One Leader of the Uprising – John Rosewarne of Rosewarne (near Camborne)

Rosewarne Wollas
Rosewarne Wollas

Until a short while ago, I did not link the Camborne Miracle Play ‘Bewnans Meryasek’, the 1497 uprising and a gentleman, John ‘Gentleman John’ de Rosewarne  from Rosewarne  near Camborne in the County of Kerrier in Cornwall. The uprising was concerning the taxes from King Henry Tudor to enable the English to fight the Scots. Also one of the scoundrels in the play was named Teudar, surely a direct challenge to the King by the Church in Cornwall.

Then there was the man John de Rosewarne, (1480-1540) one of the many leaders arrested by the English army, but who escaped the hangman. The King seized all their property and exiled all the prisoners. But John was the second son to William de Rosewarne and the ancient manor stayed in the family because of the ‘Primo Genita’ Law. It was eventually sold during the reign of King James 1st. Bought by a local lawyer but he couldn’t stay there chased out as he was by the ghost of Rosewarne Manor.

I don’t know where Gentleman John went but his wife Anne Aubyn, went with him and the first of their 4 children was born in 1515, long after his banishment. John died in 1540 and his wife in 1543. She is buried in Camborne churchyard.

Written, translated and filmed by Clive Baker.

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