Biography of Abigail Heveningham 1550-1611

Before 7th February 1546 [her father] Anthony Heveningham [aged 45] and Catherine Calthorpe were married.

After 7th February 1546 [her father] Anthony Heveningham [aged 45] and [her mother] Mary Shelton [aged 36] were married. They were first cousin once removed.

Around 1550 Abigail Heveningham was born to Anthony Heveningham [aged 49] and Mary Shelton [aged 40] at Ketteringham, Norfolk. Coefficient of inbreeding 3.13%.

On 22nd November 1557 [her father] Anthony Heveningham [aged 56] died.

After 22nd November 1557 Philip Appleyard [aged 29] and [her mother] Mary Shelton [aged 47] were married.

On 15th November 1558 John Digby died. He was buried at the Church of St Peter and St Paul, Coleshill [Map]. His son [her future husband] George Digby [aged 8] became a ward of Francis Knollys [aged 46].

On or before 8th January 1571, the day she was buried at the Church of St Margaret, Heveningham, [her mother] Mary Shelton [aged 61] died.

In or before 1574 George Digby [aged 23] and Abigail Heveningham [aged 23] were married. They were fifth cousin once removed.

In 1574 [her son] Robert Digby was born to [her husband] George Digby [aged 23] and Abigail Heveningham [aged 24]. He married 19th April 1598 his third cousin once removed Lettice Fitzgerald, daughter of Gerald Fitzgerald Baron Offaly and Catherine Knollys Baroness Offaly, and had issue.

In February 1580 [her son] John Digby 1st Earl Bristol was born to [her husband] George Digby [aged 29] and Abigail Heveningham [aged 30] at Coleshill, Warwickshire. He married 1609 Beatrice Walcott and had issue.

In or before 1586 [her future husband] Edward Cordell [aged 50] and Elizabeth Harrison were married.

In April 1587 [her husband] George Digby [aged 36] died at Coleshill, Warwickshire. He had made his will the previous April. It was proved 11 May 1587. He divided his lands between his widow Abigail Heveningham [aged 37] and his eldest surviving son Robert Digby [aged 13], and was buried at Coleshill.

After April 1587 Edward Cordell [aged 51] and Abigail Heveningham [aged 37] were married.

On 9th December 1590 [her husband] Edward Cordell [aged 54] died. He was buried at St Dunstan's in the West, Fleet Street [Map] where his wife Abigail Heveningham [aged 40] commissioned a monument, His will was proved 20 Jan 1591. He left to his wife and sole executrix all his freehold and other lands in several counties, together with his house in Fleet Street, and made provision for the almshouse his brother had founded at Long Melford.

On 19th April 1598 [her son] Robert Digby [aged 24] and [her daughter-in-law] Lettice Fitzgerald [aged 18] were married. They were third cousin once removed.

In 1609 [her son] John Digby 1st Earl Bristol [aged 28] and [her daughter-in-law] Beatrice Walcott were married.

In 1611 Abigail Heveningham [aged 61] died