Anthony Wingfield

Sir Anthony Wingfield (died 15 Aug 1552) MP KG PC of Letheringham, Suffolk, was an English soldier, politician, courtier and member of parliament. He was the Lord Lieutenant of Suffolk from 1551 to 1552, and Vice-Chamberlain of the Household in the reign of Edward VI.

Early and family life

Anthony Wingfield was born before 1488, the first son of Sir John Wingfield of Letheringham and Anne, daughter of John Tuchet, 6th Lord Audley. By 1509 he had been appointed an esquire of the body, and attended the funeral of Henry VII and knighted in 1513.

He was appointed High Sheriff of Norfolk and Suffolk for 1515–16.

Military career

Wingfield first saw active service in the first war of Henry VIII's reign, fighting at the siege of Tournai in 1513. He was knighted for his part in the capture of Tournai. He attended the Field of the Cloth of Gold in 1520, and served in the 1523 French campaign of Charles Brandon, the Duke of Suffolk; and lastly in the 1544 capture of Boulogne.

Parliamentary career

Wingfield served as the Member for Parliament for Suffolk (1529, 1536, 1539, and probably 1542). Whilst serving in Boulogne, he was returned as MP for Horsham in 1545; and finally served again for Suffolk in 1547.

Political and court career

By 1539 Wingfield was a member of the Privy Council and administrator in Henry VIII's royal household. Wingfield was made a Knight of the Garter on St George's Day 1541. When the King died in 1547, Wingfield served as an assistant executor; was bequeathed £200; and led the guard at the funeral procession. Wingfield remained a member of the Council during the protectorate of Somerset. However, after the fall of the Protectorate in October 1549, it was Wingfield that the Council sent to Windsor to arrest Somerset, and bring him to the Tower.

He was appointed to the post of Chamberlain of the Exchequer in 1550, holding it until his death two years later.

On the 28th of August 1551, Sir Anthony, along with the then Lord Chancellor Richard Rich and Sir William Petre went to Copt Hall in Essex to order Princess Mary Tudor and her household to stop hearing the Catholic Mass. Wingfield was sent to replace Mary's Comptroller Robert Rochester who was removed by Edward's Council for refusing to order Mary to cease hearing Mass.

Wingfield died on 15 August 1552 in Bethnal Green, and was buried a week later in Stepney.

Wingfield married, by 1528, Elizabeth Vere, daughter of Sir George Vere and sister of John de Vere, 14th Earl of Oxford, by whom he had eight sons and seven daughters:

• John Wingfield, who is said to have married Dorothy Fitzherbert, and died without issue.
• Francis Wingfield, who died without issue.
• Sir Robert Wingfield, who married firstly Cicely Wentworth, daughter of Thomas Wentworth, 1st Baron Wentworth, and secondly Bridget Spring, widow of Thomas Fleetwood of The Vache, Buckinghamshire, Master of the Mint, and daughter of Sir John Spring of Cockfield and Hitcham, Suffolk.
• Charles Wingfield, esquire, who married Elizabeth Rich, the daughter of Robert Rich of South Weald, Essex.
• Richard Wingfield, esquire, of Crowfield and Wantisden, Suffolk, who married firstly Mary Hardwick, the daughter of John Hardwick (d. 29 January 1528), esquire, and Elizabeth Leeke, and sister of Bess of Hardwick, and secondly Joan Clerke, widow of John Harbottle, esquire.
• George Wingfield, who died without issue.
• Anthony Wingfield (d.1593), esquire, who married firstly Katherine Blennerhassett (d.1558), widow of John Gosnold (d.1554) of Shrubland Park in Barham, Suffolk, and daughter of Sir Thomas Blennerhassett of Frenze, Norfolk, secondly Jane Purpett (d.1562), daughter of Edmund Purpett of the manor of Waldingfield, and thirdly Elizabeth Leeche, the daughter of Ralph Leeche of Chatsworth, Derbyshire.
• Henry Wingfield, who is said to have married Dorothy Bacon, and to have been living in 1557.
• Elizabeth Wingfield, who died young.
• Elizabeth Wingfield (again), who married William Naunton (d. 7 June 1553), esquire, of Alderton, Suffolk, grandfather of Sir Robert Naunton.
• Mary Wingfield, who married firstly Arthur Rush of Chapmans in Sudbourne, Suffolk, secondly Anthony Roke, and thirdly Thomas Darcy.
• Margaret Wingfield, who died young.
• Margaret Wingfield (again), who married firstly Francis Soone of Wantisden, Suffolk, and secondly a husband surnamed Audley.
• Jane Wingfield.
• Anne Wingfield, who died without issue.

Wingfield was survived by five of his sons, Sir Robert, Charles, Anthony, Henry and Richard.