William Esturmy

Who was William Esturmy?

Sir William Esturmy or Sturmy was hereditary Warden of Savernake Forest, a Knight of the Shire and Speaker of the House of Commons.

He was born around 1356, the son of Geoffrey Sturmy and nephew and heir of Sir Henry Sturmy of Wolfhall in the Savernake Forest, Wiltshire. He inherited in 1381 and was knighted by October 1388.

He held the post of hereditary warden of Savernake Forest from 1381 to 1417 and from 1420 until his death in 1427. He entered politics, serving initially as knight of the shire for Hampshire in 1384 and again in 1390, but also eight times for Wiltshire and twice for Devon between then and 1422. He was elected Speaker of the House in 1404 during the reign of Henry IV, known as the Illiterate or Unlearned Parliament because the king forbid lawyers from attending. He was appointed High Sheriff of Wiltshire for 1418.

He held a number of public posts and served several times as an ambassador abroad.

He died at Wolfhall. He had married Joan Crawthorne, the widow of Sir John Beaumont of Saunton and Sherwell, Devon. They had two daughters. His daughter Maud married John Seymour and through her William Esturmy would be one of the forefathers of Jane Seymour.