John Strangways (died 1666)

He was born on 27 September 1585, the 3rd but 2nd surviving son of John Strangways (c.1548-1593) of Melbury Sampford, Sheriff of Dorset,[1] by his wife Dorothy Thynne, a daughter of Sir John Thynne (c.1515-1580) of Longleat in Wiltshire,[2] steward to Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset, a Member of Parliament, the builder of Longleat House and ancestor of the Marquesses of Bath.

He was elected MP for Dorset again in 1628 and sat until 1629 when King Charles decided to rule without parliament for eleven years.

[3] He supported the King's cause with great vigour and was disabled from sitting in parliament in September 1642.

In 1648 he was released from imprisonment and his son Giles remained as a hostage until his fine was paid.

[4] In 1661 Strangways was elected an MP for Weymouth for the Cavalier Parliament remaining until his death in 1666.