Thomas Hungerford

1330 (age 67)

The Hungerford family was seated in Wiltshire by the twelfth century, and Hungerford"s father sat for the county in the parliaments of 1331/2, 1333/4, and 1336. He was buried in 1355 in Hungerford Church, where an elaborate monument long existed above his grave. An inscription to his memory is still extant in the church. Hungerford was himself High Sheriff of Wiltshire from 1355 to 1360 and was returned as a knight of the shire for Wiltshire in April 1357, and was re-elected for the same constituency in 1360, 1362, January 1376/7, to the two parliaments of 1380, in 1383, 1384, 1386, January 1389/90, and in January 1392/3. He sat for the county of Somerset in 1378, 1382, 1388, and 1390. He was returned for both constituencies in 1384 and January 1389/90. He was knighted in February 1375. He was closely associated with John of Gaunt and acted for some time as steward of Gaunt"s household. Owing to Gaunt"s influence, he was chosen in January 1376/7, in the last of Edward III"s parliaments (the Bad Parliament), to act as speaker. According to the rolls of parliament (ii 374) Hungerford "avait les paroles pur les communes d"Angleterre en cet parliament". He is thus the first person formally mentioned in the rolls of parliament as holding the office of speaker. Sir Peter de la Mare preceded him in the post, without the title, in the Good Parliament of 1376. In 1380 Hungerford was confirmed in the forestership of Selwood. In 1369 he purchased of Walter Pavely, de jure Lord Burghersh, the manor of Farleigh-Montfort, since called Farleigh Hungerford, and the chief residence of his descendants, and in 1383 obtained permission to convert the manor house there into a castle. About 1384 he aroused the suspicion of Richard II, who attached him, but he obtained a pardon and confirmation of his free warren of Farleigh. The latter is engraved in Hoare"s "Mod. Wiltshire, Heytesbury Hundred," p.

Thomas Hungerford

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Background

Hungerford was the son of Walter de Hungerford of Heytesbury, Wiltshire, by his marriage to Elizabeth, daughter and heiress of Sir Adam Fitz-John of Cherhill in the same county.

Career

The Hungerford family was seated in Wiltshire by the twelfth century, and Hungerford"s father sat for the county in the parliaments of 1331/2, 1333/4, and 1336. He was buried in 1355 in Hungerford Church, where an elaborate monument long existed above his grave. An inscription to his memory is still extant in the church.

Hungerford was himself High Sheriff of Wiltshire from 1355 to 1360 and was returned as a knight of the shire for Wiltshire in April 1357, and was re-elected for the same constituency in 1360, 1362, January 1376/7, to the two parliaments of 1380, in 1383, 1384, 1386, January 1389/90, and in January 1392/3.

He sat for the county of Somerset in 1378, 1382, 1388, and 1390. He was returned for both constituencies in 1384 and January 1389/90.

He was knighted in February 1375. He was closely associated with John of Gaunt and acted for some time as steward of Gaunt"s household.

Owing to Gaunt"s influence, he was chosen in January 1376/7, in the last of Edward III"s parliaments (the Bad Parliament), to act as speaker.

According to the rolls of parliament (ii 374) Hungerford "avait les paroles pur les communes d"Angleterre en cet parliament". He is thus the first person formally mentioned in the rolls of parliament as holding the office of speaker. Sir Peter de la Mare preceded him in the post, without the title, in the Good Parliament of 1376.

In 1380 Hungerford was confirmed in the forestership of Selwood.

In 1369 he purchased of Walter Pavely, de jure Lord Burghersh, the manor of Farleigh-Montfort, since called Farleigh Hungerford, and the chief residence of his descendants, and in 1383 obtained permission to convert the manor house there into a castle. About 1384 he aroused the suspicion of Richard II, who attached him, but he obtained a pardon and confirmation of his free warren of Farleigh.

The latter is engraved in Hoare"s "Mod. Wiltshire, Heytesbury Hundred," p.

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