Berkshire Old and New Journal of the Berkshire Local History Association No.23 2006 Contents The Legend of Jack of Newbury 3 David Peacock Dr John Lempriere kicks over the traces: distinguished 11 lexicographer and notorious headmaster Nigel Hammond Fitzharris Manor, Abingdon: from gentleman’s residence to demolition 16 Dick Barnes The Listed Churchyard Monuments at Wokingham 26 Barbara Young The Berkshire Bibliography 2006 37 David Cliffe ISSN 0264 9950 Berkshire Local History Association registered charity number 1097355 The Legend of Jack of Newbury President: Professor E. J. T. Collins, BA PhD Chairman and vice-president: Mrs Joan Dils David Peacock Berkshire Local History Association was formed in 1976. Membership is open Introduction to individuals, societies and corporate bodies, such as libraries, schools, During the sixteenth century the English economy was heavily dependent on colleges. The Association covers the whole area of the County of Berkshire, both the production of woollen cloth. It was the most important English industry: pre and post 1974. some experts have estimated that woollen cloth accounted for 90 per cent of English exports.1 In the middle of the sixteenth century Jack of Newbury or Editor Dr J. Brown. The editorial committee welcomes contributions of articles John Winchcombe II (c.1489-1557) was the leading figure in this most and reports for inclusion in forthcoming issues of the journal. Please contact Dr important industry. Jonathan Brown, Museum of English Rural Life, Redlands Road, Reading, For centuries since then Jack of Newbury has been the subject of legend. RG1 5EX (e-mail [email protected]) for guidance on length and It is as if future generations took a figure like Bill Gates and turned him into presentation before submitting a contribution. a pantomime character along the lines of Dick Whittington. Details of books or journals for inclusion in the bibliography section should be The Pleasant Historie of Jack of Newberie sent to David Cliffe, Local Studies Manager, Reading Central Library, Abbey The legend is based around an account by Thomas Deloney, which first Square, Reading, RG1 3BQ. appeared about forty years after the death of Jack of Newbury, proving an instant bestseller. The Pleasant Historie of Jack of Newbery went through The Association would like to express their thanks to all those who helped by at least 10 editions in 30 years. Deloney was a storyteller, and although a assisting with the various stages of producing this issue of the journal. contemporary of Shakespeare he was appealing to a less discriminating market. In compiling his story he made no attempt to carry out serious Cover illustrations Front: Fitzharris House shortly before demolition in 1951 (National Monuments Record) Back: Wokingham church, from a drawing by W. A. Delamotte, 1832 (Wokingham History Group) Berkshire Old and New is published by the Berkshire Local History Association ©2006 Berkshire Local History Association No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means without the written permission of the editor. The representation on any map or plan in this publication of a road, track or footpath is First page of the eighteenth-century edition of Deloney's Pleasant History of Jack of Newbury (1780) no evidence of a right of way. Views expressed by authors are not necessarily endorsed by the Association. 3 Jack of Newbury Jack of Newbury historical research. He was an entertainer, not an historian. He Within another place likewise unashamedly stole from other authors, invented scenes and dialogue, and Full fifty proper men he spies borrowed historical details from other recent publications. And these were Shearemen euery one Deloney described King Henry VIII and Queen Katharine touring Whose skill and cunning there was showne; Winchcombe’s works in Newbury and being impressed by the sheer scale of And hard by them there did remaine the enterprise. He included a poem which used colourful language to Full fourscore Rowers taking paine. describe the processes involved in the making of woollen cloth, and the A Dye-house likewise had he then numbers of people employed by Jack of Newbury: Wherein he kept full forty men; And likewise in his fulling Mill Within one roome being large and long Full twenty persons kept he still. There stood two hundred Loomes full strong: Two hundred men the truth is so, According to Deloney’s poem Jack employed over 1,040 people, an Wrought in these Loomes all in a row. unheard of figure for the woollen cloth industry in the sixteenth century. By euery one a pretty boy Even Deloney seemed to regard this figure as unrealistic: the full title of the Sate making quils with mickle ioy. Pleasant Historie... states instead that ‘...hee set continually fiue hundred And in another place hard by, poore people at worke...’2 In the Pleasant Historie... Deloney also gave An hundred women merily different figures for the number of looms in Jack’s ‘factory’, quoting 200 (in Were carding hard with ioyfull cheere, his poem) and 100. This is at a time when 10 to 20 looms would represent a Who singing sate with voices cleere. very substantial workshop. And Deloney’s poem states that two hundred And in a chamber close beside, spinners were working in Jack’s premises, along with the weavers. Two hundred maidens did abide Historians have assumed that most of the cloth exported from England In petticoats of Stammell red during the Tudor period was exported undyed, to be finished overseas where And milke-white kerchers on their head: there was a high level of expertise. However it can now be shown that the Their smockesleeues like to winter snow thousands of cloths produced each year by Jack of Newbury were dyed in That on the Westerne mountains flow Newbury; and the sheer scale of production and range of colours produced And each sleeue with a silken band indicates that this dyehouse would have been a substantial concern.3 Was featly tied at the hand. Jack of Newbury or John Winchcombe II was also a regional figure in the These pretty maids did neuer lin cloth industry, organising a petition from at least 80 clothiers across four But in that place all day did spin: counties, which is the basis for Deloney’s account of a national clothiers’ And spinning so with voices meet petition. He was England’s leading clothier in the second quarter of the Like Nightingals they sung full sweet. sixteenth century, a figure of national importance.4 He organised and co- Then to another roome came they, ordinated the many stages involved in the production of cloth in the Where children were in poore aray Newbury area, and then arranged for thousands of cloths to be taken to And euery one sate picking wool, London each year before being exported to Antwerp and from there across The finest from the course to cull: Europe and the Middle East. In the international cloth market at Antwerp, The number was seuen score and ten, his cloths were considered of the finest type and the standard by which the The children of poore silly men: quality of other cloths was judged.5 And these their labours to requite Had euery one a penny at night The development of the Legend Beside their meat and drinke all day In the seventeenth century Thomas Fuller included Jack of Newbury in his Which was to them a wondrous stay. 4 5 Jack of Newbury Jack of Newbury History of the Worthies of England, which followed more than 13 editions This paragraph links Jack of Newbury with the brass to John of Deloney’s Pleasant Historie... and drew on Deloney while adding some Winchcombe I which still survives in St Nicolas’ Church in Newbury, a extra details: seemingly incontrovertible piece of evidence which wrongly identifies Jack historically as John Winchcombe I, and not John Winchcombe II.8 But the ‘John Winscombe, commonly called Jack of Newberry, was the most authors were building on Fuller’s reference, and were not quoting from considerable Clothier (without fancy or fiction) England ever beheld. His Deloney’s original text. looms were his lands, whereof he kept one hundred in his house, each The legend of Jack of Newbury grew in popularity during the seventeenth managed by a man and a boy. In the expedition to Flodden-field against century. Jack appeared as a character in major London events staged to King James of Scotland he marched with an hundred of his own men (as celebrate the inauguration of a new Lord Mayor. The Worshipful Company well armed, and better clothed, than any)… of Clothworkers included him as a central character in their ‘Triumph’ of 1662, when Jack of Newbury speech is recorded in the accompanying ‘He feasted King Henry the Eighth and his first Queen Katharine at his programme: own house, extant at Newberry at this day, but divided into many tenements. Well may his house now make sixteen Clothiers houses, In the glad Triumphs that attend this day whose wealth would amount to six hundred of their estates. He built the Let famous Jack of Newbury lead the way Church of Newberry from the Pulpit Westward to the Tower inclusively; As fittest for the place, since he did give and died about the year 1520...’6 An Essence to the Trade, and made it live...9 It is this second paragraph which first wrongly linked Jack of Newbury Jack of Newbury played a similar role in the Clothworkers Triumph of with John Winchcombe I (who died in 1520), rather than his son John 1694: Winchcombe II (d.1557) who was the intended subject of Deloney’s work.