The Throckmortons through their paintings

Follow the family’s story through their incredible collection of portraits and art Staircase

Judith Tracey Oil on panel; English school c.1570 The Throckmortons increased their influence through marriage alliances with important local families. Judith’s mother was from the Lucy family at nearby Charlecote Park and her father was a Protestant Member of Parliament. She married , who was Nicholas and Robert’s cousin, and lived nearby. Katharine Vaux (c1488–1571) Oil on panel; English school c.1576 The daughter of Lord Vaux and aunt of , Henry VIII’s sixth wife, Katherine married George Throckmorton and gave birth Sir James Wilford to 19 children. She remained a (c1516–1550) Catholic despite her Parr family Oil on panel; after Hans Eworth, connections, but lived to see 16th Century her son Nicholas choose to The Throckmortons also boosted be a Protestant and her family their family position through divided by religion. Her many marriages with nationally known surviving children went on to families. Robert’s grandson, marry into prominent families John, married Agnes Wilford, and as a result five of the granddaughter of Sir James conspirators Wilford. Sir James was an were related to Katherine Vaux. English soldier who found fame as Commander during the dramatic Siege of Haddington in Edward VI’s war with France and Scotland 1548–49. The siege is shown in the top right.

4 Sir (1515—1571) Oil on panel; English school c.1564 Nicholas was Robert’s younger brother but he chose to convert to the new church founded by King Henry VIII. He was knighted by Henry’s Sir Robert Throckmorton Protestant son Edward VI, was (d.1580) Chamberlain of the Exchequer and Ambassador to France Oil on panel; English school and Scotland. However, when 16th Century the Catholic Mary I took the Robert inherited the newly throne he became involved built begun in the Wyatt rebellion against by his grandfather, who had the Queen and was arrested. gained wealth and position He survived in exile and his by supporting the Tudors in daughter, Bess, went on to the Wars of the Roses. Robert marry Sir . became High Sheriff of Warwick and Leicester and remained a staunch Catholic after Henry VIII split the church in . He endured religious persecution under the Protestant . His daughters, Anne and Muriel, were mothers of the Gunpowder plotters Catesby and Tresham.

START

5 John Throckmorton Oil on board; English school c.1609 Married Agnes Wilford, granddaughter of the famous soldier Sir James Wilford (seen lower down the stairs). His son was made 1st Baronet Clement Throckmorton by Charles I at the start of the Civil War. Parliamentary forces (1682–c.1716) garrisoned Coughton, which Oil on canvas; English then suffered bombardment by Royalists before being set alight and abandoned by the garrison in 1644. Lucy Throckmorton Oil on canvas; circle of Michael Dahl c.1700 Lucy Throckmorton of Haseley was the granddaughter of the clever Protestant politician Clement. After the execution of Charles I, their branch of the Throckmorton family provided Members of Parliament for Warwickshire—both under Cromwell’s rule and the ‘Cavalier’ Parliaments of Charles II. Powerful connections like these helped the Catholic Throckmortons survive persecution and meant that Sir Robert’s heirs retained the land and the money to rebuild Coughton.

7 Catherine Collingwood Thomas Peter Giffard of Chillington Oil on canvas; John Vanderbank 1737 (1735–1776) Having survived the turbulent seventeenth Oil on canvas; studio of Pompeo Batoni c.1768 century, the Coughton Throckmortons Married Barbara Throckmorton, daughter remained staunchly Catholic. They of Sir Robert (4th Baronet) and Catherine continued to socialise with and marry Collingwood. This is believed to be, at least into other important rebellious families in part, the work of the renowned artist like the Collingwoods. Catherine’s father Pompeo Batoni. He painted those travelling had been hung, drawn and quartered the Grand Tour. The Giffards of Chillington following his support for the failed were also a wealthy Catholic family. Jacobite uprising against the new King, George I, in 1715. Despite considering becoming a nun she instead married Sir Robert Throckmorton (4th Baronet).

6 Anne, Lady Anderley (d.1642) Oil on canvas; style of Cornelius Jonson 17th century Sister of Mary Yate, née Pakington, she married into a prominent Catholic and Royalist family.

Sir John Yate (1605–1659) Oil on canvas; English school 17th century Sir John married Mary Sir Charles Yate Pakington, who had (c.1643—1680) inherited the extensive Description on right estates of her family with her sister. Through their marriage, John and Mary controlled large estates and grand houses including both Buckland and Harvington. Their granddaughter, also Mary, married Sir Francis Throckmorton’s son and heir, Sir Robert (3rd Baronet) and brought her family’s land and wealth into the Throckmorton family. This injection of wealth came at a critical time; Sir Francis William Herbert Sir Robert was still Throckmorton completing the repairs and 2nd Marquis of Powis 2nd Baronet improvements to Coughton (d.1745) (1641–1680) started by his father, Francis. Oil on canvas; style of With the overthrow of Description on right Sir Godfrey Kneller 18th Century James II in 1688 in favour of A Catholic supporter of James II the Protestant William and and the Jacobite cause, he was Mary of Orange, there were imprisoned in the Tower and anti-Catholic riots and a Newgate jail during the reign of mob attacked the East Wing Protestant monarchs William and at Coughton on hearing Mary before exiling himself to rumours of a newly built Europe. Eventually regarded as private chapel. The East harmless, he was reinstated to Wing at Coughton remained his lands and titles after 1715. His derelict for the next century daughter, Lady Theresa Herbert, before being pulled down. became the first wife of Sir Robert Throckmorton 4th Baronet. 10 Mary Yate Oil on canvas; circle of Peter Borsseler c.1664 Wealthy daughter of Humphrey Pakington of Harvington Hall, Mary married Sir John Yate. Their granddaughter, also called Mary, married Sir Francis Sir Charles Yate Sir Robert Throckmorton Throckmorton, (c.1643—1680) (3rd Baronet) and brought his family significant 2nd Baronet Large painting (left): land and wealth. In this (1641–1680) oil on canvas; attributed to Pieter Borsseler c.1664 painting she is shown at Oil on canvas; Gerard the age of 54, wearing Soest 17th century Small painting (above); widow’s clothes. Inherited the badly oil on canvas, English damaged Coughton school Court in 1650, aged 8, Son of Sir John and Mary Ambrose during the English Civil Yate and father to the Throckmorton War. It cost a fortune Mary who married Sir Oil on canvas; English school to rebuild; £2,355 on Robert (3nd Baronet), 17th century bricks and stonework bringing with her the alone between 1663 estates at Buckland and Son of John Throckmorton and 1665. The trauma Harvington. Marriage and brother of Sir Robert of his family’s decline alliances were important (1st Baronet), he is shown in fortunes and cost of ways to improve status. dressed in armour. He Coughton’s repair made was a Lieutenant Colonel him tight with money in the regiment raised and as a result he fell by the Throckmortons out with his wife, who from their estate tenants loved playing cards. to fight with Charles I They separated and unsuccessfully against after an unhappy court Parliament in the Civil War. battle she secured an Sir Anthony allowance of £350 and Chester of some access to her Chicheley children. She outlived Francis and lived at Oil on canvas; style of Coughton until 1728. Gerard Soest c.1670 Son of an ardent Royalist in the Civil War, his family served Catholic James II before the King was deposed by Parliament in order to install the Protestant William and Mary to the throne in 1689.

11 Tribune

Alatheia Fairfax (m. 1677) Oil on canvas; English school Alatheia was a cousin of Mary Yate, whose marriage to Sir Robert, the 3rd Baronet, brought the estates of Buckland and Harvington to the Throckmortons. Alatheia is pictured here as a child, holding a bouquet of spring flowers. She would go on to marry William Widdrington and would see him lose all his family’s Northumberland estates as punishment after he supported the Jacobite uprising against the Protestant English monarchy in 1715. The threat of Catholic plots and rebellions was used by the English state to justify the legal persecution of all Catholics.

Sir Nicholas Throckmorton (1515–1571) Oil on canvas; English school c.1564 Nicholas converted to the new church founded by King Henry VIII. He was knighted by Henry’s Protestant son Edward VI, was Chamberlain of the Exchequer and Ambassador to France and Scotland. However, when the Catholic Mary I took the throne, he became involved in the Wyatt rebellion against the Queen and was arrested. Whilst not found guilty, he was forced to live abroad, away from his family and lands, in exile. His daughter, Bess, served Elizabeth I but fell out of favour with the Queen after she married Sir Walter Raleigh, one of Elizabeth’s favourites, without royal permission. Sir Walter Raleigh ended up imprisoned and was later beheaded. Bess kept his head in a bag that she carried around with her.

26 Three Children The Saloon Oil on canvas; attributed to Eden Upton Eddis (1812–1901) This portrait has been attributed to Eden Upton Eddis, who was famed for his ability to paint delicately detailed portraits of children. The family records of who these children are, are now sadly lost.

Lieutenant-Colonel Richard Courtenay Mrs Elizabeth Clare McLaren- Throckmorton (1866—1916) Throckmorton (1935–2017) Oil on canvas; Oil on canvas; Sergei Pavlenko 1996 by John Saint Helier Lander (1868–1944) Affectionately known at Coughton as ‘Mrs T.’ Courtenay was the nephew of Sir William, 9th Mrs T moved to Coughton in the early 1990s Baronet, who was childless. It was expected following the death of her uncle, Sir Robert, 11th that the Baronetcy and Coughton would Baronet. Clare was the granddaughter of Lady pass to Courtenay through his father. Lilian and was passionate about Coughton and her family’s history. A successful lawyer and one Courtenay married Lilian, from the wealthy of the first female QCs, she retired early from Langford-Brooke family. They had three children law in 1992 to devote herself to Coughton Court. together and all came to live with Sir William Clare and her daughter, Christina Williams, at Coughton. The family sold most of their took the bare lawns and bramble-filled walled remaining estates in 1908 to ensure they could garden and created the stunning gardens protect Coughton as their family home. you see today. Her grandson, Magnus Birch Courtenay had joined the army in 1887 and had Throckmorton, now lives in the North Wing and fought in various colonial wars as an officer, manages the gardens with his wife, Imogen. including the Boer War in South Africa, 1899–1902. In the First World War he was sent to Mesopotamia (now Iraq), where he was killed in 1916. This painting was created after his death for his widow, Lady Lilian, based on photographs. His son, Sir Robert, the 11th Baronet, inherited Coughton on the death of Courtenay’s father, Sir Richard, in 1927. 27 Sir John Acton 6th Baronet (1735–1811) Cardinal Charles Januarius Oil on canvas; by Giovanni Griffoni (late 18th century) Edward Acton (1803–1847) Prime Minister of Naples and father of Elizabeth Throckmorton, Oil on canvas; Vincenzo Morani wife of Sir Robert (8th Baronet). Sir John made his name in the (1809–1870) Tuscan navy, before reforming the Neapolitan navy. Catholic Brother of Elizabeth Queen Maria Carolina of Naples appointed Sir John the Prime Throckmorton, second son of Minister of her Kingdom. His naval reforms and subsequent Sir John Acton. Charles became high taxation made him very unpopular and contributed to a Catholic Priest and officiated at an uprising against the Queen. He went on to help reinstate his sister’s marriage to Sir Robert, the Queen of Naples, through imposing a brutal military 8th Baronet, in 1829. In 1842 he regime on her lands that only increased his unpopularity. achieved the rank of Cardinal.

Elizabeth Acton, Lady Throckmorton (d.1850) with Courtenay Throckmorton and Sir Ferdinand Mary Elizabeth Throckmorton Richard Acton Oil on canvas; John Partridge c.1833 (1801–1837) Elizabeth, wife of Sir Robert, the 8th Baronet, is Oil on canvas; pictured here with her two eldest children. A study Vincenzo Morani in pastels for the group can be seen beneath the (1830) painting. Courtenay died aged only 23, whilst Son of Sir John Mary Elizabeth, known as Minnie, would go on to Acton, brother work as a governess to the Empress of Austria. to Elizabeth Throckmorton.

28 Maria Catherine Giffard (1762–1821) Oil on canvas; James Northcote, RA (1746–1831). c.1830 Wife of John Throckmorton, 5th Baronet, who filled in the moat and made many other changes to the appearance of Coughton. Daughter of Thomas Giffard, she and her sister-in-law, Catherine Stapleton, were good friends of the hugely popular poet William Cowper. They granted him the freedom of the family’s Weston Underwood estate, where he wrote many of his poems, including his mock-elegyOn The Death Of Mrs Throckmortons’ Bullfinch. Maria made fair copies of his new compositions and helped nurse him through his bouts of severe and debilitating depression.

Sir Robert George John Throckmorton, 5th Baronet (1754–1819) Throckmorton, 8th Baronet Oil on canvas; attributed to Thomas Phillips, RA (1770–1845) (1800—1862) Sir Robert had spent his later years making big changes to Oil on canvas; Thomas Phillips RA Coughton and the family’s other estates and his grandson (1770–1845) carried on the works, filling in the moat that had surrounded Sir Robert was one of the first the house and extending the front either side of the Tower. Catholic MPs after the Roman Growing up to see the decriminalisation of Catholic worship Catholic Relief Act was passed in and and an end to fines for failure to attend Protestant church 1829, allowing Catholics to stand services, Sir John was a more liberal Catholic. Whilst he for Parliament for the first time in supported the recognition of the Pope’s authority in matters 300 years. As a celebration of his of dogma (teaching and biblical law) he was part of a group family’s new-found legal freedoms that supported an English government veto on elected Sir Robert also had the Catholic Catholic Bishops. Church at Coughton built at the end of the south drive. It is unlikely such In September 1806 the Prince Regent, later to be King a large stone church was required for George IV, came for breakfast at Coughton with Sir John. The Coughton village and the surrounding Prince Regent had previously been illegally married to Maria areas; rather, it was probably Fitzherbert, a relation of the Throckmortons through marriage. commissioned to make a statement about the end to much of the state- endorsed persecution of Catholics.

29 The Weaving of the Throckmorton Coat, for a Wager in 1811 Oil on canvas; 19th century In 1811, Sir John Throckmorton, 5th Baronet, entered a bet at Newbury to prove that a coat could be made in just one day: from sunrise when the wool was on the backs of two sheep, to sunset when the brown tailored coat rested on his shoulders. This large painting shows the crowds amassing for the event, the sheep being shorn, the wool being spun, and the waiting loom.

30 Sir William Throckmorton, 9th Baronet (1838–1919) Oil on canvas; British school, c.1900 William inherited from his father after his elder brother died aged just 23 years old. He was a keen member of the Jockey Club, racing horses and even winning some trophies. The expense of his racing pursuits, lifestyle and the cost of the remaining estates forced him to sell off most of the other lands and houses. He even rented Coughton out for a time before moving back in with his nephew, Courtenay, and his young family.

Peter Langford-Brooke Sir George Throckmorton, (1793–1840) 6th Baronet (1754–1826) Oil on canvas; James Northcote, Oil on canvas; style of George RA (1746–1831). c.1830 Romney (1734–1802) Courtenary Throckmorton, George inherited all the family Sir Charles Throckmorton, nephew of Sir William, 9th estates from his brother, Sir 7th baronet (1757–1840) Baronet, was due to inherit John, in 1819. George lived as Oil on canvas; attributed to Coughton until he was killed an invalid, suffering painfully Laurence J. Cossé, RA (1784—1837) in the First World War. He from gout, at the family’s house Charles was a natural historian, married Lilian Langford- at Weston Underwood for the keen hunter and had trained as Brooke, from Cheshire. five years he was Baronet. a physician. He travelled and With no male heir, on his death his diary records a number of the title and lands passed to his adventures, including his being younger brother Charles. The taken prisoner in France when family fortunes were already England unexpectedly declared in decline and on George’s War on Napoleon Bonaparte death, Weston Underwood in 1803. Following the death was largely demolished and of his brother he moved to Charles took up residence Coughton and became one back at Coughton Court. of its most popular Baronets, famed locally for his generous celebration parties for labourers and their families during national celebrations, such as Queen Victoria’s coronation – with an orange and medal given to every child in the village.

31