Robert Keilway (''alias'' Kellway, Keylway, Kaylway, Kelloway, etc.) (1497–1581) of

Minster Lovell Hall Minster Lovell Hall is a ruin in Minster Lovell, an English village in the Oxfordshire Cotswolds. The ruins are situated by the River Windrush. History Minster Lovell Hall was built by William Lovell around 1440. As Minster Lovell was one of t ...

in Oxfordshire, was an

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

politician and court official. He was the son of Robert Keilway of Salisbury and educated at

Oxford University Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to th ...

and the

Inner Temple The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as the Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court and is a professional associations for barristers and judges. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and ...

Career

He was appointed Surveyor of the

Court of Wards and Liveries The Court of Wards and Liveries was a court established during the reign of Henry VIII in England. Its purpose was to administer a system of feudal dues; but as well as the revenue collection, the court was also responsible for wardship and liv ...

in 1546 and

Custos Rotulorum of Berkshire This is a list of people who have served as Custos Rotulorum of Berkshire. * Sir William Essex bef. 1544–1548 *Robert Keilway 1549–1581 * Sir Henry Neville bef. 1584–1593 * Sir Edward Norreys 1601–1603 * Sir Henry Neville b ...

in 1549. He was elected a

Member of Parliament A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members o ...

for

Bristol Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in ...

(1545 and 1547) and for

Steyning Steyning ( ) is a town and civil parish in the Horsham district of West Sussex, England. It is located at the north end of the River Adur gap in the South Downs, four miles (6.4 km) north of the coastal town of Shoreham-by-Sea. The smaller ...

in 1559. He was legal advisor to

Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset (150022 January 1552) (also 1st Earl of Hertford, 1st Viscount Beauchamp), also known as Edward Semel, was the eldest surviving brother of Queen Jane Seymour (d. 1537), the third wife of King Henry VI ...

, Lord Protector of England. and appointed

serjeant-at-law A Serjeant-at-Law (SL), commonly known simply as a Serjeant, was a member of an order of barristers at the English and Irish Bar. The position of Serjeant-at-Law (''servientes ad legem''), or Sergeant-Counter, was centuries old; there are wri ...

in 1552.

Marriage and children

He married Cecily Bulstrode, a daughter of Edward Bulstrode of Hedgerley in Buckinghamshire and widow of Sir Alexander Unton of Wadley House in the parish of

Faringdon Faringdon is a historic market town in the Vale of White Horse, Oxfordshire, England, south-west of Oxford, north-west of Wantage and east-north-east of Swindon. It extends to the River Thames in the north; the highest ground is on the Ridg ...

, Berkshire (now Oxfordshire). He was therefore the step-father of Sir Edward Unton. By his wife he had children including: * Anne Keilway (c. 1554–1620), wife of

John Harington, 1st Baron Harington of Exton John Harington, 1st Baron Harington (1539/40 – 23 August 1613) of Exton in Rutland, was an English courtier and politician. Family He was the eldest son and heir of Sir James Harington (c. 1511–1592) of Exton, by his wife Lucy Sidney (c. 1 ...

Death & monument

His magnificent monument with effigy, erected by his daughter and son-in-law, survives in Exton Church, inscribed as follows:
:"Here lies Robert Keylway a distinguished esquire among civilians (whilst he lived), renowned for talent, learning and virtue, who loved retirement, lived as a Christian and died in the Lord on the 21st of February in the year of our Salvation, 1580, and the 84th year of his age. He left Anne his sole heiress and only dearly loved daughter married to John Harrington of Exton, Knt, whom he had always affectionately loved as a son and friend, by which Anne the said John had during the life of the aforesaid Robert two children, a son, Kelwey, who died Dec. 2nd, 1570, 21 weeks old, and lies buried here with his grandfather, and also a daughter Lucy still surviving, and may God grant her a long life. To pay, therefore, a just tribute to so dear and affectionate a parent and to leave to posterity an evidence of their deep gratitude, the said John and Anne have raised this monument and dedicated to their father, Keylwey, and their son Keylwey (to their lasting memory if it so please God) and design it, if God will, as a sepulchre for themselves also". Memorial to Robert Keilway

References

1497 births 1581 deaths People from Oxfordshire Alumni of the University of Oxford Members of the Inner Temple English MPs 1545–1547 English MPs 1547–1552 English MPs 1559 Serjeants-at-law (England) {{16thC-England-MP-stub