Hungerfords and the Wars of the Roses: 1455 – 1471, 1483 – 1487

By Lesley Abrahams [H.4a.1b.1c.1d/ E.6.5a.1b.1c.1d] and Kathy Smart [H.4a.1b.1c.1d.1e/ E.6.5a.1b.1c.1d.1e]. Originally published in HAFS Journal Vol 16 No 2, November 2021

The Wars of the Roses covers two periods of sporadic fighting across England over three decades, between rival kings, barons, and landholders, striving to maintain royal favours and the use of land for their own prosperity.

Medieval English history was a sequence of rebellions and general upheavals. The hold of the monarchy on the life of their aristocracy was fragile throughout the 13^th and 14^th centuries. Into the 15^th century society demanded better government, and required the monarchy to govern for the people, not just for the benefit of the rich and powerful.

Though there may have been no more than 12 or 13 weeks of actual fighting there were major battles between rival branches of the House of the Plantagenets, England was dealing with economic depression, while the monarchy, struggled to maintain or extend power in the wider European arena.

Other main supporters of the Lancaster line were Margaret of Anjou (1445-1461, 1470-1471), Queen of Henry VI, Owen Tudor (d1461), uncle to Henry Tudor (Henry VII), and Edmund Beaufort, 4^th Duke of Somerset (d1461).

Their heraldic badge was the Red Rose.

The York supporters were Richard, Duke of York (1411-1460), father of Edward IV, and George, Duke of Clarence (1449-1478), the brother of Edward IV and Richard III. He attempted to overthrow his brother Edward and was executed via drowning in a barrel of wine.

Their heraldic badge was the White Rose.

Wars of the Roses, 1st Phase (1455-1471)

In 1445 Henry VI had married Margaret of Anjou, a noble French woman, to secure his French territories. Her political acumen and ambition outstripped the King’s. In 1454 Henry succumbed to his first bout of madness and Richard, Duke of York became Lord Protector through his strong claim to the throne, and imprisoned the advisors he considered corrupt including Edmund Beaufort, Duke of Somerset.

When Henry VI recovered from his illness in February 1455, he banished Richard of York. Many battles between Lancastrians and Yorkist followed until the decisive victory of Edward IV, 4^th Duke of York (Richard’s son) in 1471. Some of those that involved Hungerfords are detailed below.

Whom did the Hungerfords support?

Walter, 1^st Lord Hungerford (1378-1449), Stewart of the House of Lancaster. Knighted in the reign of King Henry IV, he fought bravely at the Battle of Agincourt 1415 and was invested as Knight of the Order of the Garter on 3 May 1421, by King Henry V.

Henry VI (1421-1471) succeeded his father, Henry V, in 1422 at 9 months old.

Robert, 2^nd Baron Hungerford (1406-1459), was summoned to Parliament 1440-1455. He was buried in 1459 in Salisbury Cathedral, bearing the Lancastrian livery collar of SS. Sir Robert was married in 1439 to Margaret Botreaux, heiress of William, 3^rd Baron Botreaux, who possibly died of wounds on 16 May 1462, sustained in the Second Battle of St Albans 17 February 1461.

Sir Edmund Hungerford (1409-1484), son of Walter, 1^st Lord Hungerford. Knighted by Henry VI in 1426. Steward of the House of Lancaster south of the River Trent, He was Henry VI King’s Carver 1446-51, High Sheriff of Gloucestershire in 1457. High Sheriff and Member of Parliament for Wiltshire 1464 and Chamberlain to the Duchy of Lancaster.

Catherine Hungerford (1438-1493), daughter of Robert, 2^nd Lord Hungerford and Margaret Botreaux, married in 1451 to Richard West, 7^th Baron de la Warr, who was a zealous Lancastrian, though he later served Edward IV in France.

Robert, Baron Moleyns and 3^rd Baron Hungerford (1431-1464), was summoned to Parliament in 1445 as Lord Moleyns in the right of his wife, Eleanor. He was taken prisoner in Aquitaine while endeavouring to raise the siege of Chastillon. Ransomed for £6,000, he was released in 1459. In 1460 he took a leading part in the Wars of the Roses, on the Lancastrian side. After the defeat at the Battle of Northampton (10 July 1460), he surrendered the Tower of London to the Yorkists. After the Battle of Towton (29 March 1461), a Lancastrian defeat, he fled with Henry VI to York, and then to Scotland.

Arrested by the French trying to raise help for Henry VI and Margaret of Anjou, he was then taken prisoner again at the Battle of Hexham on 15 May 1464 and executed at Sandhill, Newcastle. Most of his lands were given to Richard of Gloucester (later Richard III), including Farleigh Hungerford Castle.

Sir Thomas Hungerford (1437-1469), eldest son of Robert, 3^rd Lord Hungerford. Married to Lady Anne Percy, daughter of Henry Percy, 2^nd Earl of Northumberland. Lady Anne was the heiress of her brother Henry Percy, 3^rd Earl of Northumberland (died 29 March 1461, Battle of Towton). Sir Thomas was imprisoned in Salisbury with Henry Courtenay for conspiring with Margaret of Anjou, executed by Richard Duke of Gloucester on 12 January 1469. He is buried at Farleigh Hungerford.

Hungerfords in Battle

First Battle of St Albans, Hertfordshire, 22 May 1455

Edmund Duke of Somerset, supporting King Henry VI, was defeated by Richard Duke of York and the Earls of Salisbury & Warwick. Richard imprisoned Henry VI and became Lord Protector. Henry Percy, 2^nd Earl of Northumberland, supporting Henry VI, was also killed. He was the father of Lady Anne Percy, who later married Sir Thomas Hungerford in 1460. As this was a Yorkist victory, it lead to Queen Margaret and her son Edward going into exile. However, she worked to raise an army and regain the throne for her son.

Battle of Clyst Heath, Siege of Powderham Castle, 15 December 1455

Sir Philip Courtenay (1404-1463), of Powderham Castle was married to Elizabeth Hungerford, daughter of Walter 1^st Lord Hungerford. Sir Philip took part in the Bonville-Courtenay feud culminating in the Battle of Clyst. William, 1^st Baron Bonville was defeated, and though initially supporting Henry VI, later supported the Yorkists at the Battle of Northampton 1460, and 2^nd Battle of St Albans 1461. Sir Philip swore fealty to Edward IV as a Member of Parliament.

Battle of Wakefield, 30 December 1460

A Lancastrian victory, in which Richard Duke of York, father of Edward IV, was killed. Reginald Grey (1452-1460), brother of John Grey (1432-1462), and brother-in-law of Sir Edward Hungerford (1452-1507) was killed. Richard, Duke of York, father of Edward IV, was also killed in this battle.

Second Battle of St Albans, 17 February 1461

A Lancastrian victory, though they failed to take advantage of it. Sir Arnold Hungerford (born about 1426), Brother of Robert, 3^rd Baron Hungerford, was killed.

John Grey, 7^th Baron of Ferrers of Groby, died leading the charge against the Yorkists. His sister was Anne Grey (1456-1507), wife of Sir Edward Hungerford (1452-1507). Sir John was married to Elizabeth Woodville, daughter of Earl Rivers: after he was killed in 1461, Elizabeth married Edward, 4^th Duke of York, who became King Edward IV.

Wars of the Roses, 2nd Phase (1483-1487)

The War of the Roses continued with battles raging across the land until the Battle of Tewkesbury on 4 May 1471, when Edward of York finally defeated the Lancastrians, Henry and Margaret were captured and their son Edward killed. Henry IV died in the Tower of London on 21 May 1471. It was rumoured that Edward IV and his brothers killed him to secure their victory.

Hungerford lands were confiscated and granted by Edward IV to Richard Duke of Gloucester, including lands in Devon (see article Colwell Wood, County Devon, and Colwell Wood Cottage, HAFS Newsletter 56 (August 2018) p27, and on the HAFS website).

Edward reigned till his sudden death in 1483 and was succeeded by his son Edward V (12 years old), with his uncle Richard of Gloucester as Lord Protector. However, before Edward V could be crowned, Richard moved to have the two surviving sons of Edward’s named as illegitimate to break the power of the Woodville’s. He had himself crowned Richard III on 6 July 1483 and imprisoned the Princes in the Tower of London.

Sir Walter Hungerford (1445-1516), was the youngest son of Robert, Baron Moleyns and 3^rd Baron Hungerford. He initially supported the House of Lancaster, but obtained pardon from Richard III on his accession in 1483. But Sir Walter was incensed by the (alleged) murder of the young Princes in the Tower. Suspecting his change in allegiance, Richard III had him arrested, but Sir Walter escaped and joined the army of Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond.

Sir Walter slew Sir Robert Brackenbury, Lieutenant of the Tower of London at the Battle of Bosworth Field on 22 August 1485, under whose command he had previously served. What follows is a poetic account:

An extract from Bosworth Field by Sir John Beaumont, Baronet, written in 1629.

Now Horse to horse, & man is join’d to man
So strictly that soldiers hardly can
Their adversaries from their fellow know
Here each brave champion singles out his foe.
In this confusion Brakenbury meetes
With HUNGERFORD, & him thus fondly greetes
“Ah, Traitor! false in breach of faith & love!
What discontent could thee & Bourchier move
Who had so long my fellowes been in armes
To flee to Rebels? What seducing charmes
Could on your clouded minds such darknesse bring
To serve an outlaw, & neglect a King?”
With these sharpe speeches HUNGERFORD enrag’d
Tuphold his honour, thus the battaile wag’d;
“Thy doting age (saith he) delights in words,
But this aspersion must be tried by swords”
Then leaving talke, he by his weapon speakes,
And drives a blow, which Brakenbury breakes
By lifting up his left hand, else the steele
Had pierced his burgonet, & made him feele
The pangs of death; but now the fury fell
Upon the hand that did the stroke repell,
And cuts so large a portion of the shield,
That it no more can safe protection yield;
Bold HUNGERFORD disdaines his use to make
Of his advantage, but doth straight forsake
His massy target, render’d to his squire,
And saith, “Let cowards such defence desire”.
This done, these valiant knights dispose their blades
And still the one, the other’s face invades.
Till Brakenburie’s helmet giving way
To these fierce strokes that HUNGERORD doeth lay
Is bruised & gapes; which Bourchier, fighting neare,
Perceives & cries,. “Brave HUNGERFORD, forbeare,
Bring not those silver haires to timelesse end;
He was, & may be once again, our friend”.
But oh! Too late; the fatall blow was sent
From HUNGEFORD, which he may now repent.
But not recall, & digges a mortall wound
In Brakenburie’s head, which should be crown’d
With precious metals, & with bayes adorn’d,
For constant truth appearing when he scorn’d
To staine his hand in those young Prince’s blood
And like a rock amidst the Ocean stood
Against the Tyrant’s charmes, & threats unmoved,
Though Death declares how much he RICHARD lov’d.

Source: Jackson Papers, The Hungerford Family: Collections for their Personal History, Vol 2, page 10

On the death of Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth Field, Henry Tudor (Earl of Richmond) was crowned Henry VII. And so ended the War of the Roses.

Some of the Hungerford estates, including Farleigh Hungerford Castle were restored to Sir Walter. He became a member of the Privy Council, where he continued to serve under Henry VIII. He is buried at Farleigh Hungerford Castle.

Aftermath

Mary, Lady Hungerford (1467-1533), Baroness Hungerford, Botreaux, Moleyns and Moel, daughter and sole heiress of Sir Thomas Hungerford. After the Attainders of her father and grandfather were reversed by Act of Parliament, under Henry VII in 1488, she secured the Hungerford lands. Her first marriage was to Edward, 2^nd Lord Hastings in 1481. She later married Sir Richard Sacheverell in 1509 (a Lancastrian).

Sir John Wyndham (1451-1502) was knighted at the Battle of Stoke on 16 June 1487, by Henry VII, but later beheaded for adhesion to House of York. He was the ancestor of William Wyndham, Baronet (1633-1683) who married Frances Hungerford in 1653.

Sir John Hungerford (1460-1524), of Down Ampney, was knighted by Henry VII at the Battle of Deptford Bridge, Blackheath in 1497. This was part of the “Cornish Rebellion” against the continuing raising of war taxes by King Henry VII: he later allowed tin production to resume, alleviating the economic situation on Cornwall.

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References:

“Wars of the Roses”, Wikipedia, 2021.

Abrahams, Lesley, Hungerford Heraldry Inheritance Charts 1160 – 1711. 2021.

Beaumont, John, Sir, Bosworth Field, poem written in 1629. Transcription from Jackson Papers, Personal History, Vol 2, 1865, p10.

Hicks, Michael, Richard III and his rivals: magnates and their motives in the War of the Roses. Hambledon Press, 1991. There are five chapters on the Hungerford family.

Jackson, JE, The Hungerford Family: Collections for their Personal History, Vols I to IV 1885. Various pages.

Kightly, Charles, Farleigh Hungerford Castle. English Heritage, 2012.

Martin, Dennis, The Hungerford Family, 2001.

Pollard, AJ, The Wars of the Roses, 3^rd ed Palgrave, 2013. Discusses 21^st century historical interpretations.