Sir Edward Unton KB (1534 – 16 September 1582) was an English politician, high sheriff and

Knight of the Bath The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by King George I of Great Britain, George I on 18 May 1725. Recipients of the Order are usually senior British Armed Forces, military officers or senior Civil Service ...

. Edward was the eldest son of Sir Alexander Unton of Wadley House at

Faringdon Faringdon is a historic market town in the Vale of White Horse, Oxfordshire, England, south-west of Oxford, north-west of Wantage and east-north-east of Swindon. Its views extend to the River Thames in the north and the highest ground visib ...

Berkshire Berkshire ( ; abbreviated ), officially the Royal County of Berkshire, is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Oxfordshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the north-east, Greater London ...

(now

Oxfordshire Oxfordshire ( ; abbreviated ''Oxon'') is a ceremonial county in South East England. The county is bordered by Northamptonshire and Warwickshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the east, Berkshire to the south, and Wiltshire and Glouceste ...

) and his wife, Cecily, daughter of Edward Bulstrode of Hedgerley in

Buckinghamshire Buckinghamshire (, abbreviated ''Bucks'') is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England and one of the home counties. It is bordered by Northamptonshire to the north, Bedfordshire to the north-east, Hertfordshir ...

. He inherited his father's estates in 1547. Eight years later, he married

Anne Anne, alternatively spelled Ann, is a form of the Latin female name Anna (name), Anna. This in turn is a representation of the Hebrew Hannah (given name), Hannah, which means 'favour' or 'grace'. Related names include Annie (given name), Annie a ...

, the daughter of

Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset, 1st Earl of Hertford, 1st Viscount Beauchamp (150022 January 1552) was an English nobleman and politician who served as Lord Protector of England from 1547 to 1549 during the minority of his nephew King E ...

and widow of John Dudley, 2nd Earl of Warwick; together they had seven children. His eldest son

Edward Edward is an English male name. It is derived from the Anglo-Saxon name ''Ēadweard'', composed of the elements '' ēad'' "wealth, fortunate; prosperous" and '' weard'' "guardian, protector”. History The name Edward was very popular in Anglo-S ...

became MP for Berkshire (1584, 1586). His younger son Sir

Henry Unton Sir Henry Unton (or Umpton) (c. 155723 March 1596) was an Elizabethan era, Elizabethan English people, English diplomat. Life Unton was born at Wychwood and was the second son of Sir Edward Unton (high sheriff), Edward Unton (d. 1583) of Litt ...

was the English ambassador to France. He was knighted in 1559; he was appointed

High Sheriff of Berkshire The High Sheriff of Berkshire, in common with other counties, was originally the King's representative on taxation upholding the law in Anglo-Saxons, Saxon times. The word Sheriff evolved from 'shire-reeve'. The title of High Sheriff#United King ...

in 1567. Four years later (1572), he was also elected the Member of Parliament for

. He had previously been MP for

Malmesbury Malmesbury () is a town and civil parish in north Wiltshire, England, which lies approximately west of Swindon, northeast of Bristol, and north of Chippenham. The older part of the town is on a hilltop which is almost surrounded by the upp ...

(1554) and for

(1563). He died in 1582 and was buried in Faringdon church. His monument reads: ''"Here lyeth Sir Edward Unton, Knight of the Noble Order of the Bathe, whoe married Anne Countess of Warwick, daughter of Edwarde Seymer Duke of Somersett and Protector of England, by whome he had ffive sonnes, whereof 3 died younge in the life of their father; Two, namelye Edwarde and Henry onely, survyved and succeeded him, the one after the other in their father's inheritance; and two daughters, Anne married to Sir Valentine Knightley, Knight, and Scissil married to John Wentworth, Esquire"''. He left heavy debts, and his daughter Scissil (or Cicely) and her husband John Wentworth had considerable difficulty obtaining the lands he had bequeathed to her as a result, difficulties which ended in a lawsuit.

References

1534 births 1582 deaths People from Faringdon Members of the Parliament of England for Berkshire High sheriffs of Berkshire Knights of the Bath English MPs 1554–1555 English MPs 1563–1567 English MPs 1572–1583 {{1563-England-MP-stub