Humphrey Kynaston: The Wayward Son

In the 1490s, Roger Kynaston, High Sheriff of Shropshire, couldn’t think of how to convince his wayward son Humphrey to give up his wild ways. On his deathbed, he settled on an idea: he would leave him the family home. That level of responsibility would certainly be enough to make his youngest son a respectable man.

Myddle Castle began to fall to ruin shortly after Roger’s death.

Humphrey simply couldn’t maintain its upkeep! He was incredibly busy... drinking, feasting, marrying multiple women, and fathering ten children - how could he remember to make payments or maintain its upkeep?

Then there was the murder charge.

In 1491, Humphrey was found guilty of murdering a man called John Hughes at Stretton and declared an outlaw. Nobody knows why he killed him - perhaps a row over his debts, one of his many wives, or he simply didn't like the look of the man.

Maybe he was innocent of the crime - it would be fair to say the criminal justice system of the 1490s wasn't known for its due process, and it's possible the sheriff jumped to a hasty conclusion.

Either way, rather than face trial and execution for his alleged crime, Humphrey took to the hills. He moved into a cosy little cave at Nesscliffe Rock with his beloved horse, Beelzebub, stabled in a room next to Humphrey’s like one of the family.

He bravely turned his back on the society that had condemned him (albeit... for murder) and decided to live in the image of his idol, Robin Hood, stealing from the rich and giving to the poor.

Everyone has heroes.

Eventually, in the early 1500s, pleased by his twenty years taking care of the local folk (and sending 100 of them to fight the French in the king's army), the King pardoned Humphrey.

But when you’ve lived somewhere that long, it starts to feel like home. So rather than buy a new, expensive, difficult-to-maintain castle, Humphrey simply hung a few extra tapestries and hunkered down in his familiar old cave for the rest of his days.