Petronell Byworth of Farnham – 1550-1628

Petronell Strickland was born in Rampisham, Dorset around 1550 into a family with a long history of cloth making. We know she had at least one brother – wealthy cloth merchant Christopher Stickland who retired from his London business and moved to Yelden in Bedfordshire, where his impressive memorial can still be seen in Yelden church. Petronell also had at least four sisters; we do not know their first names, but their married names are apparent through the Wills of both Christopher and Petronell as their nephews and nieces were their beneficiaries.

From her Dorset cloth-making roots, Petronell enters the historical record for the first time in the Will of her husband Robert Bradbridge (sometimes given as Brodbridge) who died in 1602 in Guildford. Robert had been a friend of Petronell’s brother Christopher Stickland, and is mentioned in Robert’s Will. Sometime Mayor and benefactor of Guildford Grammar School, Robert Bradbridge was a wealthy cloth maker and merchant in Guildford. His Will left clear instructions for Petronell on the upbringing of his son Robert by an earlier marriage, and his apprentice, nephew Robert Quinnell (who became John Byworth’s steward). Petronell did not remain a widow for long as she married John Byworth.

A Woman of Farnham from 1605 to 1628

Petronell moved to Farnham in 1605 along with her new husband, John Byworth, a retired clothmaker and merchant from London. Petronell was probably in her 50’s, so considered elderly by the standards of the day. She and John lived in West Street and they soon became a magnet for members of John and Petronell’s families. Petronell was a woman of some wealth in her own right, owning a life-interest in property in Guildford, the leases of two properties in Fenchurch Street, London, and some land in Farnham that she had purchased. Farnham must have been most interested in these newcomers with money to spend!

Petronell’s Farnham House

When John died in 1623, Petronell leased the West Street house to her nephew Robert Horsford, a Cloth Draper, after buying a house for herself in what she called Longbridge, possibly on Lower Church Lane. Records show that Petronell kept up the cloth-making business. Let us take a tour of Petronell’s house.

Living Room

This was a wood-panelled room with furniture including wood tables, stools with cushions, and a wicker chair. Decorative tapestries hang on the walls (including one with a design of birds), rugs on the stone floor, candle sticks, bowls, paintings, various ornaments around the room. The room was heated by a large open fireplace with a large iron grate topped by an ornately-carved wooden chimneypiece.

Dining Area

Contained a large wooden table with forms (high-backed benches), pewter platters, linen table clothes, 12 linen table napkins, various silver bowls, silver spoons, a best silver salter and the next-best silver salter, and drinking beakers.

Kitchen

Equipped with pewter, brass, and iron vessels, pans, kettles and ‘a Great Brass Pot’. Room also contained presses, cupboards, shelves, barrels with stands, hogsheads, brewing vessels, chargers, furnace, and a trough for salting hogs.

Petronell’s Bed Chamber

Her best bedstead had a valance and curtains, a feather mattress, linen sheets, a bolster, two blankets and a coverlet. Wood furniture including three chairs and three stools with green cushions. Petronell’s clothes and linens were stored in cypress chests. A jewelry box which held items including John Byworth’s rings, and two of Petronell’s gold rings, one set with pearls and the other with diamonds. A purse held her ‘ready money’.

The Green Bed Chamber

This room was newly furnished with a bedstead from London with green curtains and a valance, and a new green rug. Room included chairs and chests.

The Portrait Bed Chamber

So-named as it held a portrait of John Byworth and had two bedsteads and feather mattresses. On one wall was a red and green tapestry (which Petronell called ‘a carpet’.

The Small Bed Chamber

This contained a small bedstead and feather mattress with bolster, sheets, blankets and coverlet. On the floor was a yellow rug.

Petronell’s Clothes

She had a chest which contained her ‘best apparel’, another for her everyday gowns and yet another for petticoats and underclothes (which she called linens). One of Petronell’s outfits was a ‘loose gown made of cloth of my own making with a petticoat inlaid with black velvet’. The cloth would have been made of wool, woven by Petronell herself!

---

Petronell died in mid April 1628 and her burial was recorded in the Farnham Parish Register. The entry before hers records the burial of Agnes the wife of William Cooe from whom Petronell had purchased land.

---