Somersham.info

As the situation with Spain worsened and the threat from the Spanish Armada became reality, Elizabeth and her court were worried about the role catholics might play. Potentially each and every catholic was an ally to the King of Spain. The solution that was most favoured, was to keep as many Catholics as possible under house arrest. This gave rise to a policy of internment as each locality looked for suitable places to keep them under surveillance. Walsingham fulfilled the role as a sort of one man MI5.

Item 1
30 June 1588
Lord North writing to Walsingham.
The Bishops palaces at Ely Downham and at Somersham are places in which recusants (Catholics) might be safely confined. Mr Hutton and Mr George Carleton are men fit to be intrusted with the keeping of them. Requests to be supplied with corselets, powder and muskets.

From the Salisbury Family papers

Item 2
Four letters written of this tenor to the persons and places hereunder specified. These shall be to require you to certify us how many convenient lodgings and chambers there are in the bishops house, how the same are furnished and how many persons may conveniently be lodged there and to certify the same to us with speed.

You shall not be acknowledged to any of this matter.

So fare you well.

There follows four letters to the custodian of various houses kept by the Bishop of Ely including:

Letter to Sir John Cuttes – the Bishop’s house called Somersham near Ely.

From the Privy Council papers 1591/2

Item 3
6 March 1594
Considerations by Lord Burghley of what is fit to be done with the multitude of recusants of the realm. From the certificates by the commissioners authorized to inquire for Jesuits and seminaries, a collection should be made of all certified recusants and inquisition made of their qualities of livelihood; how many are indicted; and what judgement and execution has been made against them, either for their imprisonment or for seizure of their lands. I can produce for this purpose, a book of the names of 161, from whom Her majesty has the rent of two parts of their lands according to statute, besides such as pay 20 pounds a month. Those committed to Ely or Banbury or brought over with Mr Fynes, should be called for upon their bonds, and if not reformed, recommitted. There are more capital men dwelling in the maritime counties and other places named who should also be called for and committed, those in Ely to the Castle, those in Huntingdonshire to Somersham (palace) and those in Kent to Leedes (castle).

From Elizabeth I State Papers domestic series