Robert Townshend (judge)
Sir Robert Townshend of Ludlow, Shropshire was a judge who held a number of positions, including Chief Justice of the Marches of Wales and Chester. He was the founder of the Cheshire and Shropshire branch of the Townshend family.
Sir Robert Townshend was the second son of Sir Roger Townshend of Raynham, Norfolk and was admitted to Lincoln's Inn in 1515. He became Justice of the Peace for Norfolk in 1526, Serjeant at Law in 1540 and King's Serjeant in 1543. He was appointed as Justice of Chester in 1545, and was knighted by Henry VIII on 21 May 1545 at Hampton Court Palace.
He married Alice Poppy, a daughter of Robert Poppy. Together they had six sons and six daughters. He died on 8 February 1555/6. He was buried in Ludlow church, where his memorial, erected in 1581, is a large table tomb with polychrome recumbent effigies of Sir Robert and Dame Alice, and with empanelled heraldry and images of his children as mourners.
One son, Sir Henry Townshend was also a judge.Children
The children of Sir Robert Townshend and Alice née Poppy are shown as follows:
- Thomas, Esquire, of Bracon Ash, Norfolk, married Lady Elizabeth Styles, who died 1580, and Ann D'Oyley, who afterwards made two further marriages.
- Robert, of Llanvary and Ludlow, Shropshire, married Ann Machell.
- Henry, Judge, of Ludlow Castle and Cound, Shropshire, married Susanna, daughter of Sir Rowland Hayward, and Dorothy Heveningham, of Pipe Hall, Burntwood, Staffordshire.
- Isaac, living 1552 aged under 18.
- Roger.
- John.
- Elizabeth
- Alice, who died at Ludlow in Shropshire on 28 November 1607, married at Ludlow on 6 October 1550 Humphrey Archer, of Tanworth-in-Arden in Warwickshire, who died at Tanworth-in-Arden on 24 October 1562 and Edmund Colles, of Leigh in Worcestershire, who died on 19 December 1606.
- Amey, married Raffe Dutton of Hatton, Cheshire.
- Eleanor, died without issue.
- Thomazin, married William Curson of Beck Hall, in Billingford and Bylaugh, Norfolk, and William Rugge, of Felmingham, Norfolk, Esquire.
- Grace, married Ambrose Gilbert, and Richard Smyth.
- Bridget, married Henry Acton of Ribbesford, Worcestershire, third son of Sir Robert Acton of Ribbesford and Elmley Lovett. Charles Acton, brother of this Henry, was grandfather of Elizabeth Acton who by her marriage to a younger Henry Townshend reinforced the Townshend connection with Elmley Lovett.
