Joan Champernowne

Joan Champernowne (died 1553) was a lady-in-waiting at the court of Henry VIII of England. She became a close friend to his sixth wife, Catherine Parr and married Sir Anthony Denny, who at the end of Henry's reign was widely considered to be his most trusted servant.

Biography

Joan was born in Modbury, Devon on an unknown date, the daughter of Sir Philip Champernowne. She married Sir Anthony Denny, a trusted servant of Henry VIII, by whom she had twelve children,^[1] including:

• Henry Denny, Dean of Chester (d. 24 March 1574). He married, firstly, Honory Grey, daughter of William Grey, 13th Baron Grey de Wilton and Lady Mary Somerset. His second wife was Elizabeth Grey, by whom he had a son, who died unmarried.
• Sir Edward Denny (died 12 February 1600), married Margaret Edgcumbe, by whom he had issue.^[2]

Joan was considered to be both beautiful and intelligent, and a member of the burgeoning Protestant faction at court, despite her husband's pro-Catholic inclinations. She was the sister of Katherine Ashley, the governess of Elizabeth I. The Tudor historian, Joanna Denny, was a descendant of Joan's.

References

• Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Denny, Sir Anthony (1501–1549), courtier by Narasingha P. Sil.