Agnes (Anne) HOWARD

(M. Winchester)

Died: 18 Nov 1601

Father: William HOWARD (1º B. Howard of Effingham)

Mother: Catherine BROUGHTON

Married: William PAULET (3° M. Winchester) 20 Jun 1544 / 10 Nov 1548

Children:

1. William PAULET (4° M. Winchester)

2. Anne PAULET

3. Catherine PAULET

4. Elizabeth PAULET


Agnes (sometimes called Anne) was the daughter of William Howard, 1st baron Howard of Effingham and his first wife, Catherine Broughton. Agnes married William Paulet, 3rd Marquess of Winchester, and was the mother of his legitimate children, William, Anne, Catherine, and Elizabeth. The lands retained by the de Boughtons passed by marriage to the Howard family. William Paulet and the Lady Agnes, conveyed the Manors of Broughton and Wolston Parva to Thomas Duncombe Esq. in Jan 1572

Broughtons Manor in Crawley was obtained in fee by the Broughton family, from whom it acquired its distinctive name. In 1351 John son of Robert de Broughton conveyed 60 acres of land, 1 acre of meadow, 2s. rent and ½ lb of pepper to John Bohun of Midhurst and Cecily his wife. Sixty years later John Broughton, grandson of the grantor, claimed this estate against the grantees’ son John Bohun, and it was restored to him by order of court in 1427-8. This property, referred to in 1489 as the litell maner in More Craule called Broughtons, descended with lands in Broughton parish likewise retained by the Broughton family to Agnes Howard, wife of William Paulet, Lord St John by whom it was alienated in 1573 to Richard Morton.

From the History of Buckinghamshire: "...A mesne lordship in those parts of Crawley known by the late 15th Century as Broughtons Manor and Filliols Manor respectively was held under the Giffard Honour by the Earls of Oxford. Record of their interest in Crawley dates from the early 13th Century, and continued until the abolition of feudal tenure in the 17th century, a temporary grant of his prerogatives being made in 1584 by the Earl of Oxford to Peter Palmer..."

Her daughter Anne married Sir Thomas Denys of Holcombe Rogus. Her husband, however, kept a mistress, Jane Lambert, by whom he had four sons, and was estranged from Agnes. In 1578, Queen Elizabeth attempted to reconcile the couple but failed.

Agnes was often at court. Some authors says that the Marchioness had no oficial post at Court, other says she was lady of the chamber at various times. In 1587, she was one of two women of higher rank than countess who were available to serve as chief mourner at the funeral of Mary, Queen of Scots. When the Countess of Rutland was chosen instead, it was a deliberate insult to the Scottish Queen’s memory.

On 24 Nov 1588, the Marchioness carried Queen Elizabeth's train in the celebrations following the defeat of the Spanish Armada. This formal procession moved through London from Somerset House to St. Paul's. The Queen rode in a chariot. Agnes, her arms full of fabric, was on foot behind her.

In 1592 she conveyed the site of the manor of Gaynes Hall to William Wallopp and Richard Beckenshaw. The Marquess died in 1598, and in 1599 his widow was dealing with the manor. Later in the same year, with Sir Giles Broughton, kt., and his wife Catherine, her daughter, she conveyed to Oliver Williams, alias Cromwell, of Hinchingbrooke, the uncle of the future Protector, the manors of Gaynes Hall, alias Gaynes Perry and Dillington. In 1600 Oliver Cromwell, as of Godmanchester, assigned to Richard Cromwell of the same, his brother, a lease of Gaynes Park made to him in 1599 for 21 years by Agnes, Marchioness of Winchester, widow; and in 1601 he, with his second wife Anne, conveyed the manors of Gaynes Hall, alias Gaynes Perry, alias Dillington, to Sir Thomas Lake.

The Marchioness of Winchester died at Basing in 1601.

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