Humphrey Kynaston

Humphrey Kynaston (died 1534), aka Wild Humphrey Kynaston, was an English highwayman who operated in the Shropshire area. The son of the High Sheriff of Shropshire, he was convicted of murder in 1491. After being outlawed, he moved into a cave in the area and lived a lifestyle compared to Robin Hood.

Biography Early life Kynaston was the youngest son of Sir Roger Kynaston (c. 1432/1433–1495), High Sheriff of Shropshire, who was thought to have killed Lord Audley at the Battle of Blore Heath, and Roger's second wife, Lady Elizabeth Grey, daughter of Henry Grey, 2nd Earl of Tankerville and Antigone Plantagenet, the legitimised daughter of Humphrey of Lancaster, 1st Duke of Gloucester (son of Henry IV and Mary de Bohun) and his second wife Eleanor de Cobham. He was raised in Myddle Castle, which Roger had inherited from his first wife Elizabeth Cobham. He received his "wild" nickname from his outrageous lifestyle, which frequently got him into trouble with the law. Kynaston later inherited Myddle Castle from his father, but allowed the estate to fall into disrepair.

Marriage and children Kynaston married Isabella ferch Maredudd ap Howell ap Morrice of Oswaldestre (Oswestry), daughter of Maredudd of Glascoed and Thomasina Ireland of Wrexham, Denbighshire. They had six children: Margaret Kynaston Edward Kynaston Thomasina Kynaston Robert Kynaston Roger Kynaston Jana Kynaston

It is further thought that he married Margred ferch William on 4 August 1497, with whom he had another two children: Elsbeth Kynaston (b. Cochwilliam, 1502) Edward Kynaston of Hordley (born c.1515)

Life of a highwayman On 20 December 1491, Kynaston was found guilty of the murder of John Hughes at Stretton, and declared an outlaw by Henry VII. Some time after that, he moved from Myddle castle to a cave in Nesscliffe Rock. Some sources claim that the reason he moved was due to the criminal charges,

From 1491 to 1518, Kynaston supposedly lived a life that would match the fictional character Robin Hood.

Kynaston's Cave Today, the cave is known as Kynaston's Cave, and is located at . It has two rooms; Kynaston lived in one, and stabled Beelzebub in the other. It was directed by Hannah de Quincey, the artistic director of Moonstruck Astronaut Theatre Company.

The production was performed in Gnosall and was filmed and posted on the Moonstruck Astronaut Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jl-ekDnlI4&t=10s