He was born in Hackney, Middlesex the son of the wealthy landowner and courtier Sir John Heron.
In 1532 he was appointed to the bodyguard of Henry VIII and same year he and three of his brothers were pardoned of offences against forestry laws.
In 1536 he sat on the Middlesex grand jury which found a true bill against Anne Boleyn.
However a dispute with a tenant led to his eventual downfall, as he was accused and found guilty of treason.
[3] In 1554, during the reign of Queen Mary, part of his lands were repatriated to his eldest son, Thomas, with the help of Sir Ralph Sadler.