Humphrey Swynnerton

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Swynnerton's religious conservatism had led him to preserve and keep a large breviary when Lichfield Cathedral was compelled to dispose of its treasures under Edward VI. Mary restored Catholic worship (though not, at that point, the link with the Papacy) through her first parliament in 1553, and in October the chapter took stock of what was needed and found that the only breviaries they could obtain were Swynnerton's, which he gave back, and a damaged one from Sir Thomas Fitzherbert,^[5] his son-in-law's brother. Swynnerton almost certainly supported the Marian restoration of Catholicism in its entirety.

When Elizabeth came to the throne in November 1558, she immediately called a parliament to pass the Act of Superemacy, establishing herself as Supreme Governor of the Church of England and the Church of England as avowedly Protestant. This faced Catholics like Swynnerton with a clear choice between continuing to hope for a Catholic revival within the church or breaking with it to become a separate community. The dissenting or recusant group were distinguished by taking advantage of the general pardon issued by Elizabeth at her coronation on 15 January 1558. In common with Thomas Giffard, Swynnerton sued for pardon.^[1]

Swynnerton's last months were devoted mainly to the rebuilding of the church of St Mary and St John at Shareshill. Originally a chapel of ease of the important collegiate church of St Michael at Penkridge, it had been given its independence in 1551, after the dissolution of the chantries eliminated the college and the vicar of St Michael's conceded the right to carry out burials. It was Swynnerton's parish church when he was resident in Hilton, and it seems to have been in need of repair and enlargement. The medieval building was largely replaced at his cost, close to the end of his life, in 1562.^[6]

Swynnerton made his will on 6 July 1561.^[1] If he were to die at Swynnerton, he asked for burial in the lady chapel before the former location of the madonna. If he were to die at Hilton he asked to be buried in the chancel of Shareshill church, where the image of St Luke had stood. He left 3s.4d. to the chapter at Wolverhampton to pray for his soul. His estates he divided between his daughters, having no sons. He left rings to his sons-in-law, Francis Gatacre and Henry Vernon.

He died on 25 August 1562 at Hilton, and was buried, in accordance with his wishes, at Shareshill. His wife was buried next to him on 7 January 1570. An impressive tomb with alabaster effigies was built. The effigies, although damaged, survive and are today located on internal window sills of the church.

Some time before 1540, Swynnerton married Cassandra Giffard, daughter of Sir John Giffard of Chillington. They had two daughters, who were his co-heirs:

• Elizabeth Swynnerton married William Fitzherbert, son of the eminent jurist Sir Anthony Fitzherbert, and member of an important Derbyshire landowning family that remained largely Catholic. She took with her the family estate of Swynnerton, which was pledged to the Fitzherberts, and ultimately went to them, even though William died in 1558 or 1559. Elizabeth then married Francis Gatacre of Claverley. She survived until 1606.

• Margaret Swynnerton married Henry Vernon of Sudbury Hall, member of another important Derbyshire recusant family, in 1547. She was allotted Hilton, which thus became part of the Vernon estates. These she seems to have defended with great vigour, as she was accused of falsifying her husband's will to prevent dissipation of the property.^[7]