Misselthwaite Manor

The Backgrounds of The Craven's

Come along with me and learn about the Craven's of England since 

William Craven (Lord Mayor of London) Sir William Craven (1548 – 18 July 1618) was an English merchant who was Lord Mayor of London in 1610. It has been noted that the story of Dick Whittington has some similarities to Craven's career, though the story was first published before Craven became Lord Mayor.

In 1588 Craven took a lease from the Mercers' Company of a mansion house in Watling Street, where he carried on business with Robert and John Parker until his death. He was elected warden of his company on 4 July 1593, and on 19 July 1594 he was made one of the court of assistants. On 2 April 1600 he was elected alderman for Bishopsgate ward, and on 14 February 1601 he was chosen sheriff of London. On 15 May 1602 he became alderman of Cordwainer ward. He was knighted at Whitehall by James I on 26 July 1603.

Craven was lord mayor of London for 1610–11, and the show, which had been suspended for some years, was revived with splendor. Christian, Prince of Anhalt, was entertained with his entourage at the feast at the Guildhall afterwards. On 14 January 1612 Craven became alderman of Lime Street ward; he had moved his residence from St. Antholin's to a house built by Stephen Kirton, in the parish of St. Andrew Undershaft, Cornhill. This house was on the south side of Leadenhall Street; it was leased to the East India Company in 1620 and pulled down, and the East India House erected in 1726. During Craven's mayoralty his name appears in connection with loans to the king.

In 1616 Lady Elizabeth Coke, wife of Sir Edward Coke, on occasion of her quarrel with her husband, was at his request handed over to the hospitality of Craven, who must have entertained her at his house in Leadenhall Street. He is stated to have laid the foundation-stone of the new Aldersgate on 26 May 1617.

On 1 July 1618 he attended the court of the Merchant Taylors' Company for the last time. He was buried at St. Andrew Undershaft on 11 August 1618.

He married Elizabeth Whitmore, probably about 1605; she was a daughter of William Whitmore (d.1593) of Apley Hall, Salop and Balmes Manor, Hackney, haberdasher and alderman of London. Her second brother was Sir George Whitmore (d.1654), Lord Mayor of London. They had five children:[4]

Elizabeth Craven (1600–1662), married Percy Herbert, 2nd Baron Powis in 1622

Mary Craven (1602–1634), married Thomas Coventry, 2nd Baron Coventry in 1627

William Craven (1608–1697), created Baron Craven of Hamstead Marshall in 1627 and Earl of Craven in 1664 was his heir.

John Craven (1610–1648), MP for Tewkesbury, created Baron Craven of Ryton in 1643, founder of the Craven scholarships at Oxford and Cambridge

Thomas Craven (died November 20, 1636)

Craven's will be openly read in court on 29 July 1618.

William Craven, 1st Earl of Craven (1608–1697)

William Craven, 1st Earl of Craven, PC (June 1608 – 9 April 1697) was an English nobleman and soldier.

His parents were William Craven, born in a poor family in Appletreewick in North Yorkshire, who moved to London, became wealthy, and was Lord Mayor of London in 1610, and Elizabeth, née Whitmore, sister of George Whitmore, a later Lord Mayor of London. Their other children included John Craven, 1st Baron Craven of Ryton,[1] Mary, who married Thomas Coventry, 2nd Baron Coventry and Elizabeth, who married Percy Herbert, 2nd Baron Powis.

Craven matriculated at Trinity College, Oxford in 1623, aged 15, and was created M.A. in 1636.

During the Thirty Years' War Craven fought for Frederick V on the Continent. At the siege of Bad Kreuznach in March 1632 he fought with such courage that King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden patted him on the shoulder;] he was also seriously wounded. At the Battle of Vlotho Bridge in October 1638 he was captured, and later ransomed for £20,000. Craven also fell in love with the unfortunate Queen Elizabeth of Bohemia, a British princess. Still being absent during the English Civil War, he supported this lady's brother, Charles I, financially rather than in person and, therefore, had all his lands – largely in Berkshire, but including his main country seat at Caversham Park in Oxfordshire – confiscated. After the Restoration, he set about planning to build a vast palace for Elizabeth at Hamstead Marshall in Berkshire with a hunting lodge at nearby Ashdown (now in Oxfordshire), but she died before construction of the palace began. Perhaps because of his devotion to Elizabeth, he never married.