The Beaufort Family

The Beauforts were the children of John of Gaunt and his mistress, Katherine Swynford. Although the children were born whilst John was married to Constance, Queen of Castile, the line was legitimised by Papal Bull and Act of Parliament and became the House of Tudor in 1485 when Henry VII defeated Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth Field.

The Beauforts and Woking Palace

The connection of the Beauforts with Woking house began when John Beaufort married Margaret Holland the sister and coheir of the childless Edmund Holland, Earl of Kent. Margaret and John had a son, also called John, who married Margaret Beauchamp of Bletso. This was Margaret Beauchamp’s second marriage, and she had one daughter by this marriage, Margaret.

The daughter, Margaret Beaufort, was married at a very young age to Edmund Tudor and had one son, Henry. She believed strongly in her son's claim to the throne and spent her whole life promoting Henry Tudor's rights.

Lady Margaret Beaufort was married three times. Margaret and her third husband, Henry Stafford, obtained the Manor of Woking by Royal Warrant in 1466.

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The Manor now passed to the Crown and the Tudors. Read more about the Tudors.