Sir John Bridgeman
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- For other persons named John Bridgeman, see John Bridgeman (disambiguation).
Sir John Bridgeman, SL (d. 1638) was a serjeant-at-law[1] and local magnate in the West of England during the early 17th century.
He married Frances Daunt, and when her brother Giles died in 1596, became embroiled in a dispute with her uncle Thomas Daunt over the manor of Owlpen.[2] They had at least two children:
- George Bridgeman
- Anne Bridgeman, married John Winford[1]
Knighted in 1623, he later became Chief Justice of Chester[3] and Custos Rotulorum of Gloucestershire. In 1628, he and his son George jointly purchased Prinknash Park, which became the family home. In the same year, he was appointed Recorder of the City of Gloucester.
In 1637, Bridgeman was compelled to take severe measures to end pilgrimages to St Winefride's Well, considered a hotbed of recusancy by the government.[4] He died in 1638 at Ludlow.[3] He seems to have been an unpopular judge, as Ralph Gibbon composed the following pasquinade upon his death:[2]
Here lies Sir John Bridgeman clad in his clay;
God said to the devil, Sirrah, take him away.
[edit] References
- ^ a b History of the Parish of Astley. Retrieved on 2006-11-29.
- ^ a b History of Owlpen. Retrieved on 2006-11-29.
- ^ a b History of Prinknash Abbey. Retrieved on 2006-11-29.
- ^ Seguin, Colleen M. (Summer 2003). "Cures and Controversy in Early Modern Wales: The Struggle to Control St. Winifred's Well". North American Journal of Welsh Studies 3: 11–12. Retrieved on 2006-11-29.
[edit] External links
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by The Lord Chandos |
Custos Rotulorum of Gloucestershire 1621–1638 |
Succeeded by The Lord Coventry |
