William Wadham (died 1452)
Sir William Wadham (c.1386–1452) of Merryfield in the parish of Ilton, Somerset and Edge in the parish of Branscombe, Devon came from a West Country gentry family with a leaning towards the law, who originally took their name from the manor of Wadham in the parish of Knowstone, between South Molton and Exmoor, north Devon.
William Wadham (died 1452), detail from his monumental brass in St Mary's Church, Ilminster, Somerset
Chest tomb of William Wadham (died 1452), Wadham Chapel (north transept), St Mary's Church, Ilminster, looking eastward
Merryfield is a historic estate in the parish of Ilton, near Ilminster in Somerset, England. It was the principal seat of the Wadham family, and was called by Prince their "noble moated seat of Meryfeild" (sic). The mansion house was demolished in 1618 by Sir John Wyndham (1558–1645), of Orchard Wyndham, a nephew and co-heir of Nicholas II Wadham (1531–1609), co-founder of Wadham College, Oxford, the last in the senior male line of the Wadham family. It bears no relation to the present large 19th-century grade II listed mansion known as Merryfield House, formerly the vicarage, immediately south of St Peter's Church, Ilton.
View from causeway into south side of rectangular site of demolished Merryfield House, Ilton, with moat to left and right
Site of Merryfield House, now a rectangular site surrounded by trees (centre), viewed from south. The width of the site on the south (entrance) side, as determined by the length of the moat, is about 50 metres
15th century alabaster effigy thought to represent Elizabeth Popham, heiress of Merryfield, Ilton Church. She was the wife of Sir John III Wadham and the collar of roses worn around her neck is said to represent the crest of Wadham, a rose argent between a pair of antlers (as visible on the monument to Nicholas II Wadham (died 1609) in Ilminster Church)
Monumental brasses to Nicholas Wadham (1508–1508) infant son of Sir Nicholas I Wadham (d. 1542) of Merryfield, by his 2nd wife Margaret Seymour, aunt (not as often stated "sister") of Queen Jane Seymour. The lowest inscription is in memory of his fourth wife Jane Lyte. Ilton Church
