The Elmbridge Hundred: A lecture to Molesey History Society The
following lecture was presented to Molesey History Society on 15
February 2011 by Alistair Grant. In 1537, Henry VIII (1491 -
1547) acquired Oatlands Manor in Weybridge. The year before, on
30th May 1536, Henry had married Jane Seymour. Two months after
they were married, the king's illegitimate son by his mistress
Elizabeth Blount, Henry Fitzroy, duke of Richmond, died at the
age of 17. Jane Seymour, who was never crowned queen, died on
24th October 1537, shortly after giving birth to Henry's only
legitimate son, Edward. Henry buried Jane in the tomb he had
prepared for himself in St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle,
making Jane the only of his six wives to be buried with him. For
over two years after Jane's death Henry remained single, perhaps
genuinely grief-stricken for Jane Seymour. Therefore, Henry's
motives for acquiring Oatlands Manor were twofold: After Jane's
death, he threw himself into his second favourite manly pursuit,
and began c