John le Scrope, 8th Baron Scrope of Bolton

John le Scrope, 8th Baron Scrope of Bolton was born c. 1510. He lived in the family home in Bolton Castle in Wensleydale, Yorkshire and died 22 Jun 1549, succeeded by his son. [1]

Parents: son of Henry le Scrope, 7th Baron Scrope of Bolton and Mabel Dacre. [2,3]

Married:

1. In 1530 he to Catherine Clifford, daughter of Henry Clifford, 1st Earl of Cumberland in Skipton, Yorkshire by his second wife Lady Margaret Percy, only daughter of Henry Algernon [Percy], 4th Earl of Northumberland. She married secondly, as his second wife, Sir Richard Cholmley MP, of Roxby, Thornton and Whitby Abbey, co. York; d. 1598.

children (5 sons, 5 daughters) of John le Scrope and Catherine Clifford:

1. Hon John Scrope (dvpsp.)
2. Hon Henry Scrope, later 9th Baron Scrope of Bolton
3. Hon George Scrope (dsp.)
4. Hon Edward Scrope (dsp.)
5. Hon Thomas Scrope (dsp.)
6. Hon Margaret Scrope, mar. Sir John Constable, of Burton Constable, co. York (d. 25 May 1579), and had issue
7. Hon Elizabeth Scrope (bur. 6 Nov 1620), mar. Thomas Pudsey, of Barforth, co. York (d. 4 Sep 1576), and had issue
8. Hon Eleanor Scrope (dsp. bef. 1578), mar. Sir Richard Tempest, of Bracewell, co. York
9. Hon Catherine Scrope (dsp.)
10. Hon Joan Scrope (d. young)

The Pilgrimage of Grace

Sir John Scrope, 8th Lord Scrope of Bolton was heavily involved in 'The Pilgrimage of Grace'. This popular uprising was lead by a young lawyer called Robert Aske. Unfortunately Aske was not a soldier or organiser and a number of 'tearaways' such as Ninian Staveley gave them all a bad name and finally destroyed them all. The nobility and senior clergy were blackmailed into joining them with threats that 'Their sons would be kidnapped and their houses burnt down if they didn't.' Scrope initially refused and sought refuge with his father in-law, The Earl of Cumberland in Skipton Castle. The Rebels then besieged Skipton, Scrope in the end agreeing to join them. Robert Aske requested a meeting with Henry VIII and The King agreed to make some concessions to the clergy as a result, however Ninian Staveley and others continued with their excesses in The North which angered the King. Robert Aske was then executed and The Kings' commissioners were despatched to round up the ring leaders. Adam Sedberg, Abbot of Jervaulx sought refuge at Bolton . When the Commissioners arrived at Bolton, The Abbot ran away, hiding out on Witton Fell until he was captured and eventually executed by Public Executioner Cratwell, described by Wriothesley as 'being a very cunning butcher in the quartering of men'. Scrope fled to Skipton, The Kings Commissioners writing to Henry VIII , informed him that they had 'fired Bolton Castle'. It was probably this which has left the Chapel roof ruined. (Bolton Castle)

Extracts from Contemporary Letters

• from Bolton Castle: History - Extracts from Contemporary Letters

Thursday 12th Oct. 1536 Scrope wrote to The Earl of Cumberland, his father in law, "that The Commons of Mashamshire and Nidderdale had occupied Coverham Abbey and Middleham" and were advancing on Bolton to capture himself, he was going into hiding and begged Cumberland to send help to his wife.

Bolton Castle

Bolton is one of the country's best preserved medieval castles, situated in the heart of Wensleydale with stunning views over the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Completed in 1399 by Richard le Scrope, Chancellor of England to Richard II, its scars bear testament to over 600 years of fascinating history including involvement in the Pilgrimage of Grace, Mary Queen of Scots imprisonment and a Civil War siege. The castle has never been sold and remains in the private ownership of Lord Bolton, Sir Richard le Scrope’s direct descendant.

Bolton Castle was a luxurious family home as well as a defensive fortress and, despite being partially 'slighted' by Cromwells' men during the Civil War siege, the Castle is preserved in outstanding condition with many interesting rooms and features to discover including the Old Kitchens, Dungeon, Solar, Nursery, Armoury, Great Chamber and Mary Queen of Scots bedroom. About one third of the rooms are fully intact and the rest of the Castle is almost completely accessible giving visitors great insight into its turbulent past. (Bolton Castle)

In 1379, Sir Richard, 1st Baron Scrope, who was Chancellor for Richard II, was granted a licence to crenellate his manor. This allowed him to officially continue work on the castle he was building on the site of his old house. The plan of the castle is a quadrangle with accommodation along each side and a tower at each corner. There is only one entry into the courtyard, and that is through a vaulted passage with a portcullis at each end. Inside the courtyard are five identical doorways, each protected by its own portcullis, effectively trapping any attackers who made it into the courtyard.

In 1568 Mary Queen of Scots was held at the castle for a year, before being moved to Tutbury Castle in Staffordshire. During the Civil War the castle was held by the Royalist, John Scrope. In 1645, starvation forced him to surrender to a Parliamentary army after a year long siege. The castle was slighted, leaving only the west range and south-west tower habitable. In 1762, the weakened north-east tower collapsed during a storm, but the rest of the castle survives almost to its original height. (Castle Xplorer)

Links

• History of Parliament: SCROPE, Edward (c.1540-80)
• CroftsPeerage: Scrope of Bolton, Baron (E, 1371 - 1630)
• ThePeerage.com: John le Scrope, 8th Lord Scrope of Bolton
• Wikipedia: John Scrope, 8th Baron Scrope of Bolton
• Bolton Castle Website
• Castle Xplorer: Bolton Castle
• History of Parliament: CONSTABLE, Henry (c.1559-1608)
• History of Parliament: CONSTABLE, Sir Henry (1556/7-1607)
• History of Parliament: CONSTABLE, Sir John (1526-79)
• History of Parliament: CONSTABLE, John (by 1526-79)
• TudorPlace: John Constable of Holderness
• TudorPlace: John Scrope 8th B. Scrope

Citations

1. [S6] G.E. Cokayne; with Vicary Gibbs, H.A. Doubleday, Geoffrey H. White, Duncan Warrand and Lord Howard de Walden, editors, The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, Extant, Extinct or Dormant, new ed., 13 volumes in 14 (1910-1959; reprint in 6 volumes, Gloucester, U.K.: Alan Sutton Publishing, 2000), volume XI, page 548. Hereinafter cited as The Complete Peerage.
2. [S6] Cokayne, and others, The Complete Peerage, volume XI, page 546.
3. [S6] Cokayne, and others, The Complete Peerage, volume XI, page 547.