Earl Shilton - Tudor Earl Shilton

Tudor Earl Shilton

Following the battle of Bosworth, Henry VII reinstated the Park laws for Earl Shilton. Henry Churchman was appointed bailiff for the parks upkeep, and also bow bearer for the park of Leicester Firth (New Parks). George Hastings became the keeper of Earl Shilton and Hinckley Parks in 1507, and by 1560 the keeper was George Vincent.

During the reign of Henry VIII, the crown gave a parcel of the lands in Earl Shilton to Trinity Hospital, Cambridge.

At the time of Queen Elizabeth I in 1564, there were ten families living in Earl Shilton, strangely a smaller population than at the time of the Doomesday book in 1086. But the old squabbles over land rights were still prevalent. During Elizabeth’s’ reign the local gentry such as Richard Grey, Richard Dylke of Kirkby Mallory, William Jervis of Peatling Magna, John Harrington and John Watters were all arguing about ownership of land in Earl Shilton between 1580 and 1594.

By the turn of the seventeenth century, Sampson Goodhall, gentleman, was the head of a well to do family living in Earl Shilton. The summer of 1608 saw the family owning several cottages, pastures, ploughlands and meadows, along with orchards and gardens. However, the Goodhalls were to suffer badly despite their wealth (John Lawrence).

In 1611, Leicestershire suffered from a severe outbreak of the Plague. Infected houses were marked with a cross, business was practically suspended, and there, seemed to be no one with sufficient knowledge to cope with, or mitigate, the effects of the epidemic. During the plague years Shilton suffered like most other villages.

Sampson Goodhall began burying his family at the beginning of May - Will Goodhall, Sampsons son, buried 9 May. Rich Goodhall, another son, was buried 10 May. Anna Goodhall, buried 9 May. Maria Goodhall, buried 1 June. Ann Goodhall, Sampsons wife, was buried 8 June. In total for the year 1611.

21 deaths occurred in Earl Shilton, double that of the previous year (Parish Records).

Sampson survived the plague, for by the Autumn of 1615, he and his new wife, Isobel, were in the law courts of King James I. George Arlington esq paid damages of £60 to the Goodhalls, in a dispute over cottages, land and all manner of tithes arising in Earl Shilton.

It is interesting to note that at this period of plague William Holdsworth, the parish curate, made double entries in the registers. This is the only time that it occurs throughout the registers. The reason for it remains unknown.

The Thomas Family also suffered during the plague - from the old registers of 1611. Alexander Thomas, buried 28 April. Will Thomas and Wife, buried 21 April. John Thomas, son of Will, buried 18 May. Thomas, son of Will, buried 25 May