Biography of Rowland Hill 1498-1561

In 1 Rowland Hill was appointed Sheriff of London.

Around 1498 Rowland Hill was born to Thomas Hill of Hodnet, Shropshire and Margaret Wilbrahim

On 18 May 1542 Rowland Hill (age 44) was knighted.

In 1549 Rowland Hill (age 51) was appointed Lord Mayor of London.

Henry Machyn's Diary. 05 Nov 1553. The sam day at after-non dyd prych master Feknam (age 38) at sant Sthevyns in Walbroke, and ther wher serten pepull mad besenes for the sermon, and ther wher juge Browne (age 44), ser Rownland Hyll (age 55), ser Rechard Dobes (age 22), ser John Yorke (age 43); and sum wher sent to the mare [mayor], and to the Conter.

Henry Machyn's Diary. 16 Jan 1554. The xvj day of January was bered master Wylliam, marchand of the stapull of Callys, with mony mornars [at] sant Androus ondershaft, as ser Rowland Hyll (age 56), ser Hare Hubbellthorne, ser Androu Jude, and dyvers aldermen, with .... stayffes torchys, and ij whyt branchys, and a good sermon; .... powre men and women had good gownes.

In 1561 Rowland Hill (age 63) died.

Henry Machyn's Diary. 30 Sep 1561. The xxx day of September my lord mayre (age 52) and the althermen and the new shreyffes toke ther barges at the iij cranes in the Vintre and so to Westmynster, and so into the Cheker, and ther toke ther hoythe [oath]; and ser Rowland Hyll whent up, and master Hogys toke ser Rowland Hyll a choppyng kneyff, and one dyd hold a whyt rod, and he with the kneyff cute the rod in sunder a-for all the pepull; and after to London to ther plases to dener, my lord mayre and all the althermen and mony worshephulle men.

Henry Machyn's Diary. 25 Oct 1561. The sam tyme was delt thrugh alle the wardes of London xijd. a howse for ser Rowland Hylle, late mayre of London, behyng vere syke that time.... master Nowelle (age 44), the dene of Powlles.

Henry Machyn's Diary. 28 Oct 1561. The xxviij day of October at xij of the cloke at mydnyght ded good ser Rowland Hylle knyght and late mayre of this nobull cette of London, and merser, the wyche he ded of the strangwyllyon.

Henry Machyn's Diary. 05 Nov 1561. The v day of November was bered in sant Stephen's in Walbroke ser Rowland Hylle, latt mare and altherman and mercer and knyght, with a standard and v pennons of armes, and a cott armur and a helmet, a crest, sword, and mantyll, and xj dosen of skochyons of armes; and he gayff a c. gownes and cottes to men and women; and ther wher ij haroldes of armes, master Clarenshux (age 51) and master Somersett, and my lord mayre (age 65) morner, the cheyff morner; ser Recherd Lee, master Corbett, with dyvers odur morners, ser Wylliam Cordell, ser Thomas Offeley (age 61), ser Martens Bowes (age 64) and master Chamburlan althermen, and the ij shreyffes, and master Chambur .. and master Blakewell, with mony mo morners, and a 1. pore men in good blake gownes, besyd women; and the dene of Powlles (age 44) mad the sermon; and after all done my lord mayre (age 65) and mony and althermen whent to the Mercers' hall and the craft to dener, and the resedu to ys plase to dener, and grett mon mad [moan made] for ys deth, and he gayff myche to the pore.

Note. P. 271. Death and funeral of the good sir Rowland Hill. This reverend senator has the highest character given him in his epitaph, which was placed "on a faire stone in the south aile of St. Stephen's Walbrook:"

A friend to vertue, a lover of learning,

A foe to vice, and vehement corrector,

A prudent person, all truth supporting;

A citizen sage, and worthy counsellor;

A lover of wisdome, of justice a furtherer,

Loe, here his corps lyeth, sir Rowland Hill by name,

Of London late lord maier, and alderman of fame.

He was the son of Thomas Hill, of Hodnet in Shropshire; was sheriff 1541–2; lord mayor 1549–50. He founded a grammar school at Drayton in Shropshire, and performed other admirable acts of beneficence recorded by Stowe in his Survay, in his chapter "Honour of Citizens." "He dwelled in Walbrook, over against the said church of St. Stephen; and was buried at St. Stephen's in Walbrook 1561." Arms, Azure, two bars argent, on a canton sable a chevron between three pheons of the second, an eagle's head erased of the third, between two mullets gules. (List by Wm. Smith, Rouge-dragon.)

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Ancestors of Rowland Hill 1498-1561