Canting arms of Ridgeway (ancient) alias Peacock: Argent, on a chevron engrailed gules three trefoils or between three peacock's heads erased azure crowns about their necks or[1]Arms of Ridgeway (modern): Sable, a pair of wings conjoined and elevated argent
He was the son of Michael Ridgeway of Newton Abbot, Devon, a brewer,[2] the name of whose wife is not recorded. Vivian (1895) suggested he was the son of Stephen Ridgeway, Mayor of Exeter in 1491.[3] An alternative surname of "Peacock", to that of Ridgeway, was declared in 1564 by his descendant to the heralds at the Heraldic Visitation of Devon, but this name has not been found in other surviving records.[4] The ancient arms of "Ridgway" as recorded by Pole do however make a canting reference to this "alias": Argent, on a chevron engrailed gules three trefoils or between three peacock's heads erased azure crowns about their necks or.[5] The family's modern arms, which they bore in the time of Pole (d.1635), were recorded by the latter as: Sable, two angel's wings conjoined tips upwards argent. These arms are displayed on the Ridgeway monument in Tor Mohun Church, and are a differenced version the arms of Barnehowse, whose co-heiress was Mary Southcott, the wife of Sir Thomas Ridgeway, son of John: Gules, two wings conjoined in lure argent.[6]
Careeredit
He trained as a lawyer at the Middle Temple.[2] In 1538, and immediately before the Dissolution of the Monasteries, he was appointed joint Chief Steward of Torre Abbey in Devon (which his son later purchased from the crown), and for Syon Monastery in Middlesex. He served as Escheator of Devon and Cornwall (1554-5) and occupied the honourable position of Recorder of Totnes in 1554.[2] He was ordered by the crown to provide troops for the French campaign of 1544 and victuals for the war in Scotland in 1547.
At some time before 1542 he married Elizabeth Wendford[2] (alias Wondford[10]), daughter of John Wendford of Newton Abbot, by whom he had one son and two daughters:
Margaret Ridgeway, wife of Hugh Yeoworthe of Devon.[12]
Death and burialedit
He died at his seat of Tor Mohun on 24 April 1560 and was buried in St Saviour's Church,[13] Tor Mohun.[2]
Memorial tabletedit
Inscribed tablet to John Ridgeway, Tor Mohun ChurchMonument to Sir Thomas Ridgeway (d.1598), Tor Mohun Church, on which the memorial tablet to his father John Ridgeway is affixed
An inscribed tablet in his memory forms one of three similar forming part of the surviving elaborate monument erected by his grandson in St Saviour's Church, primarily in memory of his father Sir Thomas Ridgeway, whose semi-recumbent alabaster effigy is displayed. The Latin inscription is as follows:
Johannes Ridgeway Armiger vir libere et ingenue educatus acuti ingenii et in rebus agendis egregie versatus eoq nomine de patria et republica optime meritus summae et integrae fidei apud reges Henricum Octavum Edovardum Sextum et Mariam reginam. Pater Thomae Ridgeway hic conditi avus Thomae Ridgeway Militis filii haeredis eiusdem Thomae hoc loco etiam requiescens et cuius digna memoria nunc quoq(ue) posteritati com(m)endatur. Elizabetham Wentford faeminam omni laude dignam hac aede sepultam habuit conjugem e qua sobolem reliquit Thomam hic placide dormientem filium unicum haeredem filias vero duas primogenitam (Margaretam) Hugoni Earth Armi(ge)ro conjugatam alteram (Annam) ..... Prideaux Armigero in matrimonium datum
Which may be translated: "John Ridgeway, Esquire, a man liberally and nobly educated, of sharp intellect and outstandingly skilled in effecting business and on that account most well deserving ..... Of the highest and unblemished loyalty towards Kings Henry the Eighth, Edward the Sixth and Queen Mary. The father of Thomas Ridgeway here buried, the grandfather of Sir Thomas Ridgeway, Knight, son and heir of the same Thomas, also resting in this place, the worthy memory of whom now also is commended to posterity. Elizabeth Wentford, a woman worthy of all praise buried in this church, he had as his wife, by whom he left progeny Thomas, here peacefully sleeping, his only son and heir, two daughters, the first-born (Margaret), married to Hugh Earth (i.e. "Yeoworthe"), Esquire, the second (Anne) given in marriage to ..... Prideaux, Esquire".
Sourcesedit
Virgoe, Roger, biography of Ridgeway, John (by 1517-60), of the Middle Temple, London, and Newton Abbot, Abbotskerswell and Tor Mohun, Devon, published in History of Parliament, House of Commons 1509-1558, ed. S.T. Bindoff, 1982 [1]
Referencesedit
^Pole, Sir William (d.1635), Collections Towards a Description of the County of Devon, Sir John-William de la Pole (ed.), London, 1791, p.499
^Vivian, Lt.Col. J.L., (Ed.) The Visitations of the County of Devon: Comprising the Heralds' Visitations of 1531, 1564 & 1620, Exeter, 1895, p.647, pedigree of Ridgeway: regnal date 7 Henry VIII. Suggested by use of dotted line
^Pevsner, Nikolaus & Cherry, Bridget, The Buildings of England: Devon, London, 2004, p.851
December 03, 2023
john, ridgeway, died, 1560, john, ridgeway, 1517, 1560, alias, peacock, abbots, carswell, mohun, devon, lawyer, served, member, parliament, twice, dartmouth, 1539, 1545, twice, exeter, 1553, 1554, canting, arms, ridgeway, ancient, alias, peacock, argent, chevr. John Ridgeway c 1517 1560 alias Peacock of Abbots Carswell and Tor Mohun in Devon was a lawyer who served as a Member of Parliament twice for Dartmouth in 1539 and 1545 and twice for Exeter in 1553 and 1554 2 Canting arms of Ridgeway ancient alias Peacock Argent on a chevron engrailed gules three trefoils or between three peacock s heads erased azure crowns about their necks or 1 Arms of Ridgeway modern Sable a pair of wings conjoined and elevated argent Contents 1 Origins 2 Career 3 Land purchases 4 Marriage and progeny 5 Death and burial 6 Memorial tablet 7 Sources 8 ReferencesOrigins editHe was the son of Michael Ridgeway of Newton Abbot Devon a brewer 2 the name of whose wife is not recorded Vivian 1895 suggested he was the son of Stephen Ridgeway Mayor of Exeter in 1491 3 An alternative surname of Peacock to that of Ridgeway was declared in 1564 by his descendant to the heralds at the Heraldic Visitation of Devon but this name has not been found in other surviving records 4 The ancient arms of Ridgway as recorded by Pole do however make a canting reference to this alias Argent on a chevron engrailed gules three trefoils or between three peacock s heads erased azure crowns about their necks or 5 The family s modern arms which they bore in the time of Pole d 1635 were recorded by the latter as Sable two angel s wings conjoined tips upwards argent These arms are displayed on the Ridgeway monument in Tor Mohun Church and are a differenced version the arms of Barnehowse whose co heiress was Mary Southcott the wife of Sir Thomas Ridgeway son of John Gules two wings conjoined in lure argent 6 Career editHe trained as a lawyer at the Middle Temple 2 In 1538 and immediately before the Dissolution of the Monasteries he was appointed joint Chief Steward of Torre Abbey in Devon which his son later purchased from the crown and for Syon Monastery in Middlesex He served as Escheator of Devon and Cornwall 1554 5 and occupied the honourable position of Recorder of Totnes in 1554 2 He was ordered by the crown to provide troops for the French campaign of 1544 and victuals for the war in Scotland in 1547 Land purchases editHe acquired various manors in Devon including Abbots Carswell in Devon which he made his seat formerly a possession of Sherborne Abbey in Dorset 7 which he acquired in 1540 2 following the Dissolution of the Monasteries the bill enabling which Suppression of Religious Houses Act 1539 31 Hen 8 c 13 2 he had voted in favour of in the Parliament of 1539 Tor Mohun Devon which he also made his seat having purchased it from the feudal baron of Dunster 8 thus either Sir John Luttrell died 1551 of Dunster Castle in Somerset or his younger brother Thomas Luttrell died 1571 of Dunster Castle His son Thomas Ridgeway later purchased Torre Abbey 9 situated a few hundred yards to the south west of his manor house at Tor Mohun from Sir Edward Seymour 1st Baronet 8 of nearby Berry Pomeroy Castle which had been acquired following the Dissolution of the Monasteries by his grandfather Edward Seymour 1st Duke of Somerset Lord Protector of England 8 Marriage and progeny editAt some time before 1542 he married Elizabeth Wendford 2 alias Wondford 10 daughter of John Wendford of Newton Abbot by whom he had one son and two daughters Thomas Ridgeway 1543 1598 a Member of Parliament for Dartmouth in 1584 and father of Thomas Ridgeway 1st Earl of Londonderry c 1565 1631 Anne Ridgeway wife of Robert Prideaux died 1579 of Ashburton Attorney at Law and younger brother of John Prideaux 1520 1558 of Nutwell Devon Serjeant at Law MP for Plymouth and Devon 11 Margaret Ridgeway wife of Hugh Yeoworthe of Devon 12 Death and burial editHe died at his seat of Tor Mohun on 24 April 1560 and was buried in St Saviour s Church 13 Tor Mohun 2 Memorial tablet edit nbsp Inscribed tablet to John Ridgeway Tor Mohun Church nbsp Monument to Sir Thomas Ridgeway d 1598 Tor Mohun Church on which the memorial tablet to his father John Ridgeway is affixedAn inscribed tablet in his memory forms one of three similar forming part of the surviving elaborate monument erected by his grandson in St Saviour s Church primarily in memory of his father Sir Thomas Ridgeway whose semi recumbent alabaster effigy is displayed The Latin inscription is as follows Johannes Ridgeway Armiger vir libere et ingenue educatus acuti ingenii et in rebus agendis egregie versatus eoq nomine de patria et republica optime meritus summae et integrae fidei apud reges Henricum Octavum Edovardum Sextum et Mariam reginam Pater Thomae Ridgeway hic conditi avus Thomae Ridgeway Militis filii haeredis eiusdem Thomae hoc loco etiam requiescens et cuius digna memoria nunc quoq ue posteritati com m endatur Elizabetham Wentford faeminam omni laude dignam hac aede sepultam habuit conjugem e qua sobolem reliquit Thomam hic placide dormientem filium unicum haeredem filias vero duas primogenitam Margaretam Hugoni Earth Armi ge ro conjugatam alteram Annam Prideaux Armigero in matrimonium datumWhich may be translated John Ridgeway Esquire a man liberally and nobly educated of sharp intellect and outstandingly skilled in effecting business and on that account most well deserving Of the highest and unblemished loyalty towards Kings Henry the Eighth Edward the Sixth and Queen Mary The father of Thomas Ridgeway here buried the grandfather of Sir Thomas Ridgeway Knight son and heir of the same Thomas also resting in this place the worthy memory of whom now also is commended to posterity Elizabeth Wentford a woman worthy of all praise buried in this church he had as his wife by whom he left progeny Thomas here peacefully sleeping his only son and heir two daughters the first born Margaret married to Hugh Earth i e Yeoworthe Esquire the second Anne given in marriage to Prideaux Esquire Sources editVirgoe Roger biography of Ridgeway John by 1517 60 of the Middle Temple London and Newton Abbot Abbotskerswell and Tor Mohun Devon published in History of Parliament House of Commons 1509 1558 ed S T Bindoff 1982 1 References edit Pole Sir William d 1635 Collections Towards a Description of the County of Devon Sir John William de la Pole ed London 1791 p 499 a b c d e f g h Virgoe Vivian Lt Col J L Ed The Visitations of the County of Devon Comprising the Heralds Visitations of 1531 1564 amp 1620 Exeter 1895 p 647 pedigree of Ridgeway regnal date 7 Henry VIII Suggested by use of dotted line Vivian p 647 Virgoe Pole Sir William d 1635 Collections Towards a Description of the County of Devon Sir John William de la Pole ed London 1791 p 499 Pole p 469 Pole Sir William died 1635 Collections Towards a Description of the County of Devon Sir John William de la Pole ed London 1791 p 269 a b c Pole p 272 Risdon Tristram died 1640 Survey of Devon 1811 edition London 1811 with 1810 Additions p 146 Vivian Vivian p 624 pedigree of Prideaux Vivian p 647 Pevsner Nikolaus amp Cherry Bridget The Buildings of England Devon London 2004 p 851 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title John Ridgeway died 1560 amp oldid 1185294517, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
