Thomas Habington

Who was Thomas Habington?

Sir Thomas Habington was an English antiquarian, son of John Habington and Catherine Wykes, and the brother of Edward Habington. His father, who was treasurer to Queen Elizabeth, had him educated at Oxford, Reims, and Paris.

For six years he was imprisoned in the Tower, being accused, with his brother Edward, of having taken part in the plot of Babington to effect the escape of Mary, Queen of Scots. On his release he retired to Hindlip Hall in Worcester, where he gave asylum to the Jesuit Fathers, Henry Garnett and Edward Oldcorne, accused of complicity in the Gunpowder Plot. For this he was condemned to death, but through the intervention of his brother-in-law, Lord Monteagle, the sentence was commuted.

His "History of Edward IV" was published after his death by his son William Habington, and also an English translation of "Gildas". He also left in manuscript a "History of the Cathedral of Worcester" and "Researches into the Antiquities of Worcester".