Sir John Hippisley was an English privateer and politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1621 and 1653. He supported the Parliamentary cause in the English Civil War.

Lesnes Abbey ruins
Marston House, Somerset

Hippisley was the son of William Hippisley (died 1630).[1] He was knighted at Sheriff Hutton Park on 14 April 1617.[2]

In 1621, he was elected Member of Parliament for Petersfield. He was re-elected MP for Petersfield in 1624.[3] About this time, he purchased from Sir John Leman the manor of Lesnes and the site of Lesnes Abbey in Bexley which he later sold to Sir Thomas Gainsford, of Crowhurst, Surrey.[4] In 1624 he was appointed Lieutenant of Dover Castle, a post he held until 1629.[5] He was elected MP for Dover in 1625 and 1626, During his time at Dover he was involved in the wars with France and Spain and took part in privateering activities.[6] In 1628 he was re-elected MP for Dover and sat until 1629 when King Charles decided to rule without parliament for eleven years.[3]

In 1641 Hippisley was elected to the Long Parliament as one of the members elected to the newly enfranchised constituency of Cockermouth.[3] About this time he sold the manor of Marston Bigot to Richard Boyle, 1st Earl of Cork.[7] In the Civil War, Hippisley sided with parliament and was commissioner to treat with the king.[1]

Hippisley married Catherine Norton daughter of Sir Roger Norton.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c William Betham The New baronetage of England, Volume 2
  2. ^ Knights of England
  3. ^ a b c Browne Willis Notitia parliamentaria, or, An history of the counties, cities, and boroughs in England and Wales: ... The whole extracted from mss. and printed evidences 1750 pp176-239
  4. ^ Erith', The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent: Volume 2 (1797), pp. 227-263 Date accessed: 15 December 2011
  5. ^ Cinque Ports Ref Volumes: 1604-1629
  6. ^ John Appleby A Pathway out of Debt: The Privateering Activities of Sir John Hippisley during the Early Stuart Wars with France and Spain American Neptune 49 pp 251-261
  7. ^ "Marston Bigot Park". Somerset Historic Environment Record. Retrieved 2 September 2007.
Parliament of England Preceded bySir Walter TichborneWalter Savage Member of Parliament for Petersfield 1621–1624 With: Richard Norton 1621–1622Sir John Jephson 1624 Succeeded bySir John JephsonWilliam Uvedale Preceded bySir Edward CecilSir Richard Young Member of Parliament for Dover 1625–1629 With: William Beecher 1625John Pringle 1626Edward Nicholas 1626–1629 Parliament suspended until 1640 New constituency Member of Parliament for Cockermouth 1641–1653 With: Sir John Fenwick, 1st Baronet 1641Sir Thomas Sandford, 1st Baronet 1641–1644Francis Allen 1641–1653 Not represented in Barebones Parliament
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