John Bathe (politician)

He was a member of a famous legal dynasty, and had a distinguished career under the Tudors, holding office as Solicitor General for Ireland and Chief Justice of the Irish Common Pleas.

The family produced several distinguished judges and lawyers; his cousin James Bathe served as Chief Baron of the Irish Exchequer for thirty years, under four monarchs.

Another John Bathe junior, probably a relative, was admitted to Lincoln's Inn in 1456-7, and may later have become a local judge in Ireland.

We do know that he was highly thought of by the English Crown, being praised for "knowledge of the laws of England, diligence, discretion and loyalty".

After the English Civil War Athcarne was forfeited, but in 1665 the younger James's son Sir Luke Bathe recovered it, as a reward for what were described as his family's "sufferings in the cause of the English Crown", although they now held it, at a nominal rent, as tenants of the Crown.