The Middleton Accounts of 1525: #10

The next entry in the Middleton household accounts of Sir Henry Willoughby in 1525 was described as a “token” sent to Mrs Fitton. It was entered only under the heading of June with no specific date given. The amount was 4 pence, which was the equivalent of about £7.35 today.

Mrs Fitton was Mary Harbottle. She was the daughter of Jane Willoughby and Sir Guiscard Harbottle and the granddaughter and ward of Sir Henry Willoughby. This entry is only one of many entries for Mary in the Middleton accounts.

Mary Harbottle was born c.1507 and married Sir Edward Fitton at Middleton Hall on 9th October 1524. The marriage had been arranged between Sir Henry Willoughby and John Fitton of Gawsworth, Cheshire, who was Edward’s father. The settlement contract is dated 2nd October 1524 and has survived in the Middleton Collection. As a result of their marriage taking place at Middleton Hall, a substantial list of the food and items purchased and leased for the wedding feast, and their cost, are also recorded in the Middleton accounts.

Mary and Edward are known to have had thirteen children: Susan; Edward; Margaret; Mary; Ellen; Anne; Katherine; Jane; Thomas; Francis; Anthony; George; and John. It is believed that Susan was born in 1525. Their principal residence was Gawsworth Hall, near Macclesfield, which has survived and is Grade I listed. One of Mary’s most noted descendants is her great-granddaughter Mary Fitton, who was a maid of honour to Queen Elizabeth I and thought by some historians to be the “Dark Lady” of Shakespeare’s Sonnets.

Gawsworth Old Hall, 2018. Photograph taken by Dave.Dunford, CC-BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Mary (Harbottle) died on 12th December 1556 and was buried alongside her husband in St James’ Church, Gawsworth. Her will, written 3rd April 1551, was proved on 30th October 1557 and is in the National Archives.

Further Reading: W. H. Stevenson, Report on the Manuscripts of Lord Middleton, Historical Manuscripts Commission, 1911. p.377.

Nina Green, "PROB 11/39/471", 2014. http://www.oxford-shakespeare.com/Probate/PROB_11-39-471.pdf

Author - Debbie Jordan, Middleton Hall Volunteer.

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