I haven't been able to track down that information (it's a question that comes up fairly often), but according to her entry in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, she died at Rochford Hall in Essex. So, my guess is that she was buried near there. I don't know of any evidence of that though. If there is anyone in the area that can look into it more, I would be in your debt!
No-one knows where she was buried, since she died in a time when her family was in considerable disgrace. It's not even certain if her eldest daughter, Katherine, was at home at the time of her death; since she was attached to the household of Catherine Howard until 1542, then afterwards was a favourite of her cousin, Elizabeth. There is no firm evidence, or even any strong circumstantial evidence, pointing to where Mary Boleyn was buried. Which is very unfortunate, I feel.
There's no evidence in the St George's Chapel Archives and she's certainly not in any of the various royal vaults or tombs. There's no memorial or ledger stone, so unless she had a secret clandestine burial she's not in St George's.
She's not buried in St Georges Chapel thats for sure. When Mary died in around 1543.Her husband William Stafford a land owner in essex remarried, and moved to Geneva. However from Mary's first marriage to William Carey, they produced a son called Henry after the King. In time Henry was given the title Barron Hundson. On his death bed his cousin Elizabeth gave him a title, but he refused it, Henry was buried in the Carey vault in the Chapel of St John the Baptist in Westminster Abbey. His monument above is the biggest in the Abbey, Iam awaiting to see if Mary was buried in the Carey Vault. If not,is she buried with her first husband. My quest continues. Id try the churches around Rochford
Per the Westminster Abbey site, it appears that Mary is NOT at the Carey vault. Snippet from the website below:
================
The monument to Henry Carey, 1st Baron Hunsdon (1525-1596) in St John the Baptist’s chapel is the tallest in the Abbey at thirty-six feet high. It is made of alabaster and marble with a considerable display of heraldry, which includes the Carey arms – argent, on a bend sable three roses of the field (ie. a silver shield with a black bar diagonally across it from top left to bottom right with three silver roses on it). His crest is a swan and his motto “Comme je trouve” (as I find it). The Latin inscription can be translated as:
“Consecrated for the burial of the Hunsdon family. Here sleeps in the Lord Henry Carey, Baron Hunsdon, one-time Governor of the town of Berwick, Warden of the east marches towards Scotland, Captain of the gentleman-pensioners, Chief Justice of the Forests south of the Trent, Knight of the Order of the Garter, Lord Chamberlain of the Lady Queen Elizabeth, sworn of the Privy Council, and first cousin to the aforesaid Queen. Together with him is buried Anne, his dearest wife, daughter of Thomas Morgan, knight, who bore him many children, of whom there survive George, John, Edmund and Robert, knights, Catherine, Countess of Nottingham, Philadelphia, Baroness Scrope, and Margaret, Lady Hoby. He died 23 July 1596 aged 71. His son, George Carey, Baron Hunsdon, member of the Order of the Garter, Captain-General of the Isle of Wight, Chamberlain of the household to Queen Elizabeth, Privy Councillor, and his wife Anne, placed this monument to the best of fathers and dearest of husbands, in his honour and memory, and being mindful of their own and their family’s mortality.” Henry was the only son of William Carey (or Cary) (d.1529) and Mary, daughter of Thomas Boleyn (or Bullen), Earl of Wiltshire, and sister of Anne. Mary was a mistress of Henry VIII and some said the king was actually the father of her child. In 1545 Henry Carey married Anne, daughter of Sir Thomas Morgan of Arkestone in Herefordshire. He was created Baron Hunsdon of Hunsdon (in Hertfordshire) in 1559 and died at Somerset House in London. The Queen paid for his funeral at the Abbey. The inscription is curious in that it must have been composed while George and Catherine were still alive (both died 1603) and it anticipates that Anne would be buried there even though she did not actually die until 19 January 1607.
Other members of the family buried with Henry and Anne in the vault beneath this chapel include George, 2nd Baron Hunsdon (d.1603) and his wife Elizabeth (Spencer) (d.1618), Anne Carey (d.1661), daughter of the 4th Baron and Robert Carey, 7th Baron (d.1702). Henry’s sister, Dame Catherine Knollys (d.1569), is buried in St Edmund’s chapel in the Abbey.
A photograph of the monument can be purchased from Westminster Abbey Library.
Further reading “Oxford Dictionary of National Biography” 2004
“The Complete Peerage”
Hunsdon wills can be ordered via the National Archives website.
Any chance she didnt die when thought?Having a hard time doing my tree.My great grandmother Mary use to say she was the heir to the french throne but had no intention of letting them know where she was when the possibility was getting your head chopped off!My grandmother Mary(yes another Mary)also had an unusual middle name of Boland?HELP.
I haven't been able to track down that information (it's a question that comes up fairly often), but according to her entry in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, she died at Rochford Hall in Essex. So, my guess is that she was buried near there. I don't know of any evidence of that though. If there is anyone in the area that can look into it more, I would be in your debt!
ReplyDeleteshe was berried in henrys church
ReplyDeleteNo-one knows where she was buried, since she died in a time when her family was in considerable disgrace. It's not even certain if her eldest daughter, Katherine, was at home at the time of her death; since she was attached to the household of Catherine Howard until 1542, then afterwards was a favourite of her cousin, Elizabeth. There is no firm evidence, or even any strong circumstantial evidence, pointing to where Mary Boleyn was buried. Which is very unfortunate, I feel.
ReplyDeleteCould the person who said "henrys church" please elaborate? Several readers are curious...
ReplyDeleteShe is buried at Windsor, St.George's Chapel
ReplyDeleteIs that true? I've wondered this before but have never read it anywhere. What evidence is there of this?
ReplyDeleteThere's no evidence in the St George's Chapel Archives and she's certainly not in any of the various royal vaults or tombs. There's no memorial or ledger stone, so unless she had a secret clandestine burial she's not in St George's.
ReplyDeleteShe's not buried in St Georges Chapel thats for sure. When Mary died in around 1543.Her husband William Stafford a land owner in essex remarried, and moved to Geneva. However from Mary's first marriage to William Carey, they produced a son called Henry after the King. In time Henry was given the title Barron Hundson. On his death bed his cousin Elizabeth gave him a title, but he refused it, Henry was buried in the Carey vault in the Chapel of St John the Baptist in Westminster Abbey. His monument above is the biggest in the Abbey, Iam awaiting to see if Mary was buried in the Carey Vault. If not,is she buried with her first husband. My quest continues. Id try the churches around Rochford
ReplyDeletePer the Westminster Abbey site, it appears that Mary is NOT at the Carey vault. Snippet from the website below:
ReplyDelete================
The monument to Henry Carey, 1st Baron Hunsdon (1525-1596) in St John the Baptist’s chapel is the tallest in the Abbey at thirty-six feet high. It is made of alabaster and marble with a considerable display of heraldry, which includes the Carey arms – argent, on a bend sable three roses of the field (ie. a silver shield with a black bar diagonally across it from top left to bottom right with three silver roses on it). His crest is a swan and his motto “Comme je trouve” (as I find it). The Latin inscription can be translated as:
“Consecrated for the burial of the Hunsdon family. Here sleeps in the Lord Henry Carey, Baron Hunsdon, one-time Governor of the town of Berwick, Warden of the east marches towards Scotland, Captain of the gentleman-pensioners, Chief Justice of the Forests south of the Trent, Knight of the Order of the Garter, Lord Chamberlain of the Lady Queen Elizabeth, sworn of the Privy Council, and first cousin to the aforesaid Queen. Together with him is buried Anne, his dearest wife, daughter of Thomas Morgan, knight, who bore him many children, of whom there survive George, John, Edmund and Robert, knights, Catherine, Countess of Nottingham, Philadelphia, Baroness Scrope, and Margaret, Lady Hoby. He died 23 July 1596 aged 71. His son, George Carey, Baron Hunsdon, member of the Order of the Garter, Captain-General of the Isle of Wight, Chamberlain of the household to Queen Elizabeth, Privy Councillor, and his wife Anne, placed this monument to the best of fathers and dearest of husbands, in his honour and memory, and being mindful of their own and their family’s mortality.”
Henry was the only son of William Carey (or Cary) (d.1529) and Mary, daughter of Thomas Boleyn (or Bullen), Earl of Wiltshire, and sister of Anne. Mary was a mistress of Henry VIII and some said the king was actually the father of her child. In 1545 Henry Carey married Anne, daughter of Sir Thomas Morgan of Arkestone in Herefordshire. He was created Baron Hunsdon of Hunsdon (in Hertfordshire) in 1559 and died at Somerset House in London. The Queen paid for his funeral at the Abbey. The inscription is curious in that it must have been composed while George and Catherine were still alive (both died 1603) and it anticipates that Anne would be buried there even though she did not actually die until 19 January 1607.
Other members of the family buried with Henry and Anne in the vault beneath this chapel include George, 2nd Baron Hunsdon (d.1603) and his wife Elizabeth (Spencer) (d.1618), Anne Carey (d.1661), daughter of the 4th Baron and Robert Carey, 7th Baron (d.1702). Henry’s sister, Dame Catherine Knollys (d.1569), is buried in St Edmund’s chapel in the Abbey.
A photograph of the monument can be purchased from Westminster Abbey Library.
Further reading
“Oxford Dictionary of National Biography” 2004
“The Complete Peerage”
Hunsdon wills can be ordered via the National Archives website.
Ancestry.com noted that Mary Boleyn is buried in Chilton Foliat, Hungerford, Wiltshire, England.
ReplyDeleteThe oldest surviving gravestone in the cemetery is dated 1678 but that doesn't mean it is the oldest grave.
Follow this link for photos:
http://www.chiltonfoliat.com/StMarysChurchGravepics.html
Any chance she didnt die when thought?Having a hard time doing my tree.My great grandmother Mary use to say she was the heir to the french throne but had no intention of letting them know where she was when the possibility was getting your head chopped off!My grandmother Mary(yes another Mary)also had an unusual middle name of Boland?HELP.
ReplyDeleteI am a descendant of Lettice Knolly's, Mary Boleyne;s granddaughter, so I am her descendant also.
ReplyDelete