Sir William Pole (1561 - 1635)
British (English) School
Category
Art / Oil paintings
Date
1600 - 1699
Materials
Oil on canvas
Measurements
457 x 381 mm (18 x 15 in)
Place of origin
England
Order this imageCollection
Antony, Cornwall
NT 352390
Summary
Oil painting on canvas, Sir William Pole (1561 - 1635), British (English) School, 17th century. Head and shoulders portrait of the antiquary and historian of Devon, turned slightly to the right, gazing at the spectator, shoulder length curly hair, moustache and beard, wearing a black coat and small linen collar. The sitter was the son of William Pole and Katherine Popham. He married firstly Maria Periam (1567-1605), on 30 July 1583, one of four daughters and co-heirs of Sir William Peryam, Chief Baron of the Exchequer. They had six sons and six daughters. He entered the Inner Temple in 1578, was placed on the Commission of the Peace for Devonshire, served as Sheriff of Devon in 1602–3, and was MP in 1586 for Bossiney, Cornwall. He was knighted by King James I at Whitehall Palace on 15 February 1606. He paid into the Virginia Company, and was an incorporator of the third Virginia charter. He married secondly Jane Simmes (d.1653), daughter of William Simmes (or Symes) of Chard, Somerset, and widow of Roger How, merchant of London. Sir William Pole's son and heir, John Pole (c.1589-1658), married her daughter, Elizabeth How, heiress of her father Roger How. At his death, Pole left many manuscripts containing his researches concerning the history and antiquities of Devon. Some were lost during the Civil War when both his later home Colcombe Castle and Shute House suffered damage, but much survived
Provenance
On loan from the Trustees of Antony
Makers and roles
British (English) School, artist