Lady Elizabeth Cholmley

Over 50 members and friends of Whitby Civic Society attended the first meeting of the new year in spite of the wintery weather. Marjorie Thomson gave a talk on 'Lady Elizabeth Cholmley'.
Born Elizabeth Twysden in August 1600, Elizabeth was the daughter of Sir William Twysden, 1st Baronet of East Peckham, and Lady Anne Finch. Lady Finch was educated as a lady in waiting to Queen Elizabeth I.
Sir Hugh Cholmley, son of Richard Cholmley and Susan Legard first met Elizabeth whilst walking in Hyde Park and 'He liked her well'. Unusually for those days it was a true marriage of love when they married in December 1622, and lived in Royden Hall in Kent with Elizabeth's family during their early married life.
After several years in London the Cholmley's moved to live in 'Old Fyling Hall' and eventually to Abbey House in Whitby.
Sir Hugh Cholmley was the MP for Scarborough from 1624 to1626 and from 1640 to 1643. The Cholmleys had 6 children although 2 died before they were seven.
The Cholmleys were caught up in the Civil War. Sir Hugh held the office of governor of Scarborough Castle between 1643 and 1645 when it had very long siege in which Lady Elizabeth took a brave part. In 1645 Sir Hugh was forced to surrender to the Parliamentarians when he, his wife and his soldiers were suffering from scurvy and without food and water.
Sir Hugh went into exile in France. Lady Elizabeth decided to reclaim Abbey House and walked from Malton to Whitby with one male and one female servant, in January 1646, in order to reach Whitby where she reclaimed Abbey House which had been deserted by the parliamentarians because of illness in the town.
Anne claimed one fifth of the value of the Abbey Estate from the government so that she had an income. In 1649 parliament executed King Charles 1st. After the death of the King any royalist living in exile could return after paying a fee. Sir Hugh was allowed to return from exile for the sum of £850.
Peace resumed in England and the family returned to Abbey House. In 1655 Anne went to visit London and stayed with friends. She was taken ill and had a sudden unexpected death on 17 April 1955. Anne was buried in St Michael's Church Yard East Peckham in a grave that is shared by her parents, other family members and from 1657 her husband Hugh Cholmey. Elizabeth's grave is a black marble slab which has a fine inscription telling of her husband's love and appreciation.