Nicholas Wadham

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Nicholas Wadham (1531/1532 – 1609) was the benefactor of Wadham College, Oxford.

Wadham was probably born at Merrifield, near Ilton, Somerset. He was the only son of John Wadham and his wife, Joan, daughter of John Tregarthin and widow of John Kellaway. A biography written before 1637 notes Wadham as attending Corpus Christi College, Oxford as a commoner, but not taking a degree. He may have lodged with civil lawyer John Kennall, later canon of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford. Wadham was briefly at court, vitam Aulicam aliquantisper ingressus est. A 'Nicholas Wadham of Brimpton, Somerset', was admitted to the Inner Temple on March 9, 1553 on the pledge of Richard Baker, who was married to Catherine Tyrell, a stepdaughter of Sir William Petre, principal secretary to King Henry VIII, it is likely that the record refers to the same Nicholas Wadham. Nicholas Wadham married Petre's eldest daughter, Dorothy, at St Botolph, Aldersgate on September 3, 1555. Wadham and Dorothy lived with his parents until his father's death in 1578, when his mother moved in to the dower house at Edge.

Wadham was appointed to the commission of the peace and other minor commissions in Somerset, appearing as executor and overseer in the wills of other Somerset gentlemen. Two personal letters of his exist, one from Sir Amias Paulet, Ambassador to Paris, advising that Wadham was unlikely ‘to be envious of our French news’, thanking him for his efforts in the leasing of Paulet's park, the other to John Talbot of Grafton, who had married Dorothy's sister Katherine, regarding Wadham's work in negotiating a lease. Wadham was known for his hospitality and he maintained a fine household at Merrifield. Following his father's example, his will allowed for a full heraldic funeral, and alms to be distributed throughout county. In 1608 the privy council ordered a stay of proceedings against both Wadhams on a charge of recusancy. John Carpenter, the incumbent of Branscombe, dedicated his Contemplations, for the Institution of Children in the Christian Religion (1601) to him, noting his "gentle affability with all persons" and his generosity.

On October 20, 1609, aged seventy-seven, Wadham died at Merrifield and was buried in the family chapel at St Mary's Church, Ilminster on November 21. Thomas Moore described him as "an ancient schismatic", referring to his attendance at Church of England services, and claimed Wadham as ‘dying a Catholic’.As Wadham was childless, his inheritance was due to pass to the children of his three sisters, one of whom was Sir John Wyndham, and he determined to use his wealth to perpetuate his name, and in 1606 he founded an almshouse for eight poor people at Ilton. Wadham had also been saving money to found a college in Oxford, but nothing was written down and Wadham's instructions on his deathbed were contradictory, despite this, Dorothy ably attended to his wishes.