Worsley connections
Worsley canal, the Packet House and Duke’s Wharf. Photo taken August 2011
Worsley, Lancashire
Having come from Worsley (see photo above) I found it interesting upon moving to the Isle of Wight to notice various references to Worsley on the island. The following information is sourced from wikipedia and wight-screenpublishing.co.uk respectively:
The Worsley family is an English family that is derived from Sir Elias de Workesley. Sir Elias had settled at Workesley, Lancashire, which later became known as Worsley, and the family seat was Worsley Hall. The family were seated at Worsley for over four hundred years and spawned a number of branches.
One branch were the Worsleys of Appuldurcombe, another the Worsleys of Booth, formerly of Platt Hall. Platt hall was bought by Charles Worsley from the Platt family. The first Charles Worsley was the great grandson of Sir Geoffrey Worsley of Boothes and a kinsman of the Worsleys of Worsley Hall, from whom derived the Worsleys of Appuldurcombe.
Two baronetcies were created for the Worsley family. The Worsley Baronetcy, of Appuldurcombe, created on 29 June 1611 for Richard Worsley, and the Worsley Baronetcy of Hovingham Hall in the County of York, created on 10 August 1838 for William Worsley.
The Worsleys on the Isle of Wight
Appuldurcombe House, with grounds landscaped by Capability Brown was, for over two and a half centuries, the home of the Worsleys.
In 1505 Sir John Leigh had been granted by Henry VII to hold the manor of Appuldurcombe. Sir John Leigh married a daughter of John Hackett of Wolverton, Agnes, and from this his second marriage came a daughter Ann, who married Sir James Worsley, a Lancashire gentleman attached to the court of Henry VII.
James Worsley had won respect with the royal family with arguably the worst job in Tudor times – whipping boy for young Henry VIII. But when he became king, Henry did not forget the favour – he appointed James to be his Groom of the Royal Wardrobe, Keeper of the Beasts in the Tower of London; and then in 1517 he appointed him Captain of the Isle of Wight.
James and his wife Ann, made the ‘valley of the apples‘ their family home and invited the king to come see. Having heard the tales of the beautiful Isle of Wight, and Appuldurcombe House, Henry decided in 1539 to make a royal visit to the Island.
In 1690 the Appuldurcombe estate was inherited by Sir Robert, who demolished the old Tudor mansion and built the current Corinthian building with projecting pavilions.
The Corinthian Appuldurcombe House, Isle of Wight. Photo taken July 2011
