Welsh Journals

medieval families including the Mortimers, the Fitzalans, and the Beauforts. The imposing external appearance of the castle has altered little since the fourteenth century, when its formidable design, in- corporating projecting drum towers, would have served a definite practical purpose. The castle came under the administration of the Tudors from 1495 to 1563, when Elizabeth I granted its possession to the Earl of Leicester. Since August 1595, when it was purchased for f5,000 by Sir Thomas Myddleton the elder (1550-1631), it has been the ances- tral home of the Myddleton family. Sir Thomas, one of the sixteen children of the Governor of Denbigh Castle, Richard Myddleton (1508-75), established himself in London as a well-respected and prosperous merchant adventurer, becoming Lord Mayor in 1613.1 In 1612 the ownership of Chirk Castle passed to his son, also named Thomas (1586-1666), who was elected Member of Parlia- ment for Denbighshire in 1625. Although originally a supporter of the Parliamentarian cause and a general in the Civil War, the younger Sir Thomas was to side with the Royalists from 1651. His frequent portrayal as an ardent Puritan largely derives from his Parliamen- tarian affiliation,2 but this is inconsistent with the evidence of the Chirk Castle accounts and records.3 Between February 1630 and 7 December 1632, for instance, Sir Thomas spent £ 120 on repairs to the private chapel at Chirk Castle, and a further £ 150 on the in- stallation of an organ by John Burward.4 The presence of a crucifix in the chapel also testifies to his level of churchmanship, but most significant was his establishment and patronage of a modest choral foundation.5 Choral services at Chirk may primarily have been instituted to uphold Sir Thomas's political and social status in the area: it was not unusual for prominent households to maintain a staff of musicians.6 The Myddletons also contributed to the school at Chirk, providing a schoolmaster from 16 197 through funds from the rectorial tithes of Chirk and other parishes bought by Sir Thomas senior in 1614. How- ever, when challenged in 1632 for failing to contribute to repairs to the parish church at Chirk, the younger Sir Thomas alleged: the Lordship of Chirk is a Lordship Marcher and hath enjoyed many immunities and Privilages tyme out of minde and amongst others that it hath a free Chappell and owned with the Tythe of all the ancient Demesne Lands of the Castle there, for the maintenance thereof and of a Chaplaine. And that the said Demeasnes have bin euer free from anie ceasment for the reparacion of the Parish Church and were neuer rated, nor questioned to be rated in the memorie of man.8