Tuco
December 24, 2003, 6:50pm
1
It seems a simple question, but when I Googled I found this site saying he was born in Pauntley, Gloucestershire. Unfortunately, I cannot find Pauntley mentioned on any maps, so can anyone here shed any light on this?
TIA
Crusoe
December 24, 2003, 6:56pm
2
Try Newent, Gloucestershire .
It is now generally accepted that Dick Whittington was born around 1358 at Pauntley Court, Newent, a house occupied by Whittingtons for three centuries.
On the other hand, his mother, Lady Joan de Berkeley, married Sir William Whittington after her first husband, Battle of Crecy veteran Sir Thomas de Berkeley, died, and Dick may have been either born at her home, Coberley Hall, or spent much of his childhood there.
There’s also a spurious tale that he came from Bitton, near Bristol, although this probably arose because there are family descendants in the village, as well as in Stonehouse, Cold Ashton, Dyrham and Stroud. But it is now generally accepted that Pauntley Court is, at least, the place from where he set out to seek the streets paved with gold in London.
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