Thomas Arundell of Wardour Castle

Arms of Arundel of Lanherne, Cornwall, later Baron Arundell of Wardour: Sable, six martlets argent. These are early canting arms, based on the French for swallow hirondelle. They were recorded for Reinfred de Arundel (d. circa 1280), lord of the manor of Lanherne, Cornwall, in the 15th-century Shirley Roll of Arms Sir Thomas Arundell of Wardour Castle in Wiltshire (c. 150226 February 1552) was a Cornish administrator and alleged conspirator.

Arundell was connected by birth and marriage to the crown and to several of the most important families in England, and by the time of the death of King Henry VIII was one of the most experienced government officers in England. Those in power had concerns about his influence and his family's devotion to the old religion. Vague and unproven allegations of complicity in the Prayer Book Rebellion in 1549 were made against him. In late 1551 he temporarily aligned himself with the Protector Somerset, thereby putting himself in conflict with John Dudley, Earl of Warwick. He was arrested and charged with conspiring to overthrow the government and murder the Earl. He was convicted, and beheaded on Tower Hill on 26 February 1552. His property was confiscated, but in June 1552 the Crown began restoring it to his widow and, from 1553, to his son.

Biography Thomas Arundell, born about 1502, was the younger of the two sons of Sir John Arundell (1474–1545) of Lanherne, St. Mawgan-in-Pyder, Cornwall, Receiver General of the Duchy of Cornwall and "the most important man in the county", by his first wife, Lady Eleanor Grey (d. by December 1503), the daughter of Thomas Grey, 1st Marquess of Dorset.

Arundell was educated at Lincoln's Inn, and began his career in the household of Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, where he was a contemporary of Thomas Cromwell. He was knighted at the coronation of Queen Anne Boleyn.

Arundell held a number of administrative positions, principally in the West Country. He was the first receiver of the Court of Augmentations for Cornwall, Devon, Somerset and Dorset, and in 1533 succeeded his father as Receiver-General of the Duchy of Cornwall. He was a Justice of the Peace for Cornwall, Dorset and Somerset during the reigns of Henry VIII and Edward VI, and was appointed to commissions for gaol delivery, oyer and terminer, and the defence of the counties of the south-west coastline.

According to Agnes Strickland, his wife Margaret Howard, Lady Arundel was a Lady Attendant to Queen Katherine Howard, her sister the Queen.

Later he would serve as Chancellor of the Household to Queen Katherine Parr. daughters:

Sir Matthew Arundell of Wardour Castle (c.1534/1535 – 24 December 1598), who married his second cousin Margaret Willoughby, the daughter of Sir Henry Willoughby (slain 27 August 1549 during Kett's Rebellion) of Wollaton, Nottinghamshire, and Anne Grey (died 1548), the daughter of Thomas Grey, 2nd Marquess of Dorset, and Margaret Wotton, and by her had two sons, Thomas Arundell, 1st Baron Arundell of Wardour (c.1560 – 7 November 1639), and William Arundell (after 1560 – 16 February 1592), esquire. Charles Arundell (d. 9 December 1587), who died unmarried and without issue. Margaret Arundell. Dorothy Arundell (c. 1535 – c. 1578), who married Sir Henry Weston. Jane Arundell (c. 1536 - 1593), who married Sir William Bevyle or Bevill (died 1600) of Killigarth.

The Arundells of Lanherne, Cornwall, and of Chideock, Dorset, are descended from Sir Thomas Arundell's elder brother, Sir John Arundell (of Lanherne, died 1557).