THE perils of life in the reign of Henry VIII were vividly brought to life when the Friends of Coughton Court heard a talk by Vic Avis on Sir George Throckmorton, the man who built the famous stately home between Studley and Alcester.
Born around 1489, Sir George had risen to become the King’s Bodyguard by 1513, however, he was a practicing Catholic and when Henry VIII broke with Rome he was imprisoned on several occasions, but was always released.
However in 1537 he was accused of treason and thrown in the tower with a Thomas Dingley.
Sir George asked for a pardon after having “perceived his error by reading the New Testatment” and was released.
Dingley was not so lucky, and was beheaded.
Sir George had married Katherine Vaux in 1509 and by 1533 they couple had had 19 grandchildren.
At the time of his death in 1552 he had 116 living descendants. Katherine survived hime, dying in 1571 at the age of 83.
The Friends’ next meeting is on Wednesday, September 19, when Sir Andrew Hamilton will talk on “Stolen Lives” – individual tragedies of the Great War.
New members are welcome – meetings are held every third Wednesday of the month from March to October, in the restaurant of Coughton Court at 7.15pm.
