Henry Donn

Who is Henry Donn?

Henry Donn was one of the conspirators executed for his involvement in the Babington Plot, a plot in 1586 to assassinate Queen Elizabeth, a Protestant, and put Mary, Queen of Scots, a Catholic, on the English throne.

Dunn came from a fairly wealthy Catholic family. He was the son of Christopher Dunn, of Addington, Kent. All parish records give the name as Dunn. The Lord of the Manor was Thomas Watton, married to Martha Roper, a great-granddaughter of Sir Thomas More. Watton was fined for recusancy during the reign of James I, but towards the end of his life joined the Church of England.. Henry would have been one of Christopher Dunn's youngest children, as three of his siblings married at Addington Church between 1570 and 1576. In "A brief account of the many Rebellions & Conspiracies against Queen Elizabeth etc. etc.", Henry Dunne is described as clerk in the Office of First Fruits and Tenths..

Henry Dunn's final address from the scaffold and his execution were recorded in the Calendar of Scottish Papers, 1547–1603, ed. William K. Boyd, Vol. IV, 1586-8 under: 1586 Sep 21: Confession of Salusburie and others. Part of Dunn's address follows: