Edward Griffin (died 16 December 1569) of Dingley, Northamptonshire was an English landowner and lawyer. He was

Solicitor General A solicitor general is a government official who serves as the chief representative of the government in courtroom proceedings. In systems based on the English common law that have an attorney general or equivalent position, the solicitor general ...

from 1545 to 1552 and

Attorney General In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general (: attorneys general) or attorney-general (AG or Atty.-Gen) is the main legal advisor to the government. In some jurisdictions, attorneys general also have executive responsibility for law enf ...

from 1552 to 1558. He was the second son of Sir Nicholas Griffin (1476 – 1509) of Braybrooke, Northamptonshire and his second wife, Alice Thornborough, daughter of John Thornborough of

Hampshire Hampshire (, ; abbreviated to Hants.) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Berkshire to the north, Surrey and West Sussex to the east, the Isle of Wight across the Solent to the south, ...

. His elder brother was Sir Thomas Griffin (1496 – 1566) of Braybrooke who married Jane Newton, daughter of Richard Newton of Court of Wick, in Yatton, Somerset. Following a family tradition, he was admitted as a student to

Lincoln's Inn The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn, commonly known as Lincoln's Inn, is one of the four Inns of Court (professional associations for Barrister, barristers and judges) in London. To be called to the bar in order to practise as a barrister ...

and was Autumn Reader in 1537. His brother Thomas was groom of the privy chamber at the reception of

Anne of Cleves Anne of Cleves (; 28 June or 22 September 1515 – 16 July 1557) was List of English royal consorts, Queen of England from 6 January to 12 July 1540 as the Wives of Henry VIII, fourth wife of Henry VIII. Little is known about Anne before 1527, ...

in 1539. Edward Griffin was elected one of the Governors of Lincoln's Inn in 1540. He was

from 18 June 1545, during the reign of

Henry VIII Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is known for his Wives of Henry VIII, six marriages and his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. ...

and

Edward VI Edward VI (12 October 1537 – 6 July 1553) was King of England and King of Ireland, Ireland from 28 January 1547 until his death in 1553. He was crowned on 20 February 1547 at the age of nine. The only surviving son of Henry VIII by his thi ...

. He was appointed

on 21 May 1552 and continued in that role under

Mary I Mary I (18 February 1516 – 17 November 1558), also known as Mary Tudor, was Queen of England and Ireland from July 1553 and Queen of Spain as the wife of King Philip II from January 1556 until her death in 1558. She made vigorous a ...

. A devout Catholic, he was removed from office on the accession of

Elizabeth I Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was List of English monarchs, Queen of England and List of Irish monarchs, Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. She was the last and longest reigning monarch of the House of Tudo ...

. Griffin acquired an existing house, a Preceptory of the Knights Hospitallers, at Dingley, Northamptonshire at the dissolution of the monasteries, and rebuilt it in the 1550s. The porch of Dingley Hall is carved with the date 1558 and the initials of Griffin and his second wife, and other inscriptions.

came to Dingley from

Collyweston Collyweston is a village and Civil parishes in England, civil parish in North Northamptonshire, about three miles southwest of Stamford, Lincolnshire, on the road (the A43 road, A43) to Kettering. The population of the civil parish at the 2011 ...

on her progress on 3 August June 1566.

Marriages and children

He married three times.
First, in 1535, Elizabeth Palmer, daughter of Robert Palmer of Bowden, Northamptonshire, and Grace Coste, with whom he had a son and four daughters: * Sir Edward Griffin (d. 1620), married Lucy Conyers (d. 1620) at Wakerley in 1569, with whom he had two sons and three daughters: ** Sir Thomas Griffin (1580 – 1615) ** Sir Edward Griffin (1587 – 1681) ** Frances Griffin, married Sir Gregory Cromwell, a son of

Henry Cromwell, 2nd Baron Cromwell Henry Cromwell, 2nd Baron Cromwell (before 1 March 1538 – 20 November 1592), the son of Gregory Cromwell, 1st Baron Cromwell and Elizabeth Seymour, Lady Cromwell, Elizabeth Seymour, was an English peer during the reign of Elizabeth I. He was t ...

** Elizabeth Griffin, who married Cecil Hall of

Grantham Grantham () is a market town and civil parish in the South Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England, situated on the banks of the River Witham and bounded to the west by the A1 road (Great Britain), A1 road. It lies south of Lincoln, England ...

Lincolnshire Lincolnshire (), abbreviated ''Lincs'', is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the East Midlands and Yorkshire and the Humber regions of England. It is bordered by the East Riding of Yorkshire across the Humber estuary to th ...

, eldest son of Arthur Hall. **Anne Griffin, who married Sir William Villiers of Brooksby. * Grace Griffin married Simon Norwich of Brampton Ash, Northamptonshire. * Jane Griffin (d. 1588) married Henry Keble of Humberston,

Leicestershire Leicestershire ( ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the East Midlands of England. It is bordered by Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire to the north, Rutland to the east, Northamptonshire to the south-east, Warw ...

. * Margaret Griffin married William Plumpton. * Mary Griffin married Edward Conyers, brother of Reginald Conyers of Wakerley, Northamptonshire. Second: Anne Smith, daughter of John Smith, Baron of the Exchequer, with whom he had a daughter: * Anne Griffin. Third: Elizabeth Chamber, daughter of Geoffrey Chamber of

Stanmore Stanmore is part of the London Borough of Harrow in Greater London. It is centred northwest of Charing Cross, lies on the outskirts of the London urban area and includes Stanmore Hill, one of the List of highest points in London, highest point ...

, Middlesex, and widow of Sir Walter Stonor (d. 1551) and Reginald Conyers (d. 1560), with whom he had a son: * Sir Rice Griffin of Bickmarsh, who married Margaret Throckmorton (d. 1615), daughter of Thomas Throckmorton of Coughton, Warwickshire: ** Edward Griffen (d. 1659) of Bickmarsh, father of Nicholas Griffin (d. 1644), who married Anne Lingen (d. 1660) of Stoke Edith.

Gallery

Architecture of the renaissance in England Plate 55 Dingley Hall the front.jpg, Dingley Hall All Saints church, Dingley (geograph 3215961).jpg, All Saints church, Dingley Architecture of the renaissance in England Plate 39 The Griffin Monument Braybrook Church.jpg, Griffin Monument at All Saints church, Braybrooke All Saints Church, Braybrooke - geograph.org.uk - 103571.jpg, All Saints church, Braybrooke, Northamptonshire

Death and burial

Edward Griffin died on 16 December 1569 and was buried near the chancel in the parish church at Dingley.: Edward Griffin was not knighted. In his will, dated 11 August 1569, he refers to his wife by her superior courtesy title of ''Lady Stonor''. He was succeeded by his son, Edward, aged 20 years 5 months and 13 days. His widow married, by 28 August 1572,

Oliver St John Sir Oliver St John (; c. 1598 – 31 December 1673) was an English barrister, judge and politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1640-53. He supported the Parliamentary cause in the English Civil War. Early life St John was the son o ...

of Bletsoe. It is not known for whom the Griffin monument (dated ''c''. 1565-70 by Pevsner) in Braybrooke church was erected in English renaissance style, "but it is a fine example of its kind."

References

Sources

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

External links

''Will of Edward Griffyn or Griffin of Dingley, Northamptonshire''
The National Archives
''Braybrooke, All Saints: Medieval Church in Baybrooke''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Griffin, Edward 16th-century English landowners 1569 deaths People from Northamptonshire 16th-century English lawyers Solicitors general for England and Wales Attorneys general for England and Wales