Vivat et vincat Rex Carolus,
Sic orat
Johnes Oldfield
de Spalding
1644.
Mr. Hamnett has been at considerable pains to trace the career and
family of the above John Oldfield. I am indebted to him for the
following particulars. The passage given here is taken from an ancient
MSS. belonging to the family, and has been supplied by the Wingfields,
who are direct descendants of Captain Oldfield.
"We now come to John--the Captain Oldfield of the Longdendale
legend--the eldest son of the first Anthony, who, as we have sayd,
succeeded to his estate November, 1635. This gentleman was a most
zealous Royalist, and as the other party prevailed (he being left
wealthy by his father, notwithstanding his providing so well for
his other children), was at several times plundered by the
parliamentarians, and sequestred as a Delinqt., and at the Siege of
Newark, where he served the Royal cause gallantly as a gentleman
volunteer, was shot through the body, but recovered of his wounds. He
married Alice, the daughter of ---- Blythe, of Shawson, in the County
of Lincoln. He added to, and very much improved the seat built here by
his father, building the rooms and grand staircase in the north wing
of that house, and planting many forest trees and much wood about it.
This John was interred in the chancel of the Parish Church of our Lady
and St. Nicholas, in Spalding, as was Alice, his wife, by whom he had
three sons and as many daughters, viz., Anthony, his eldest, who
succeeded him to his estate and was afterwards created a Baronet by
King Charles II.... We now come to Anthony, eldest son of John, who,
as we have said, succeeded to his father's estate, 1660. He married
first Mary, the daughter of ---- Parker, Esq., by whom he had no
issue; secondly, Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Edmond Gresham.... This
gentleman was much esteemed and had a great intimacy with people of
the greatest worth and quality in his neighbourhood, and particularly
with Sir Robert Carr, Bart., Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, and
one of His Majesty's Most Honble. Privy Council, and upon the
recommendation of the Rt. Hon the Countess of Dorset, he was, by His
Majesty King Charles II., by letters patent, bearing date the 6th day
of August, 1660, advanced to the degree and dignity of a Baronet of
England, by the title of Sir Anthony Oldfield, of Spalding, in the
County of Lincoln, Bart.--he lies in the chancel under a very large
grey marble, upon which is this inscription:--
"Here was interred the body of Sir Anthony Oldfield, of this
town, Bart., who departed this life the fourth day of
September, Anno Salutis--1668; Aetatis--42."
Sir John Oldfield, son of Sir Anthony, married in 1668, but at his
death in 1704, left only three daughters surviving. The baronetcy
accordingly became extinct. Elizabeth, the third daughter and co-heir
of the last Sir John, married John Wingfield, of Tickencote, High
Sheriff of Rutland (1702). From this union spring the present family
of Wingfield, which includes among its members Sir Edward Wingfield,
K.C.B., and Captain John Maurice Wingfield, of the Coldstream
Guards.