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Antony Roper
Roper's partially completed moated hall

Antony Roper married ????????, who was the great niece of Charles Paget who was involved with the Babington plot. Antony inherited lands in Weston-on-Trent in Derbyshire where he planned to build an impressive Hall. He was used as an example by the King and he was given a large fine for converting arable land to pasture. The partially completed moated hall still stands to today in South Derbyshire.

[edit] Biography

Charles had spent his time in exile following his implication in the Babington Plot and had only able to return to England under the new King James I. Charles did not marry and on his death his lands in Weston-on-Trent and Aston-on_Trent went to his great niece.

After he inherited this land he decided to build a new manor in Weston-on_Trent. The manor was planned to be an extensive home on a high spot with a moat. Meanwhile, the new King had fallen out with Parliament and disbanded the members so that he could rule direct. One of the ways the King decided to raise funds was to prevent landowners from converting arable land into pasture. This restriction had been laid down by Henry???? but it was a law that was not enforced. The King dedided to make an example and chose Antony Roper of Weston-on-Trent.

Antony was fined the enormous fine of £4000. The amount can be placed in contest in that eventually the King was pleased to recieve £30,000 from the whole of the country. Roper was being asked to find over 10% of the national contribution. Not surprisingly the building stopped on the stately home and to this day the hall in Weston has upper story holes for external doors and bricks on corners sitting proud so that later wings