the spring of 1554. However, he was returned for the second Parliament of that year, with his stepson, Sir Philip Draycott as second member, and for the 1555 Parliament, with Sir Thomas Giffard again.
285:, take up the other county seat and had put two of his allies, Sir George Griffith and Humphrey Welles in charge of the business. However, Littleton had fallen out with the Staffords, previously friends and allies, over fishing rights on the
647:
Littleton clearly became both rich and locally powerful through his numerous dealings. Both
Pillaton Hall and the parish church of St. Michael were greatly altered in the early to mid-16th century. The hall was rebuilt in typical
635:: Cannock Chase originally referred to the bishop's hunting grounds, which were contiguous with the king's. The Hay was granted to Dudley in 1550. After his execution in 1553 it reverted to the Crown, but Dudley's widow,
325:
Littleton seems to have been a religious conservative, opposing the initial break with the Papacy. His main associates, like the
Giffards, had similar attitudes. However, none of them opposed changes that benefited the
198:
With the death of his mother Alice in 1529, Littleton inherited the
Pillaton and Otherton estates, together with the hall, making him a much more important force locally. Within months he was elected as the junior of
297:. He persuaded the High Sheriff, George Blount, to begin the poll by examining Stafford's supporters. The latter then began to melt away, leaving Littleton to claim victory, with 248 votes. Stafford petitioned the
948:
639:
was granted a life's interest in it from 1554. However, she died only a year later and
Littleton was able to buy the Hay. Two hundred years later it would become the site of a new home for the Littletons:
684:"after his ... dissembling fashion offered to have taken me by his hand and I told him he should neither have hand or heart of me for his evil, false and untrue report of me ... to the lord chancellor."
773:. He was buried in St. Michael's church, apparently in the family chapel, and a large alabaster tomb for himself and both his wives was installed. This was later moved to the south side of the
564:' residential buildings, to paddocks in the town and areas of arable land and pasture, most of it farmed by tenants, around the town. The deanery manor had existed since the 13th century, when
656:, with impressive square tower and east windows of local sandstone. Littleton must have played a significant part in all of these changes, although some may have continued in his son's time.
53:
William Wynnesbury of Pillaton Hall and his wife, grandparents of Edward Littleton. From their memorial, in the floor of the south chancel aisle, St. Michael's church, Penkridge.
131:, when her father died in 1502. Richard died in 1517 and she outlived him by 12 years. Only with her death did the Wynnesbury estates become part of the Littleton inheritance.
334:, a large and threatening rebellion against the dissolution, the Staffordshire gentry, not least Littleton, clamoured to buy newly-marketable land and houses. However, the
755:
Isabel Wood, whose father is otherwise unknown, was his second wife. They married before April 1533. Isabel had been married twice before, firstly to Ralph Egerton of
57:
385:, appealed on his behalf to the king, who had not heard of the proceedings to that point. Henry immediately pardoned Blagge and ordered Wriothesley to release him.
680:
This was intended as a criticism of Littleton. Stafford, a former friend who became his main enemy among the local magnates, described how, in his later years:
467:
Littleton consolidated and enlarge his family's holdings of land, taking advantage wherever possible of the revolution in land ownership carried through by the
119:
Edward's mother was Alice Wynnesbury, William's daughter and only heir, whom Richard married. She inherited the Pillaton and Otherton estates, including the
358:
254:
the major religious houses. Littleton did not serve in the parliaments of 1542, 1545 and 1547, nor in the first parliament of 1553, which was the last of
246:, Sir John's son, were returned to Parliament by the shire again in 1536, with the king's approval. This parliament lasted until 1539, when it passed the
200:
77:
420:
239:
61:
Richard Littleton and Alice Wynnesbury, Edward's parents, on incised slab of their recessed table tomb in the south nave aisle, St. Michael's church.
943:
712:
Arms of Sir Edward Littleton impaled with those of his first wife, Helen Swynnerton, on their tomb in St Michael's church, Penkridge, Staffordshire.
519:
938:
708:
522:. Bishop Lee supported Littleton in his bid to buy the Abbey, and he acquired it in 1540. Two years later, he sold it, presumably at a profit, to
105:
301:, claiming that the Sheriff had also discriminated against his son in the previous election, earlier in the year. Littleton took his case to the
968:
636:
604:, an immensely ambitious member of Edward's government. Dudley had also recently acquired Penkridge manor itself by foreclosing on a loan from
569:
374:
716:
623:
Another acquisition, hugely important in the future to Littleton's family, was Teddesley Hay. This sparsely populated area was part of the
350:
988:
978:
973:
983:
432:
389:
282:
278:
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and divided it into two. The smaller part, conferred on the church was known as the deanery manor, while the remainder was placed in
382:
861:
29:
and his wives, Helen Swynnerton and Isabel Wood, in Penkridge parish church. Attributed to the Royley workshop in Burton on Trent.
506:
463:
Sir William Paget, technically Littleton's overlord in the key estate of Pillaton, although he received only 16s. a year for it.
392:, who was one of the most powerful men in the country. Blagge feared that he would exercise too much influence over the future
231:
832:
49:
963:
491:
270:
219:
873:
41:
33:
428:
made in the time of Edward Littleton. His acquisition of the deanery lease was a key step in his family's rise to fortune.
187:
850:
108:. He became a tenant and probably steward of William Wynnesbury, who was lord of Pillaton and Otherton, in the parish of
727:
601:
397:
143:
653:
425:
150:. In 1513, Littleton took part in Henry's invasion of northern France, in which his troops defeated the French at the
81:
293:, north of Penkridge. When the young Henry was acclaimed as Giffard's colleague, Littleton intervened and demanded a
377:. On their evidence, Blagge was sentenced to be burned for heresy the following Wednesday. Fortunately for him, the
21:
342:. This fitted well with Henry VIII's own attitudes but Littleton still managed to turn it to his own disadvantage.
309:, who found in his favour. The case caused lasting ill-feeling between the Staffords and Littletons. Littleton was
151:
781:
45:
Sir Thomas de Littleton, grandfather of Edward Littleton. An 18th-century engraving after a 15th-century painting.
998:
993:
585:
247:
298:
208:
159:
490:
donated land in the area. Dissolution placed overlordship in the hands of the king, and Henry VIII gave it to
676:"a man of great lands beareth all the rule in those parts of the shire, and is greatly friended and allied."
207:– a designation for county members of parliament that does not imply a knighthood. His senior colleague was
746:, was his first wife. They married before 1527 – perhaps long before. They had two sons and two daughters.
612:
290:
833:
The History of Parliament: Members 1509–1558 – Littleton, Edward (Authors: L. M. Kirk / A. D.K. Hawkyard)
953:
760:
537:
John Dudley, later to become Earl of Warwick and Duke of Northumberland, pictured on a painted panel at
424:
Penkridge parish church today. Much of its external appearance seems to be the result of alterations in
139:
85:
186:
and Keeper of Stafford Park, as well as bailiff of Forebridge. These honours were crowned by becoming
958:
793:
527:
502:
393:
255:
204:
242:, the most important measure of the last session of the 1529–36 Parliament. Certainly Littleton and
700:
were essentially rural entrepreneurs, making their fortunes in a profoundly changed rural economy.
593:
573:
560:
of St. Michael and All Angels. This included everything from the site of the church itself and the
498:
331:
227:
101:
652:
style. The church acquired a Littleton family chapel in its south aisle and was partly rebuilt in
533:
798:
665:
649:
475:, which changed many relationships and created many opportunities. He was frequently involved in
138:, Thomas de Littleton's inn. Probably in 1512, he enlisted to serve in the campaign launched by
920:
909:
898:
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174:
magnate, in 1521 also opened up numerous lines of preferment in the county. Littleton was made
565:
557:
523:
370:
262:
147:
97:
405:
306:
212:
163:
73:
330:, particularly the dissolution of the monasteries. Unlike the northern gentry, who led the
851:
The History of Parliament: Constituencies 1509–1558 – Staffordshire (Author: N. M. Fuidge)
577:
538:
515:
510:
401:
378:
362:
357:, by trickery he alleged, while walking home after church. He was immediately summoned by
302:
235:
183:
179:
388:
The real sin of Blagge seems to have been that he was openly opposed to the influence of
104:. Richard had settled in Staffordshire, his mother's home county, and become surveyor to
693:
641:
589:
561:
448:
373:, the main witnesses for the prosecution were Littleton and Sir Hugh Calverley, MP for
366:
354:
339:
266:
243:
688:
It appears that some contemporaries regarded Littleton as an upstart. While the local
932:
770:
735:, distinctive of an earlier stage in the history of fashion than Isabel Wood's dress.
697:
632:
605:
468:
346:
327:
251:
128:
874:
The History of Parliament: Members 1509–1558 – BLAGGE, George (Author: Helen Miller)
116:, Warwickshire, from his father but made his most important gains through marriage.
624:
487:
483:
135:
345:
Littleton's most important intervention on a theological issue was in the case of
182:, an important royal honour, by 1522. Around the same time he became constable of
720:
Arms of Sir Edward Littleton, impaled with those of his second wife, Isabel Wood.
669:
553:
444:
124:
743:
732:
476:
286:
756:
452:
437:
409:
223:
113:
109:
759:, and secondly to Sir John Draycott (died May 1522) of Paynsley Hall, near
459:
689:
335:
274:
576:
of Penkridge, had acquired the manor of Penkridge at the instigation of
774:
628:
616:
597:
550:
472:
175:
167:
155:
888:
VCH: Staffordshire: Volume 5, chapter 16, Penkridge, section 2, Manors
518:
in Shropshire was a much larger property, put on the market after the
310:
294:
596:
period. However, the deanery and college were soon abolished by the
277:
and immediately elected Sir Thomas Giffard as their representative.
726:
715:
707:
600:
under Edward VI in 1547. The Crown conferred the deanery manor on
581:
546:
532:
458:
431:
419:
281:, Buckingham's son, had made known his intention to have his son,
56:
48:
40:
32:
20:
899:
Victoria County History: Staffordshire, Volume 3, chapter 6, s.1
441:
408:, specifically pinpointing the bishops traditional views on the
404:
views imputed to him: five years later he gave evidence against
120:
353:. On 9 May 1546 Blagge was induced to deny the efficacy of the
338:
conservatism remained, with a strong attachment to traditional
72:(by 1489–1558) was a Staffordshire landowner from the extended
910:
Victoria County History: Shropshire, Volume 2, chapter 13, s.1
471:– in particular the Dissolution of the monasteries and of the
400:. It is unclear whether Blagge at that time actually held the
170:, a near neighbour who distinguished himself in the fighting.
862:
History of Parliament Online: Sir Philip Draycott (1483-1559)
482:
Pillaton itself, with the manor house, actually belonged to
949:
People associated with the Dissolution of the Monasteries
134:
Edward Littleton probably received legal training at the
692:
and their retainers assumed a value system derived from
190:
during 1523–24, an honour he was to repeat in 1539–40.
742:
Helen Swynnerton, daughter of Humphrey Swynnerton of
584:
hands – in the 16th century the Grevilles, who were
178:for Staffordshire during 1517–18. He was appointed
526:, a Shropshire-born businessman who was to become
100:, a younger son of the great 15th-century jurist,
479:and other disputes in his pursuit of these ends.
828:
826:
824:
822:
820:
818:
816:
814:
883:
881:
154:, going on to take the important stronghold of
313:in October at the assembly of the parliament.
921:VCH Staffordshire: Volume 5: 23: s.2: The Hay
846:
844:
842:
840:
273:. In September the local gentry assembled at
158:. Littleton's companion in this campaign was
8:
230:. The fifth session in 1533 dealt with the
631:, sometimes (not quite accurately) called
447:became ruinous after the family moved to
240:Dissolution of the Lesser Monasteries Act
112:, in the late 15th century. He inherited
520:Suppression of Religious Houses Act 1539
810:
396:and had said as much to Norfolk's son,
106:Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham
637:Jane Dudley, Duchess of Northumberland
455:and Chapel were restored in the 1880s.
234:, forbidding all appeals to the Pope.
78:Member of Parliament for Staffordshire
769:Littleton died on 10 October 1558 at
7:
436:Remains of Pillaton Old Hall, near
390:Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk
218:The 1529 Parliament, known as the
14:
731:Helen Swynnerton, represented in
784:, succeeded him in his estates.
608:to the cash-strapped Grevilles.
507:bishop of Coventry and Lichfield
76:. He also served as soldier and
944:16th-century English landowners
232:Statute in Restraint of Appeals
16:16th-century English politician
939:High sheriffs of Staffordshire
672:, Littleton was described as:
440:, Staffordshire. The original
96:Edward Littleton's father was
1:
969:16th-century English soldiers
664:When he was sued by a son of
592:which had survived since the
486:, probably since about, when
188:High Sheriff of Staffordshire
37:Arms of Sir Edward Littleton.
602:John Dudley, Earl of Warwick
598:dissolution of the chantries
398:Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey
144:War of the League of Cambrai
780:A son by Helen Swynnerton,
82:House of Commons of England
1015:
668:, the noted Staffordshire
586:Barons Willoughby de Broke
74:Littleton/Lyttelton family
984:English MPs 1553 (Mary I)
864:, accessed November 2018.
724:Littleton married twice:
248:Second Act of Dissolution
92:Background and early life
84:, the lower house of the
660:Contemporary assessments
611:Warwick, soon to become
211:, his near neighbour of
736:
721:
713:
696:, Littleton and other
613:Duke of Northumberland
556:of Penkridge from the
542:
464:
456:
429:
369:. At his trial at the
269:daughter summoned her
220:Reformation Parliament
62:
54:
46:
38:
30:
989:English MPs 1554–1555
979:English MPs 1539–1540
974:English MPs 1529–1536
964:People from Penkridge
730:
719:
711:
536:
462:
435:
423:
349:, at the time MP for
86:Parliament of England
60:
52:
44:
36:
24:
794:History of Penkridge
777:, where it remains.
704:Marriages and family
570:Archbishop of Dublin
528:Lord Mayor of London
509:. The issue went to
205:Knights of the Shire
194:Parliamentary career
654:Perpendicular style
588:. The church was a
530:seven years later.
499:Black Ladies Priory
426:Perpendicular style
332:Pilgrimage of Grace
228:Catherine of Aragon
226:of his marriage to
152:Battle of the Spurs
102:Thomas de Littleton
799:Littleton Baronets
737:
722:
714:
666:Sampson Erdeswicke
545:In 1543 Littleton
543:
465:
457:
430:
359:Thomas Wriothesley
63:
55:
47:
39:
31:
566:Henry de Loundres
558:collegiate church
492:Sir William Paget
321:Religious beliefs
98:Richard Littleton
70:Edwarde Lyttelton
27:Edwarde Lyttelton
1006:
999:Lyttelton family
994:English MPs 1555
923:
918:
912:
907:
901:
896:
890:
885:
876:
871:
865:
859:
853:
848:
835:
830:
782:Edward Littleton
406:Stephen Gardiner
307:Stephen Gardiner
271:first Parliament
213:Chillington Hall
209:Sir John Giffard
164:Chillington Hall
160:Sir John Giffard
66:Edward Littleton
1014:
1013:
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790:
706:
662:
539:Penshurst Place
516:Haughmond Abbey
511:Thomas Cromwell
418:
379:Lord Privy Seal
363:Lord Chancellor
323:
303:Lord Chancellor
265:, Henry VIII's
261:In August 1553
236:Thomas Cromwell
196:
184:Stafford Castle
180:Gentleman Usher
142:as part of the
94:
17:
12:
11:
5:
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748:
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705:
702:
694:feudal society
686:
685:
678:
677:
661:
658:
642:Teddesley Hall
590:Royal Peculiar
449:Teddesley Hall
417:
414:
402:Sacramentarian
367:Newgate Prison
365:, and sent to
340:Catholic dogma
322:
319:
279:Baron Stafford
267:Roman Catholic
244:Thomas Giffard
195:
192:
93:
90:
88:, five times.
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
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771:Pillaton Hall
762:
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745:
741:
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739:
738:
734:
729:
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703:
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698:landed gentry
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683:
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675:
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659:
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633:Cannock Chase
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469:Tudor dynasty
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368:
364:
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352:
348:
347:George Blagge
343:
341:
337:
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329:
328:landed gentry
320:
318:
314:
312:
308:
304:
300:
299:Privy Council
296:
292:
288:
284:
280:
276:
272:
268:
264:
259:
257:
253:
252:expropriating
249:
245:
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206:
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201:Staffordshire
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129:Pillaton Hall
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89:
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83:
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71:
67:
59:
51:
43:
35:
28:
23:
19:
954:1480s births
916:
905:
894:
869:
857:
779:
768:
723:
687:
679:
663:
646:
625:royal forest
622:
610:
544:
524:Rowland Hill
497:
488:Wulfric Spot
484:Burton Abbey
481:
466:
387:
383:John Russell
344:
324:
315:
260:
217:
197:
172:
136:Inner Temple
133:
118:
95:
69:
65:
64:
26:
25:Tomb of Sir
18:
959:1558 deaths
670:antiquarian
594:Anglo-Saxon
503:Rowland Lee
445:manor house
336:theological
256:Edward VI's
125:manor house
933:Categories
805:References
744:Swynnerton
733:gable hood
606:his father
477:litigation
451:, but the
287:River Penk
263:Queen Mary
140:Henry VIII
757:Wrinehill
578:King John
473:chantries
453:Gatehouse
438:Penkridge
416:Landowner
410:Eucharist
394:Edward VI
371:Guildhall
224:annulment
176:escheator
123:medieval
114:Baxterley
110:Penkridge
788:See also
761:Draycott
690:nobility
495:3s. 9d.
375:Cheshire
311:knighted
275:Stafford
146:against
775:chancel
629:Cannock
617:buckler
551:deanery
541:, Kent.
351:Bedford
291:Dunston
258:reign.
203:'s two
168:Brewood
166:, near
156:Tournai
80:in the
562:canons
547:leased
505:, the
442:moated
361:, the
148:France
121:moated
650:Tudor
554:manor
283:Henry
574:dean
572:and
549:the
355:Mass
295:poll
627:of
582:lay
289:at
162:of
127:of
68:or
935::
880:^
839:^
813:^
644:.
568:,
381:,
305:,
250:,
215:.
763:.
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