Chapter 7: 

Sir William Carew (1435 - 1501)

15 generations between Sir William Carew and James Rupuha Elers

The lives of Sir William Carew and Margaret Chedworth

Source: Predominantly “The National Archive Prob 11/12/390 12” ie The Will and Probate of Sir William - See figure 1 

The records for this family are very sketchy and seemingly ambiguous. As a result, I have had to rely on the last will and testament of Sir William Carew (dated 26 May 1501 and proved 28 June 1501), to ascertain that he and wife Margaret had four children. Also, the will of the mother of his first wife Jane to prove he and Jane had two children.

• William, son of Sir Nicholas Carew and Joan Courtenay, was born in 1435.

• He was made a Knight Banneret by King Henry V11 in 1487.

• William died in 1501 and was buried in St Mary’s Church, Bury St Edmunds, where his altar-tomb is to be seen in the chancel, with the recumbent effigies of himself and wife Margaret.

• He married firstly Jane Drury, widow of Thomas Hervey who had died in 1467.

• According to memorial ID 125359034 in Find A Grave, Jane was born in 1443 at Ickworth, St Edmundsbury, Suffolk, England.

• Jane was the daughter of Henry Drury and his wife Elizabeth Eton.

• William and Jane had two children Roger Carew (died as an infant in 1479) and Elizabeth Carew.

• In the will of Elizabeth (William’s mother-in-law) Drury dated 14 March 1476, she refers to her daughter Jane (by then deceased), Jane’s husband William Carew, and her grandchildren Roger and Elizabeth.

• Jane died in 1475 and was buried at St Mary’s Churchyard, Ickworth.

• The Herveys owned Ickworth for almost 500 years and the family members are buried in the vault under the church and in the churchyard.

• William married secondly, Margaret Chedworth (1445-2 July 1525), in 1474. She was the daughter of William Chedworth of Stepney and his wife Joan.

• William died in 1501 and was buried at St Mary’s Churchyard, Bury St Edmunds, with his wife (figures 2 and 3).

The visitors to St Mary’s have access to a guidebook. The following is an excerpt of that guidebook applicable to Sir William and his wife:

“THE TOMB OF SIR WILLIAM CAREWE (d. 1501): He requested to be buried on the north side of the chancel before the image of Our Lady there. The tomb is similar, but less elaborate than the Drury tomb opposite. He has his feet on the traditional lion, to show his knighthood. His second wife Margaret (nee Chedworth, d 1525) has two small collared dogs at her feet.

Sir William had property in Eastgate and Westgate streets. He bequeathed two houses in Westgate Street to the Jesus Guild, who met in the adjacent north chapel, the proximity of which must have influenced his choice of burial place. The Carewe arms are three lions, which can be seen on the grave of their son John (d. 1523). This was originally to the south of the tomb, but was moved, along with several others, to the north chapel when the sanctuary was enlarged and paved in 1901.”

“GRAVESTONES: By the door curtain is a stone with two, out of four, Shields remaining with the arms of Carew, and the indents for John Carew (d. 1523), his wife and children.”

As noted in his last will and testament, from his marriage to Margaret, Sir William had four sons and one daughter:

1. John Carew (1475 – 1 March 1524)

• See bio in the “Family of John Carew and Marjery Kelly” – Chapter 8.

2. William Carew

• 2nd son, of Abridge, Essex who married and had two sons John Carew of Abridge and Thomas Carew (1515 – 1551) of Stortford, Hertfordshire. William received all his father’s lands and tenements in Wickhambrook.

3. Nicholas Carew

• Nothing appears to be known about him (but is mentioned in his father’s probate as receiving all lands and tenements in Flempton, Hengrave, and Farnham All Saints).

4. William Carew

• Nothing appears to be known about him (but is mentioned in his father’s probate as receiving the tenement in Stepney and the meadow in Oldeforth Meadow).

5. Elizabeth Carew

• Nothing appears to be known about her, except the fact her father bequeathed her 100 marks on the date of her marriage.