The Cromwell origins

Why Oliver Cromwell? This is a question which often occurs to the casual observer of English Civil War history. Why not Sir Thomas Fairfax or some other Parliamentary nobleman? Some encyclopedia entries simply describe Cromwell as a middle class farmer who came from obscurity to become ruler of the British isles. In fact the fortunes of the Cromwell family were founded in Royal favour and eventually bled dry by Royal patronage. Oliver Cromwell would have been only too aware of the connection between his family and the Royal Court.

The best starting point to trace the origins of Oliver Cromwell is in the reign of Henry VII. Walter Cromwell a well-to-do brewer of Putney has amongst his children, Katherine and Thomas. Thomas Cromwell was to later become Chief minister to Henry VIII, and instrumental in the dissolution of the monasteries. However Thomas Cromwell would still have been a child of about 9 years when in 1494 his older sister married Morgan Williams.

Morgan Williams was anglicised from Morgan ap William (son of William), his father, William ap Ievan made the move from Wales to London. Reputed to be one of the finest archers in the land, he left Glamorgan to serve under Jasper Duke of Bedford, also Lord of Glamorgan. William ap Ievan’s skill at arms saw him transferred to King Henry VII, in whose service he prospered.

Around 1496 a son, Richard, is born to Morgan and Katherine Williams. Richard entered the Court of Henry VIII in the service of his uncle, Sir Thomas Cromwell. No doubt in order to make clear his relationship to Sir Thomas (second only to Henry himself in terms of power) he changed his surname to Cromwell.

Richard Cromwell's exploits pleased Henry VIII enough to Knight him and in 1538 to grant him estates in the form of Hinchingbrooke, a large former nunnery in Huntingdonshire. This was another asset "liberated" from the Catholic establishment. Uncle Thomas lost his head in 1540 for his part in encouraging Henry to marry Anne of Cleaves. Sir Richard Cromwell went on to become high-sheriff of Huntingdonshire and Cambridgeshire; he also sat for Parliament in 1542.

The estate passed to his son, Henry Cromwell. It was Henry who completed the conversion of the house at Hinchingbrooke. He was knighted in 1563 and as a result of his ostentatiousnes, he became known as the "Golden knight". He held the same posts as his father, and like his father, married a daughter of the Lord Mayor of London.

It was Sir Henry Cromwell's second son, Robert who was to become Oliver Cromwell's father.

Robert Cromwell married Elizabeth Steward, whom some later believed to be related to the very Scottish dynasty of Stewarts (themselves formerly Steward) from which Charles Stewart was descended. This would have been a superb example of irony had it been true; in fact Oliver's mother was descended from Stywards of Calais.

Oliver was born in 1599 and would have been 4 years old when Queen Elizabeth died and James 1st made his way down from Scotland to become James 6th of England. Hinchingbrooke house was on the main road south into London and a convenient halt for a weary Royal traveller. Now in the hands of Henry's eldest son, Sir Oliver Cromwell, a lavish party was thrown to entertain the new King. Although not resident at Hinchingbrooke, young Oliver, his older sisters and parents were at the celebration. Sir Oliver heaped gifts onto the Royal personage; in fact he overdid the hospitality. So impressed with his haul, King James returned on several more occasions. This ran down the family's wealth to the extent that eventually the house had to be sold and Sir Oliver made use of a smaller property at Ramsey. Thus in terms of material wealth, the fortunes of the Cromwell's had gone full circle. It is somewhat ironic that having affected the fortunes of the Cromwells, a Cromwell would decide the fortune of the crown.

Malcolm Deere