Edward Unton

Who was Edward Unton?

Sir Edward Unton KB was an English politician, high sheriff and Knight of the Bath.

Edward was the eldest son of Sir Alexander Unton of Wadley House at Faringdon in Berkshire and his wife, Cecily, daughter of Edward Bulstrode of Hedgerley in Buckinghamshire. He inherited his father's estates in 1547. Eight years later, he married Anne, the daughter of Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset and widow of John Dudley, 2nd Earl of Warwick and together they had seven children. His eldest son Edward became MP for Berkshire and his younger son was the English ambassador to France, Sir Henry Unton.

He was knighted in 1559; he was appointed High Sheriff of Berkshire in 1567. Four years later, he was also elected the Member of Parliament for Berkshire. He had previously been MP for Malmesbury and for Oxfordshire.

He died in 1582 and was buried in Faringdon church.