George NEVILLE

(3rd B. Abergavenny)

Born: 1469 / Jul 1483, Abergavenny, Monmouthshire, Wales

Acceeded: 1492

Died: 13 Jun 1535/6, Birling, Kentshire, England

Notes: Knight of the Garter.

Father: George NEVILLE (2° B. Abergavenny)

Mother: Margaret FENNE

Married 1: Joan FITZALAN (B. Abergavenny) ABT 1494, Arundel, Sussex, England

Children:

1. Elizabeth NEVILLE

2. Jane NEVILLE

Married 2: Margaret BRENT (B. Abergavenny) 1505, Charing, Kent, England

Married 3: Mary STAFFORD (B. Abergavenny) ABT Jun 1519, Abergavenny, Monmouthshire, Wales

Children:

3. Catherine NEVILLE

4. Margaret NEVILLE

5. John NEVILLE (b. ABT 1524)

6. Mary NEVILLE (B. Dacre of the South)

7. Dorothy NEVILLE

8. Ursula NEVILLE

9. Henry NEVILLE (4° B. Abergavenny)

10. Thomas NEVILLE (b. ABT 1532)

Married 4: Mary BROOKE (B. Abergavenny) ABT 1534, Abergavenny, Monmouthshire, Wales

Son of George Neville, second Lord of Abergavenny, by his wife, Margaret Fenne, dau. of Sir Hugh Fenne. Eldest brother of Sir Edward Neville of Addington, the great friend and favorite of Henry VIII.

He was invested as a Knight of the Bath on 4 Jul 1483, at the coronation of King Richard III. He succeeded to the title of 3rd Lord Abergavenny on 20 Sep 1492. A favourite of Henry VII for whom he fought against the Cornish rebels at Blackheath 17 Jun 1497. He held the office of Constable of Dover Castle. In 1497 he took his place in the House of Lords and became involved in national affairs, being appointed to the privy council and in regular attendance at court. However, in 1506 he fell into serious trouble for keeping an illegal private army, being fined the immense amount of 100,000 pounds and subjected to a travel ban. 

When Henry VIII became king in 1509, the fine was cancelled and a pardon granted. He held the office of Chief Larderer at the coronation of Henry VIII in 1509. By 1512, he was back on the council On 18 Dec 1512 Henry VIII granted him the castle and lands of Abergavenny. He held the office of Warden of the Cinque Ports in 1513. He was invested as a Knight of the Garter on 23 Apr 1513. He held the office of Keeper of Ashdown Forest in 1515. He was invested as a Privy Councillor in 1516. He was a keen jouster and accompanied both Henry VII and Henry VIII on state occasions, including the meetings in 1520 with King Francois I of France at the Field of Cloth of Gold and with Carlos V, Holy Roman Emperor, at Gravelines. From 1521 to 1522 he was imprisoned on suspicion of conspiring with his father-in-law, the Duke of Buckingham. After admitting he had concealed the Duke's treason, he was stripped of all his offices, fined 10,000 marks and had to sell his house to the King. He was then pardoned, being allowed to continue serving at court, in Parliament and in war, but regarded with suspicion. In 1530 he signed the petition asking Pope Clement VII to dissolve Henry VIII's marriage to Catalina of Aragon and was allowed to buy back his house. He held the office of Chief Larderer at the coronation of Anne Boleyn in 1533.

By his first wife he had on surviving daughter, Elizabeth, who married as first wife Henry Daubeney, Earl of Bridgewater. By Mary Stafford he had five daughters: Catherine, married to John St. Leger; Margaret, married first to Henry Pole and second to John Cheney; Mary married Thomas Fiennes, third B. Dacre of the South; Dorothy, married as first wife to William Brooke, Lord Cobham; and Ursula, married to Sir Warham St. Leger.

His fourth wife was his mistress Mary Brooke. Mary may have been an illegitimate Brooke child who had been his servant, but some sources says that she was the sister or the aunt of his son-in-law William Brooke. In George's Will he refers to her as "Mary Broke otherwise called Marye Cobham" and says "she hath been my servant ... and so I did accept her service that she has seemed unto me by such love and favour as I have borne her to have taken her my bedfellow in marriage". His will grants for the lives of her the manors of Whalesbeech, Beverington Randeviles [Rodmell Beverington] and Grymers, Sussex. Mary was pregnant at his death, with a daughter whose name is unknown.

He died circa 1535. He was buried at Birling, Kent, England, although his heart was buried at Mereworth. His will (dated 4 Jun 1535) was probated on 24 Jan 1535/6. He was succede by his son, Henry.

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