HUNGERFORD, Sir John (c.1566-1635), of Down Ampney, Glos.

The manor of Down Ampney had been in the possession of the Hungerford family for nearly 300 years, but by the end of the sixteenth century they were in decline. Certain of them, including Hungerford’s mother, were Catholic, but Hungerford himself, by the time he was about to years of age, had conformed, and his family influence was still enough for him to be elected knight of the shire in 1597. He was named to two committees in this Parliament, his first name being given incorrectly by D’Ewes on one occasion: a private committee (as Nov.) and a legal committee (3 Dec.). As knight of the shire he was automatically appointed to committees on enclosures (5 Nov.), the poor law (5, 22 Nov.), penal laws (8 Nov.), armour and weapons (8 Nov.), monopolies (10 Nov.) and the subsidy (15 Nov.).3Bristol and Glos. Arch. Soc. Trans. xlvii. 3; D’Ewes, 552, 553, 555, 557, 561, 563, 567; HMC Hatfield, xvii. 451.

He was active in local affairs, serving on the subsidy commission for Gloucestershire in 1593, and a commission to investigate charitable uses in Cirencester in 1603. He was required to furnish a light horse for Ireland in 1600 and in the following year. He took an interest in the affairs of Cricklade, where he built the market house in the High Street, and a flying buttress to the Lady Chapel of St. Sampson’s. He died 18 Mar. 1635, ‘honourable in his life, serviceable to his King and country, liberal to his friends, charitable to the poor and courteous to all’.4HMC Hatfield, xiii. 473; Gloucester Recs. 67; APC, xxiv. 474; xxvi. 122, 484-5; xxx. 439; xxxii. 280; Bristol and Glos. Arch. Soc. Trans. xi. 124; Wilts. Arch. Mag. xxvii. 22; R. C. Hoare, Hungerfordiana, passim; Wilts. Colls. loc. cit.