Croft, James (1517/18 - 1590)

Biographical Overview

Parents

Titles - 1
Properties - 6
Total events naming patron - 1
Troupes - 1
Venues - 1
Bibliographic Sources - 10
Legend

patron legend

Base layers

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Born / Died

Birth Date: 1518
Death Date: 1590-09-04

Notes

Imprisoned in the Tower 21 Feb. 1553/4 – 18 Jan. 1554/5; condemned for high treason 28 April 1554 for role in Wyatt’s rebellion; pardoned 16 Feb. 1554/5; restored in blood 3 Mar. 1558/9; imprisoned again Aug. 1588--18 Dec. 1589 for actions during the peace negotiations with Spain; granted wardship of (future son-in-law) John Scudamore of Holme Lacy, Herefordshire, July 1561

Siblings

Male

Croft, Thomas ( - )

Marriages/Other Unions

  1. Warnecombe, Alice ( - 1573)
    Type: marriage
    Union began: ca. 1540
    Union ended: n.d.
    Note: Union produced 1 additional son and 3 additional daughters
  2. Blount, Katherine ( - )
    Type: marriage
    Union began: n.d.
    Union ended: n.d.

Offspring

From Warnecombe, Alice ( - 1573)

  1. Male offspring: Croft, Edward (d. 1601)
  2. Male offspring: Croft, James (d. 1624)
  3. Female offspring: Croft, Eleanor (n.d.)

Titles

  • Knight
    Assumed 1547-11-24
    Vacated 1590-09-04

Details of Offices

Began Ended Notes
MP, Herefordshire 1542 n.d.
Capt, Lincolnshire by 1549-9 n.d.
Council Member, Marches of Wales 1550 n.d.
Council Vice President, Marches of Wales 1550 1551
Deputy, Ireland 1551-4-29 1553-04
Deputy Constable, London 1553-5-1 1553-07-8
Member, Council of the North, England 1557 n.d.
Governor, Northumberland 1559-4-14 1560-08-21 Part of the Marches towards Scotland.
JP, Herefordshire 1559 n.d.
Seneschal, Herefordshire 1559 n.d.
JP, Herefordshire 1561/2 n.d.
MP, Herefordshire 1563 n.d.
JP, Herefordshire 1564 1590 (held office until death)
Commissioner of Musters, Herefordshire 1569 n.d.
Comptroller of the Household, England 1570 n.d.
Constable, Cardiganshire 1570 n.d.
Constable, Montgomeryshire 1570 n.d.
Keeper, Herefordshire 1570 n.d.
Privy Councillor, England 1570-5-24 1590-06-28 (based on date of last attendance)
Steward, Montgomeryshire 1570 n.d.
Steward, Herefordshire by 1570 n.d.
MP, Herefordshire 1571 1572
Steward, Herefordshire by 1571 n.d.
Commissioner of Custos Rotulorum, Herefordshire ca. 1573 n.d.
JP, Wales 1573 1590 (held office until death) Held office in most Welsh counties.
JP, Marches of Wales 1573 1590 (held office until death)
MP, Herefordshire 1584 n.d.
MP, Herefordshire 1586 n.d.
MP, Herefordshire 1589 n.d.

Details of Properties

Residence

  • Shobdon, Herefordshire
    Residence before father's death
  • Croft Castle, Herefordshire
    (Performance Venue)

Lands

  • Herefordshire
    Acquired: 1558/9-03-03
    Substantial grants on accession of Elizabeth I
  • Herefordshire
    Acquired: 1570
    Granted
  • Kent
    Acquired: 1558/9-03-03
    Substantial grants on accession of Elizabeth I
  • Kent
    Acquired: 1570
    Granted

Events Naming Patron

Event Date Location Troupe
Performance 1574-1575 Boothall, Gloucester , Gloucestershire Comptroller's Players

Patronized Troupes

Troupe Name Patron Troupe Type # of events
Comptroller's Players Croft, James (1518 - 1590) Players 1

Owned Venues

Venue Name County Venue Type
Croft Castle Herefordshire Private Residence

Bibliographic Sources

View a list of abbreviations.

Acts of the Privy Council of England [1542–1631]. ns. 46 vols. London: HMSO, 1890–1964.
Bindoff, S.T. The History of Parliament: The House of Commons, 1509–1558. 3 vols. London: Secker & Warburg, 1982.
Calendar of Patent Rolls, Elizabeth I [1558–78]. 7 vols. London: HMSO, 1939–82.
Croft, O.G.S. The House of Croft of Croft Castle. Hereford: E.J. Thurston, 1949.
The Dictionary of National Biography. 1882–1901 (66 vols); 1908–9 (28 vols). 2 vols. London: Oxford UP, 1975.
Ham, R.E. 'The Autobiography of Sir James Croft.' Bulletin of the Institute of Historical Research 50 (1977): 48–57.
Hasler, P.W. The History of Parliament: The House of Commons, 1558–1603. 3 vols. London: HMSO, 1981.
Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. 01/05/2005 (http://www.oxforddnb.com)
Tighe, W.J. 'Courtiers and Politics in Elizabethan Herefordshire: Sir James Croft, His Friends and His Foes.' The Historical Journal 32 (1989): 257–280.
Ulman, Diana. Croft Castle. London: The National Trust, 1975.