Joan Thynne

Joan, Lady Thynne, born Joan Hayward (1558 – 3 March 1612) was an English gentlewoman. She took an active role in managing property including Caus Castle which was captured by force; she then managed and defended it. The secret marriage of her son is said to have inspired Shakespeare's retelling of the Romeo and Juliet story. Joan fought the marriage for seven years. She did not forgive her son and took him to court again after he inherited Longleat House.

Joan Thynne
by an unknown artist
Born	Joan Hayward baptised 1558
Died	3 March 1612(1612-03-03) (aged 53–54) London
Nationality	Kingdom of England
Occupation	gentlewoman
Spouse	John Thynne
Parent(s)	Lady, Joan (born Tyllesworth) and Sir Rowland Hayward

Life

She was baptised in 1558. Her parents were Lady Joan (born Tyllesworth) and Sir Rowland Hayward. Her father was the first Lord Mayor of London. Her mother died in 1580 and her father married again giving her in time three surviving brothers and two surviving sisters.^[1][2]

She had an arranged marriage with John Thynne and they had two sons^[3] including Thomas. As part of the marriage settlement her father gave them property including Caus Castle. However Edward Stafford, 3rd Baron Stafford disputed the ownership and refused to allow them to occupy the property. Joan was credited with teaching her husband and she was a very involved partner. She advised on tactics and management and she handled the legal disputes with Stafford about the property.^[3]

After he and Joan took Caus Castle by force in 1591, Joan lived at Caus whilst John was based at Longleat. The letters between them illustrate their partnership. Joan appears to have managed many aspects of their estate. She not only managed but is credited with defending Caus Castle, keeping guns and gunpowder in her bedroom.^[3]

In 1594 her son Thomas made a secret and in her opinion an ill-advised marriage to Maria Tuchet, who was the daughter of George Tuchet then Lord Audley. Joan was involved with unsuccessful attempts to get that marriage annulled.^[3] The story is said to have contributed to the inspiration for Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet.^[4] The dispute over the marriage was resolved in 1601 by Daniel Donne who was the Dean of the Court of Arches, who ruled against her claim. When her husband John died in 1604 Longleat went into the hands of her enemy Maria Thynne.^[5] Joan did not forgive her son and in 1605 she, on behalf of her daughters, took him to the chancery court.^[3]

She was a patron of the arts; John Maynard dedicated his satirical music to her in 1611 titled The XII Wonders of the World .^[5][3]

Thynne died suddenly in London in 1612. She had made plans for this which she had detailed in her will. Her daughters, not her son, were the executors but they were thwarted as the funds available were insufficient to fund her bequests.^[3]

References

1. Hayward, Sir Rowland (c.1520–1593), History of Parliament Retrieved 11 April 2013.
2. Botfield, Beriah (1858). Stemmata Botevilliana; Memorials of the Families of De Boteville, Thynne, and Botfield. Westminster: J.B. Nichols and Sons. pp. 115–16. Retrieved 12 April 2013..
3. "Thynne [née Hayward], Joan, Lady Thynne (bap. 1558, d. 1612), gentlewoman". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. 2004. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/64886. Retrieved 2020-12-06. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
4. Cathy Hartley (15 April 2013). A Historical Dictionary of British Women. Routledge. p. 428. ISBN 978-1-135-35533-3.
5. Hartley, Cathy (2013-04-15). A Historical Dictionary of British Women. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-135-35533-3.