Thomas Gerard (1593–1634),

lord of the manor Lord of the manor is a title that, in Anglo-Saxon England and Norman England, referred to the landholder of a historical rural estate. The titles date to the English Feudalism, feudal (specifically English feudal barony, baronial) system. The ...

of Trent in Somerset (now in Dorset), was an

antiquary An antiquarian or antiquary () is an aficionado or student of antiquities or things of the past. More specifically, the term is used for those who study history with particular attention to ancient artefacts, archaeological and historic sit ...

and historian of the county of

Dorset Dorset ( ; Archaism, archaically: Dorsetshire , ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by Somerset to the north-west, Wiltshire to the north and the north-east, Hampshire to the east, t ...

and is the author of ''"Coker's" Survey of Dorsetshire''.

Career

He was born at Trent, in Somerset, in 1593 and was educated at Gloucester Hall, Oxford.Dorset Ancestors

Country historian

He was the first "county historian" of Dorset, but his work has traditionally been attributed to the clergyman John Coker, hence known as "Coker's Survey of Dorsetshire". He thus joined other "county historians" who made an appearance during his era, such as Sir

William Pole William Pole (22 April 181430 December 1900) was an English engineer, astronomer, musician and an authority on Whist. Life He was born in Birmingham on 22 April 1814, the son of Thomas Pole. Pole was apprenticed as an engineer to Charles H. ...

(d.1635) and

Tristram Risdon Tristram Risdon (c. 1580 – 1640) was an English antiquarian and topographer, and the author of ''Survey of the County of Devon''. He was able to devote most of his life to writing this work. After he completed it in about 1632 it circulated a ...

(d.1640) of Devon, William Burton (d.1645) of Leicestershire (a friend of his), etc., and most notably

William Camden William Camden (2 May 1551 – 9 November 1623) was an English antiquarian, historian, topographer, and herald, best known as author of ''Britannia'', the first chorographical survey of the islands of Great Britain and Ireland that relates la ...

(d.1623).

Publications

*''"Coker's" Survey of Dorsetshire, Containing the Antiquities and Natural History of that County'', published posthumously in 1732. It was relied on heavily by John Hutchins for his ''History and Antiquities of the County of Dorset''. *''Particular Description of Somerset'', unfinished work.

Marriage and children

In 1618 he married Ann Coker (1603-1633), a daughter of Robert CokerText on monument in St Andrew's Church, Trent of

Mappowder Mappowder is a village and civil parish in the county of Dorset in southern England. The parish lies approximately southeast of the town of Sherborne and covers about at an elevation of . It is sited on Corallian limestone soil at the southern ...

in Dorset. She died in childbirth on 25 June 1633, aged 29 years, 10 months and 7 days, as her monument in St Andrew's Church, Trent states. By Ann he had children including: *Ann Gerard, who in 1646 married Col.

Sir Francis Wyndham, 1st Baronet Sir Francis Wyndham, 1st Baronet (c. 1612 – 15 July 1676) of Trent, Dorset was an English soldier and politician who sat in the House of Commons of England at various times from 1640 until his death in 1676. During the First English Civil ...

(c.1612-1676), of the prominent Wyndham family of

Orchard Wyndham Orchard Wyndham is a historic manor near Williton in Somerset, centred on the synonymous grade I listed manor house of Orchard Wyndham that was situated historically in the parish of Watchet and about two miles south of the parish church of ...

in Somerset, a colonel of horse in the

Royalist A royalist supports a particular monarch as head of state for a particular kingdom, or of a particular dynastic claim. In the abstract, this position is royalism. It is distinct from monarchism, which advocates a monarchical system of gove ...

army during the

Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...

who helped the future King Charles II to escape to France. In 1651 Charles was given refuge at the manor house of Trent, on his way to the port of

Bridport Bridport is a market town and civil parish in Dorset, England, inland from the English Channel near the confluence of the River Brit and its tributary the River Asker, Asker. Its origins are Anglo-Saxons, Saxon and it has a long history as a ...

in Dorset and thence to exile in France.

Sources

*''Thomas Gerard of Trent'', 2011 article, ''Dorset Ancestors'' websit

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gerard, Thomas 17th-century English historians English antiquarians 1593 births 1634 deaths History of Dorset