Grey

The Execution of Lady Jane Grey, by Paul Delaroche, 1833 The Grey family became lords of the manor of Chewton Mendip through marriage. Thomas Grey became the Ist Marquis of Dorset amongst other titles. Their ownership of Chewton Mendip ended with the execution of Henry Grey and his daughter, Lady Jane Grey shown on the left.

Margaret Grey was the eldest daughter of Reginald Grey, 3rd Baron Grey de Ruthyn and Margaret de Ros. Margaret Grey later married Sir William Bonville  who was executed after the  second battle of St Albans in 1461

Thomas Grey (b1456 d 1501) was the son of  sir John Grey of Grolby and Mary Woodville.  sir John Grey was killed in the second battle of St Albans and Mary Woodville later married Edward IV.

Thomas Grey married Cecily Bonville in 1474, they both shared a common ancestor through Margaret Grey who had married Sir William Bonville. Her great grandfather had also died at the second battle of St Albans. All of the members of her father’s and grandfather’s  generations had also been killed in the wars of the roses so she inherited great wealth, including the manor of Chewton Mendip

Cecily outlived Thomas but their eldest surviving son, also called Thomas Grey (b1477 d1530) became the second Marquis of Dorset and lord of the manor of Chewton Mendip. He had a close, but sometimes troubled relationship with, Henry VIII’s and was given special responsibility for the young princess Mary when she went to learn how to govern in Wales.

Henry Grey (b1517 d1554) was the son of the Thomas Grey, second marquis of Dorset, became the 3rd Marquess of Dorset in 1530 after his father died. He married Lady Frances Brandon (1517–1559), the daughter of Henry VIII’s sister, Mary Tudor and Charles Brandon. The couple had three daughters, the eldest was Lady Jane Grey (1537–1554). Henry Grey became the 1st Duke of Suffolk in 1551.

Edward VI nominated Lady Jane Grey to be his successor rather than his sister, Mary Tudor better known as Bloody Mary. There was a great deal of court intrigue involved but the justification given was religion. Edward VI was a committed protestant as was Henry Grey.

Henry Grey was recorded as living in Sheen priory which it is presumed he had converted to a gentleman’s residence. It is reasonable to assume that he also owned the former monastic lands which included Chewton Mendip so he may have been temporarily both lord of the manor and lay impropreitor.

Edward died in 1553 and Lady Jane Grey was queen for just nine days until she was deposed by a rebellion which installed Mary I as queen.

Henry and Jane Grey survived the first regime change but Thomas Wyatt’s rebellion in 1554 prompted his execution and the execution of his daughter as depicted in the picture at the top of this page.

Mary I rewarded the loyalty shown to her by Sir Edward Waldegrave by awarding him with the manor of Chewton Mendip. She tried to revive Sheen monastery so she may have returned the church lands the monks.