Individual Details
Richard PRATER Esq., of Nunney Castle
(Abt 1540 - Jun 1580)
Richard Prater, Esq. lived at his father's estateof Stanton St. Bernard, where most of his children were born. Later George Prater, Esq. purchased the de la Mare (Delamare) estates from his cousins in a tax transfer arrangement. These estates were then given to Richard Prater, Esq. as his inheitance he then moved to Nunney Castle which was among the vast holdings of the de la Mare estates. Gary Prather
For more on Nunney Castle, including a picture.
Richard Prater died in 1580 and his tomb with his life size statue effigy of he and his wife lying on top of his tomb which is located in the de la Mare (Delamare) Chapel in All Saints Church, Nunney, Somerset, England. Anthony was a trustee of Richards estates until Richards son, George, came of age. These estates consisted of 2/3 of the Lordship of Nunney, Nunney Castle, Glaston Manor, Lighe Delamare Manor, Trotoxhill Manor, Sharpshawe Manor ( all of these in Somerset, and his fathers estates in Cryklade, Chelworth Manor, Calcote Manor. Also included in these holdings were 40 farms with dewellings and surfs, 30 farms without dewellings and 4000 acres of meadow land, 300 acres of timber, a teniment in Oxford, and numerious businesses which included Mills , Wool Processing Centers, Dovecotts, etc. From what I can gleen from the few records is that Anthony had taken liberties with proceeds from the estates and shortly after the son and heir came of age. Anthony was "excommunicated from the Catholic Church for his extorsionate practices!" -- Gary Prather
King Charles lost the War and was beheaded. It is true that Col. Richard Prater OFFERED to change sides...... but this was only after the Roundhead forces had laid siege to Nunney Castle and blow a 10 ft. hole in the front wall (in an area where a private stairway went through the wall and was the weakest point in the wall (the Maudleys told the Roundheads where to place the cannon fire, .... the Maudleys were long time enemys of the Praters). Col. Richard Prater offered to change sides only after everything was lost!
For more on Nunney Castle, including a picture.
Richard Prater died in 1580 and his tomb with his life size statue effigy of he and his wife lying on top of his tomb which is located in the de la Mare (Delamare) Chapel in All Saints Church, Nunney, Somerset, England. Anthony was a trustee of Richards estates until Richards son, George, came of age. These estates consisted of 2/3 of the Lordship of Nunney, Nunney Castle, Glaston Manor, Lighe Delamare Manor, Trotoxhill Manor, Sharpshawe Manor ( all of these in Somerset, and his fathers estates in Cryklade, Chelworth Manor, Calcote Manor. Also included in these holdings were 40 farms with dewellings and surfs, 30 farms without dewellings and 4000 acres of meadow land, 300 acres of timber, a teniment in Oxford, and numerious businesses which included Mills , Wool Processing Centers, Dovecotts, etc. From what I can gleen from the few records is that Anthony had taken liberties with proceeds from the estates and shortly after the son and heir came of age. Anthony was "excommunicated from the Catholic Church for his extorsionate practices!" -- Gary Prather
King Charles lost the War and was beheaded. It is true that Col. Richard Prater OFFERED to change sides...... but this was only after the Roundhead forces had laid siege to Nunney Castle and blow a 10 ft. hole in the front wall (in an area where a private stairway went through the wall and was the weakest point in the wall (the Maudleys told the Roundheads where to place the cannon fire, .... the Maudleys were long time enemys of the Praters). Col. Richard Prater offered to change sides only after everything was lost!
Events
| Birth | Abt 1540 | co.Wilts, ENG | |||
| Marriage | Abt 1561 | co.Wilts, ENG - Margaret ASHFIELD | |||
| Residence | 1577 | Nunney Castle - Nunney Castle, co.Somerset, ENG |  | ||
| Will | 6 Dec 1577 | ||||
| Death | Jun 1580 | Nunney Castle, co.Somerset, ENG | | ||
| Burial | Ca Jul 1580 | Nunney Chapel, co.Somerset, ENG | |||
| Burial | 13 Feb 1628 | Nunney Castle, co.Somerset, ENG |
Families
| Spouse | Margaret ASHFIELD (1541 - 1628) |
| Child | George PRATER (1562 - 1621) |
| Child | Grace PRATER (1564 - 1622) |
| Child | Richard PRATER (1570 - ) |
| Child | Jane PRATER (1571 - 1652) |
| Child | Humphrey PRATER (1572 - ) |
| Child | Living |
| Child | William Z. PRATER yeoman (1575 - 1647) |
| Child | Living |
| Child | Living |
| Father | George PRATER Esq., of Latton (1510 - 1564) |
| Mother | Jane PLOTT (1515 - 1586) |
| Sibling | Elinor PRATER (1542 - ) |
| Sibling | Anthony Thomas PRATER Gent. (1545 - 1593) |
| Sibling | George PRATER of Hook (1550 - 1591) |
| Sibling | John PRATER (1550 - ) |
| Sibling | Dorothy PRATER (1550 - ) |
| Sibling | Nicholas PRATER (1550 - 1589) |
| Sibling | Alis PRATER (1550 - ) |
| Sibling | Margaret PRATER (1550 - ) |
| Sibling | Bartholomew PRATER (1560 - ) |
Notes
Residence
Bought the castle from his distant cousin William Paulet, Earl of Wiltshire & Marquis of Winchester in 1577, from Paulet's estate (d.1572). The purchase of "Nunney" included many other estates these were: the villiages of N.Gaston, Shaperspaw, Lighe Delamare, Tortoxhill, a tenament in Oxford, 40 farms with dwellings/serfs and out buildings, 30 farms with no dwelling/serfs but some with outbuildings, the villiage of Nunney (which was the wool washing and processing center of Somersetshire), Mills, Dove Cots, 4000 acres of meadow AND.... one other item that was more valueable than all the rest put together..... 300 acres of timber! .. Timber was so valueable that you had to have a license from the king to cut timber.Another report I have is that actually William Paulet to a John Parker, who only held it for only a year, before selling it to Richard Prater for £2,000.