Mistress Margaret Wentworth

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Margaret Wentworth, Lady Drury
(1527 - 1588)

Margaret Wentworth was the daughter of Sir Thomas Wentworth of Nettlestead and Margaret Fortescue, Lady Nettlestead. She came from a very wealthy family with a large a large number of estates and had 16 brothers and sisters. At the age of 30 in 1557 she married John Williams of Thame but the marriage only lasted two years when he died of illness. From this marriage Margaret inherited an estate in Oxfordshire, at Weston-on-the-Green, near Bicester. In 1560 she then married William Drury, who was later knighted and became the Governor of Ireland. They had three daughters together, Jane, Anne and Elizabeth Drury. Jane and Anne went on to become married however only a few of the historical documents even mention Elizabeth. It's assumed that she died at birth.

In 1578 Sir William Drury was joined by James Croft of Weston who served as one of his Captains in Ireland, later becoming the executor of Drury's will. After Sir William Drury died in 1579 Margaret married James Croft. The couple then returned to her estate in Oxforshire and settled down until her death in 1588. They had no children.