William Devereux (MP)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sir William Devereux (c. 1525-1579) was an English landowner and MP.[1]
William was the younger son of Walter Devereux, 1st Viscount Hereford and his first wife Mary Grey.[1] He was probably born at Ludlow, where his father was steward of Princess Mary's household, or at one of his father's properties in South Wales.[2]
As a result of his family's local standing, he was chosen to sit for Cardiganshire in the parliament of 1547.[1][3] During this parliament his father granted him an interest in the house and site of Merevale Abbey, leading him to establish himself in Warwickshire.[3]
He sat for Staffordshire in the parliament of March 1553, apparently following a contested election.[3]
Following the execution of his maternal uncle Henry Grey, Duke of Suffolk, he purchased from the Crown his forfeited manor of Atherstone, Warws.[3]
He was knighted at Kenilworth Castle on 21 August 1565, during the royal progress.[4]
He sat for Warwickshire in the parliament of 1572, but is not recorded as having sat on any committees.[1] In 1573 the Free Grammar School at Atherstone, for which he had obtained the licence and helped to endow, was established.[5] He died in September 1579.
He married Jane, daughter of John Scudamore of Holme Lacy, Herefordshire. and widow of John Warnecombe (d. 1552) of Lugwardine, Herefordshire.[1][6] They had 2 daughters:
- Margaret married Edward, eldest son of Edward Littleton of Pillaton Hall.[1]
- Barbara married 1) Edward, eldest son of Brian Cave of Ingarsby, Leics.; 2) Edward Hastings, a younger son of Francis, earl of Huntingdon[7]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 "DEVEREUX, Sir William (c.1525-79), of Merevale, Warws". History of Parliament Online. Archived from the original on 11 October 2023. Retrieved 14 October 2025.
- ↑ "DEVEREUX, William (by 1525-79), of Merevale, Warws". History of Parliament Online. Retrieved 14 October 2025.
- 1 2 3 4 "Constituencies 1509-1558: Cardiganshire". History of Parliament Online. Retrieved 14 October 2025.
- ↑ Shaw, W. A. (1906). The Knights Of England. Vol. 2. p. 72.
- ↑ Austin, John D. (1998). Merevale Church and Abbey. p. 17.
- ↑ "WARNECOMBE (WARMECOMBE), John (1516/18-52), of Lugwardine and Hereford". History of Parliament Online. Retrieved 14 October 2025.
- ↑ Genealogical Memoirs of the Extinct Family of Chester of Chicheley. Vol. 1. 1878. p. 80.