Lady Anne Grimston

 

Lady Anne Grimstons Grave

Hertfordshire Archives and local studies

 

St. Peters Graveyard

Hertfordshire Archives and local studies

 

St. Peters church Tewin

Hertfordshire Archives and local studies

 

Lady Anne Grimstons Family Tree

Alex-marie Phillips

 

St. Peters church from behind

Hertfordshire Archives and local studies

 

Tewin house, where Lady Anne Grimston died

Hertfordshire Archive and local studies

The Mysterious Grave

One grave at Tewin’s St Peter’s church graveyard stands out from all the rest. With a tall iron fence, and four large trees, it is hard to miss. This grave is the one that belongs to Lady Anne Grimston. It is said that she believed that there was no life after death. She denied that she would be resurrected from the dead. It is recorded that on her deathbed, Lady Anne said; “If indeed, there is life hereafter trees will render asunder my tomb”. Now, for over two hundred years, four trees, from one root have been fighting a battle with the tomb in order to grow. Through the church records we know that the railing fence was put around the tomb later in 1870, after the trees had first started to attack the tomb in order to try and protect the tomb.  It has forced its way through the sides of the tomb, causing it to crack and brake. There is however, prove to suggest that she was actually religious and did therefore believe in life after death

Lady Anne Grimston

Lady Anne, began life as Lady Anne Tufton, and was born into a wealthy family. Her father, John Tufton, was the 2nd Earl of Thanet, and her mother, Lady Margaret Sackville. Lady Anne was born in Kent and was the youngest of twelve siblings, though one, whom she shared a name with, did not make it through infancy. Her siblings were;

•   Nicholas Tufton, later to became the 3rd Earl of Thanet. He was imprisoned in the tower of London twice as he was thought to of been planning on killing Charles II.  He married Lady Elizabeth Boyle, and then died in 1679 without any children.
•  Lady Margaret Tufton, married George Coventry, 3rd Baron Coventry.
•  John Tufton, later became 4th Earl of Thanet. He completed his education at Queens college in Oxford, and the became a Member of Parliament until November 1679, when he became the 4th Earl of Thanet and became part of the House of Lords. He never married and died in 1680·
•  Richard Tufton, later became 5th Earl of Thanet. He was a member of Parliament for Appleby until 1680, when he gained his title as Earl of Thanet, and then entered the House of Lords. He also did not marry and died in 1684.
•  Thomas Tufton, later became the 6th Earl of Thanet, and through his mother also became the 18th Baron de Clifford. He was a nobleman and politician. He married Lady Catharine Cavendish in 1684, and had eight children, only five of whom reached adulthood;

John Tufton (1686),

Thomas Tufton (1690),

John Tufton (1691),

Lady Catherine Tufton (1693-1734),

Lady Anne Tufton (d. 1757),

Lady Margaret Tufton (1700-1775),

Lady Mary Tufton (d. 1785),

Lady Isabella Tufton.

He completed his education at Queens college in Oxford, and the became a Member of Parliament until November 1679, when he became the 4th Earl of Thanet and became part of the House of Lords. He never married and died in 1680·

•  Richard Tufton, later became 5th Earl of Thanet. He was a member of Parliament for Appleby until 1680, when he gained his title as Earl of Thanet, and then entered the House of Lords. He also did not marry and died in 1684.
•  Thomas Tufton, later became the 6th Earl of Thanet, and through his mother also became the 18th Baron de Clifford. He was a nobleman and politician. He married Lady Catharine Cavendish in 1684, and had eight children, only five of whom reached adulthood.

o        John Tufton (1686)

Thomas Tufton (1690)

o        John Tufton (1691)

Lady Catherine Tufton (1693-1734)

Lady Anne Tufton (d. 1757)

o        Lady Margaret Tufton (1700-1775)

Lady Mary Tufton (d. 1785)

o        Lady Isabella Tufton

In 1703 he became a Privy Counsellor, and then later died in 1729.

•  Sackville Tufton, was born in 1646 and went on to marry Elizabeth Wilbraham and had twelve children;

John Tufton (1687-1689)

Sackville Tufton (1688-1753)

John Tufton (d. 1727)

Wilbraham Tufton (d. 1754)

o        Thomas Tufton (d. 1733)

o        Richard Tufton

Catharine Tufton (d.1731)

o        Elizabeth Tufton (d. 1746)

Margaret Tufton (d. 1758)

Christian Tufton (d. 1746)

o        Elizabeth Tufton

He was an officer in the 1st foot guards and fought in the battle of Schooneveld in 1673, where he became injured in his hand and had in to endure surgery. He recuperated from this ordeal in Bath, and then soon returned to fighting in the regiment of foot, where he was made colonel until 1688 when he refused to be loyal to William III. He later died in 1721·

•  Anne Tufton, who died young·
•  Lady Frances Tufton, married Henry Drax and died without any children.
•  Lady Cicely Tufton, was born 1648 and later, married Christopher Hatton, 1st Discount Hatton, and then later died in an explosion which also killed her mother-in-law in 1672. She had a daughter, Anne Tufton (1668-1743).
•   Lady Mary Tufton, married Sir William Walter; 2nd Baronet and died in 1693, leaving a child.

Lady Anne, later went on to marry Samuel Grimston in London in 1674. They went on to have two children, both of which died young. Edward, their first child, was born in 1675 and didn’t make it through his first year of life. Their other child, a daughter, Mary, was born in 1678 and then later died in 1687. There is a painting that was done of her, while she was still only young, where she was purposely dressed to make her look older, so that it seemed like she lived for longer. In this painting her black page is also shown. Lady Anne Grimston later died in 1713, while staying at Tewin House. There is prove to show that she was in fact incredibly religious, as she spent much money each week in order to be able to ride, horse and carriage from St.Albans in order to go to church each Sunday. This can be proved by copies of old trade books.