John Leventhorpe ( 1370 – 1435), of

Sawbridgeworth Sawbridgeworth (traditionally or , now also ) is a town and civil parishes in England, civil parish in Hertfordshire, England, close to the border with Essex. It is east of Hertford and north of Epping, Essex, Epping. It is the northernmo ...

, Hertfordshire and

Ugley Ugley is a small village and civil parish in the non-metropolitan district of Uttlesford in Essex, England. It is about north from Stansted Mountfitchet, and situated between Saffron Walden and Bishop's Stortford. Within the parish is the vill ...

, Essex, was an English politician and one of the

executor An executor is someone who is responsible for executing, or following through on, an assigned task or duty. The feminine form, executrix, is sometimes used. Executor of will An executor is a legal term referring to a person named by the maker o ...

s of both Henry IV's and

Henry V Henry V may refer to: People * Henry V, Duke of Bavaria (died 1026) * Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor (1081/86–1125) * Henry V, Duke of Carinthia (died 1161) * Henry V, Count Palatine of the Rhine (–1227) * Henry V, Count of Luxembourg (1216–1281 ...

's wills.

Life

Leventhorpe was born in Yorkshire in 1370. He was the son and heir of Robert Leventhorpe of Leventhorpe Hall and

Swillington Swillington is a village and civil parish near Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, in the City of Leeds metropolitan borough. It is situated east from Leeds city centre, north of the River Aire, and is surrounded by streams including Fleaking ...

, Yorks. Leventhorpe's mother was named Isabel. By November 1392, he had married Katherine Riley (died 1437), with whom he fathered four sons. He died in November 1435, after making his will on 29 January 1435, and was buried in

. His son Robert, who predeceased him, became member for Hertfordshire in 1425. His son and heir John also became member for Hertfordshire in 1467. On the floor of the south chapel of Great St Mary's church in Sawbridgeworth are brass figures, said to be of John Leventhorpe and his wife, with the arms of France and England quartered but with no inscription.

Career

Leventhorpe was a Member of Parliament for

Hertfordshire Hertfordshire ( or ; often abbreviated Herts) is a ceremonial county in the East of England and one of the home counties. It borders Bedfordshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Essex to the east, Greater London to the ...

in May 1413, March 1416 and 1422. Leventhorpe was a servant of the house of Lancaster and a member of Henry earl of Derby's household, and Henry appointed Leventhorpe as his attorney. He was granted the manor of Ugley in Essex, and in 1399 he became constable of

Odiham Odiham () is a large historic village and civil parish in the Hart district of Hampshire, England. It is twinned with Sourdeval in the Manche Department of France. The 2011 population was 4,406. The parish in 1851 had an area of 7,354 acres ...

castle and keeper of the royal manor there. In October 1401, he became guardian in England of Henry's son,

Thomas of Lancaster Thomas, 2nd Earl of Lancaster ( 1278 – 22 March 1322) was an English nobleman of the first House of Lancaster of the royal House of Plantagenet, Plantagenet Dynasty. He was Earl of Lancaster, Earl of Leicester, Leicester, and Earl of Derby, D ...

. By March 1404, he had taken possession of a number of houses belonging to the duchy in Sawbridgeworth, including purchasing the manor of Shingle Hall from William Wyot in August 1400, and, by 1416, he owned the manor of Thorley. He also held the manors of Chaureth and Hassobury in

Farnham Farnham is a market town and civil parish in Surrey, England, around southwest of London. It is in the Borough of Waverley, close to the county border with Hampshire. The town is on the north branch of the River Wey, a tributary of the ...

. In 1413 (until 1429), he became an executor of Henry IV's will. Before his death, Henry exempted him from holding office in local government or serving as a shire knight.

confirmed all of the grants and appointments awarded to Leventhorpe by his father, and Leventhorpe was also an executor of his will (sharing the distinction of being executor of both kings' wills with Thomas Langley, bishop of Durham). He also acted, in partnership with son John, as surveyor of the property entrusted to their care. The Leventhorpe Academy in Sawbridgeworth is named after the Leventhorpe family.

References

1370s births 1435 deaths 14th-century English people People from Yorkshire English MPs May 1413 People from Sawbridgeworth English MPs March 1416 English MPs 1422 Members of the Parliament of England for Hertfordshire {{15thC-England-MP-stub

Life

Career

See also

References