John Willoughby (1421–1477)

Sir John Willoughby (about 1421–1477), of Brook, was an English landowner, administrator, soldier and politician who was elected as MP for Wiltshire, where he lived, and for the adjoining seat of Somerset. He also served terms as High Sheriff for both counties.^[1][2]

Born about 1421, he was the son of John Willoughby (about 1400–1437), a landowner in Lincolnshire, and his wife Joan Welby,^[1][2] daughter of John Welby.^{[citation needed]} His paternal grandfather was Sir Thomas Willoughby (died 1417), who married his step-sister Elizabeth Neville, the daughter of John Neville, 3rd Baron Neville.^[2]

By 1445 he had acquired Brook Hall at Westbury in Wiltshire through marriage to the heiress, and had made it his principal home, but retained lands in Lincolnshire where in that year he was appointed to a royal commission. In 1453 he was on the electoral roll for the county of Wiltshire, being appointed as its sheriff that year and as a justice of the peace. In 1456 he served as sheriff of Somerset and Dorset. As England sank into civil war, he supported the ruling Lancastrian party, being appointed in December 1459 to a commission of array raising troops and in March 1461 fighting on the losing side for King Henry VI at the Battle of Towton. After the victory of the Yorkist party, he rallied to the new king Edward IV, being pardoned and knighted. He sat again as MP for Wiltshire in 1467, being appointed to all royal commissions for the county, and served another term as its sheriff in 1472. In that year he was again elected as MP for Somerset. He died before 28 August 1477 and was succeeded by his eldest son Robert, aged 25.^[1]

Before 4 March 1445, he married Anne Cheyne (1426–1470), daughter and co-heiress of Sir Edmund Cheyne (1402–1430), of Brook,^[2] and his wife Alice Stafford (1405–1448),^[1] who in 1432 married again to the MP Sir Walter Tailboys (1391–1444).^{[citation needed]} The other co-heiress, her sister Elizabeth Cheyne, married the MP Sir John Colshull.^[1][3]

With Anne he had seven known children:

• Robert Willoughby (1452–1502),^[1] later an MP and created 1st Baron Willoughby de Broke, who married Blanche Champernowne.^[2]
• William Willoughby (1455–1513), later an MP and a knight.^[1]
• Richard Willoughby (died 1523), who married Isabel Bedyke.
• Edward Willoughby (died 1508), who entered the church, becoming Archdeacon of Stafford and Dean of Exeter.
• Cecily Willoughby (died 1528), who entered the church, becoming Abbess of Wilton Abbey.
• Elizabeth Willoughby, who married William Carrant.