Vavasour family

The Vavasour family are an English Catholic family whose history dates back to Norman times. There are several branches of the family, some of whom have intermarried with other notable Catholic families, and are descended from William le Vavasour.

History

They are featured on the Battle Abbey Roll and lived at Hazlewood Castle from the time of the Domesday Book until 1908.^[1] The Vavasours are of Anglo-Norman descent and the various branches of the family are said to have descended from William le Vavasour, paternal grandfather of Maud le Vavasour, Baroness Butler. During the years between the English Reformation up until the Catholic Emancipation, the Vavasours were noted as a recusant family for remaining staunchly Catholic despite being fined numerous times. By showing up at services several times a year and pretending to conform to Anglicanism, they largely escaped persecution and managed to retain their property and wealth.^[2]

In 1985, the Vavasour family established Vavasour Wines, a vineyard in the Awatere Valley of Marlborough, New Zealand.

Notable members of the family

Thomas Vavasour (about 1536-7–2 May 1585) was a physician and recusant of the reign of Elizabeth I of England.
Anne Vavasour (c.1560 – c.1650) was a Maid of Honour to Elizabeth I, and the mistress of two aristocratic men. One was Edward de Vere, with whom she had a child, and for which she was locked in the Tower of London by Elizabeth I.
Thomas Vavasour (1560 - 1620) was Knight Marshal to James I.^[3]