Background
Hastings was second son of George Hastings, 4th Earl of Huntingdon.
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Henry Hastings
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Career
He supported the Royalist cause in the English Civil War. There seems to be some confusion as to his date of birth, which is said to have been 1551 by the Dictionary of National Biography, but is actually around a decade later. Hastings supported the King in the Civil war and in 1645 his estate at Woodlands, valued in 1641 at £300, was sequestered.
He later compounded for his property by the sum of £500.
Hastings was the typical country squire of the time, "well-natured, but soon angry." He always dressed in green, and keeping all sorts of hounds and hawks, devoted himself to hunting. His hall was hung with sporting trophies, while favourite dogs and cats occupied every corner.
His table was provided from his farms and fishponds, and hospitable. The pulpit of a disused neighbouring chapel formed his larder.
An account was written of him by Sir Anthony Ashley Cooper, 1st Earl of Shaftesbury, and was inscribed on a portrait of him at Lord Shaftesbury"s seat, Winterbourne Saint Giles.
Other details of his domestic economy may be found in Shaftesbury"s character, which was first printed in Leonard Howard"s Collection of Letters and State Papers, 1753. lieutenant was reprinted in the ‘Connoisseur,’ Number. 81, 14 August 1755. Doctor Drake (who printed it in William Hone"s Everyday Book, ii 1624) omitted some disparaging remarks.
Shaftesbury himself lived near Hastings"s residence, and was a Parliamentarian.
Hastings married Dorothy Willoughby, second daughter and coheiress of Sir Francis Willoughby (the builder of Wollaton, Nottinghamshire). She died on 15 December 1638.
Woodlands passed into the hands of the Roy family, and was subsequently added to Lord Shaftesbury"s estate.
