John Chudleigh

Descendants

Died 1653 in Kinsale, County Cork, Ireland

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Biography

John Chudleigh was a descendant of the ancient house of Chudleigh in Devonshire, England. Arms used by the Chudleighs of Kinsale were the same as the Chudleighs of Ashton in Devon. Burke stated in the 1851 edition of his Encyclopedia of Heraldry that the Kinsale branch were represented by Major Thomas Stepney Chudleigh.^[1]

Captain Chudleigh, Master Shipwright, was building naval ships at Kinsale Dockyard as early as 1647, a position that passed to his son Thomas upon his death. The Chudleigh family continued as an important family in Kinsale, County Cork for the next 150 years as both ship builders and in office.

In 1649, he helped take Kinsale Fort from the Royalists. He is best known for buildings ships in Kinsale then transporting them overland in parts to be rebuilt and used to seize Ross Castle, located on an island on the Lakes of Killarney in County Kerry.^[2]

John Chudleigh married Joan and had two sons and two daughters:

1. John Chudleigh

2. Thomas Chudleigh m Elizabeth Roberts^[3]

1. Jane Chudleigh m William Crispin^[4]

2. Joan Chudleigh m Martin Pierce^[5]

Captain John Chudleigh died in Kinsale. His will was registered in Cork and Ross and proved in 1653.^[6]

In the southwest corner of the porch of St Multose Church, Kinsale is a monument to the Chudleigh family.

A latin memorial inscription to John and his son, Thomas, on a wooden panel in the church translates as:

Here, with his father, lies Thomas, by surname Chudleigh.

For the Kings of the English both built ships.

The father's skill was uncommon: alas! alas! his life was short.

He caused a ship to sail on the land;

That the ship did sail on the land Kerry well knows,

The tower of Ross taken with difficulty proves,

Proceed, Muse, I implore; study to sing the praises of the son.

He was very ingenious, skilled in the same art.

He built a ship for the King to which Kinsale gives a name;

He built, but to another great praise was given;

He built this, I say, reader, though another bore away the honours.

Thus, for another, not for itself, the vine affords sweet grapes;

Thus, for another, not for himself, the horse bears heavy burdens;

Thus for another, not for himself, the dog courses over the plains;

Thus for another, not for herself, the ship herself sails the seas.^[7]

Research Notes

Sources

1. ↑ Burke, John & Burke, Bernard (1851) Encyclopædia of heraldry, or General armory of England, Scotland and Ireland : comprising a registry of all armorial bearings from the earliest to the present time, including the late grants by the College of arms Arms and Crest of Chudleigh of Ireland
2. ↑ "Captain William Crispin" by M. Jackson Crispin in "Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography" published by Historical Society of Pennsylvania v53 issue#2 April 1929 p122
3. ↑ Gillman, Herbert Webb (1896) Index to the marriage licence bonds of the diocese of Cork and Ross, Ireland, for the years from 1628-1750, preserved in the Public record office of Ireland p26 Marriage Licence Index of Thomas Chudleigh and Elizabeth Roberts 1666
4. ↑ Gillman, Herbert Webb (1896) Index to the marriage licence bonds of the diocese of Cork and Ross, Ireland, for the years from 1628-1750, preserved in the Public record office of Ireland p26 Marriage Licence Index of Jane Chidley and William Crispin 1665
5. ↑ Gillman, Herbert Webb (1896) Index to the marriage licence bonds of the diocese of Cork and Ross, Ireland, for the years from 1628-1750, preserved in the Public record office of Ireland p26 Marriage Licence Index of Joan Chidley and Martin Pierce 1682
6. ↑ Phillimore, WPW (1910) Indexes to Irish Wills, Volume 2: Cork and Ross, Cloyne p21 Cork and Ross Wills Index to will/ probate of John Chudleigh of Kinsale 1653
7. ↑ Hall, Samuel Carter (1865) A Week at Killarney p126 Translation of the epitaph of Thomas Chudleigh