| Relationship to me: | Great Great Great Great Great Great Great Great Great Great Great Grandfather | Gen -13 |
| Born: | c1540 (deduced) | |
| Died: | 1589 | |
| Age | ?? | |
| Father: | George Fane | |
| Mother: | Joan Waller | |
| Brothers: | None known | |
| Sisters: | None known | |
| Married: | Mary Elizabeth Neville | c1550 - 1626 |
| Children: | Sir Francis Fane | 1579 - 1628 |
According to information passed on to me by Ian Caldwell, in Dec 2001: "Sir Thomas Fane (d.1589) of Badsell Manor, Kent, was a politician, the son of George Fane of Badsell in the parish of Tudely, Kent, by his wife, Joan, the daughter of William Waller of Groombridge, Kent.
As a youth Thomas Fane was involved in Sir Thomas Wyatt's rebellion, which was against the proposed marriage of Mary to Philip of Spain and began in Kent on 25th January 1554. He was captured and committed prisoner in the Tower on a charge of high treason, with a warrant issued for his execution. (Princess Elizabeth was also shut up in the Tower for a while at this time). But Queen Mary, pitied his youth and pardoned him by a bill addressed to her chancellor, Stephen Gardener from St.James's, on 18th March 1554. A week later he was released and restored to his estate.
Some 19 years later he was knighted at Dover Castle on 26th August 1573 by Robert Dudley, earl of Leicester, in the presence of Queen Elizabeth. In November 1580 he was appointed deputy-commissioner within the County of Kent for the increase and breed of horses, and for the keeping of horses and geldings to service. When the Armada was expected he did good service in the disposing of forces along the coast of Kent. He died on 13th March 1589. He was married first to Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Thomas Colpeper (or Culpeper) of Bedgebury, Kent, who died childless; and secondly, on 12th December 1574, at Birling, Kent, to Lady Mary Elizabeth Neville, sole daughter and heiress of Henry, baron Abergavenny, by whom he had numerous issue. In her right he became possessed of the castle and manor of Mereworth, Kent. His widow, by letters patent bearing a date at Westminster on 25th May 1604, was restored to the name, style and dignity of Baroness le Despencer, and to the heirs of her body, with the ancient seat, place and precendry of her ancestors. As far back as 1588 she had claimed the barony of Abergavenny against Edward Neville, the heir male. She died on 26th June 1626 and was buried with her husband at Mereworth".