John Popham (judge)

Sir John Popham (c. 1531 – 10 June 1607)[citation needed] of Wellington, Somerset, was Speaker of the House of Commons (1580 to 1583), Attorney General (1581 to 1592) and Lord Chief Justice of England (1592 to 1607).

St Donat's Castle situated on the south coast of Glamorgan was a short sail across the Bristol Channel into the inland port of Bridgwater on the River Parret.

Castleton was from the early 12th century the caput of the lordship of St Athan established by the Nerber family, and held from the overlords the Earls of Gloucester, comprising 4 knight's fees.

It was destroyed during the Civil War (1642–1651), having been "obtained by strategem by one Bovet of Taunton who converted it into a garrison for the use of the Parliament army and defended it for a considerable time against Sir Richard Grenville who came to its rescue in which contest it was so battered that it was never afterward deemed worthy repairing".

While inspecting the fortifications of "Wellington House" he was severely wounded, and obliged for a time to resign the command of his forces to Sir John Berkeley.

[15] Wellington had probably been supplying Blake with necessaries for some time, and Colonel Bovet, a very ardent Parliamentarian, got possession of Popham's house and made it a stronghold for his party.

So against Wellington Grenville directed the Royalist force and levelled Popham's house almost to the ground, himself being so severely injured that the leadership of his men had to be transferred to Sir John Barkley.

The following document dated 19 October 1650[16] was addressed to Justices of Peace of Somerset:[17] Popham acquired the reversion of the estate of Littlecote in Berkshire (today in Wiltshire) from William Darrell (1539–1589), MP, and following the latter's death in 1589 duly became its owner.

He bequeathed his estates to his wife Dorothy (née Hutton) who in turn left them to "Francis Popham, the reputed son of my late husband" but only as a tenant for life.

The Leyborne Popham family sold Littlecote in 1929 to Sir Ernest Wills,[22] and moved to their other seat at Hunstrete House, Pensford, Somerset.

Escutcheon in the Pole Chapel of Colyton Church, Devon, showing arms of Popham impaling Stradling ( Paly of six argent and azure, on a bend gules three mullets or ), representing the marriage of Sir John Popham's parents
Effigies of Sir John Popham and his wife Amy Adams, Wellington Church
Montacute House , east front, comparable in size [ 13 ] and date to Wellington House built by Sir John Popham and destroyed in 1645
Littlecote House, south front added by Sir John Popham after 1589. His armorials sculpted in stone survive above the front door
Monument to Sir John Popham in Wellington Church, viewed from south
Popham arms of 9 quarters , monument to Sir John Popham, Wellington Church