Sir John HERON

(1470 – 1522)

Crest and Shield of Sir John Heron

Sir John Heron (1470 – 1522) was an English courtier. He was born in Hackney, Middlesex.

He came to prominence as “Treasurer of the Chamber” to the Kings of England from 1492 to 1521.  This meant he was controller of the royal purses of both Henry VII and Henry VIII in those years.  Heron was involved in financing the English army at the battle of Flodden in 1513.  And in 1520 he was in charge of the financial arrangements for the Field of the Cloth of Gold, a huge diplomatic initiative to celebrate peace between England and France.

In 1519 he provided finances to rebuild Hackney parish church.  His home was Shacklewell Manor House, a substantial mansion on the site of Seal Street, in Hackney.

In 1521 Sir John Heron purchased Rycote Manor in Oxfordshire from Richard Fowler, whose father had been chancellor to the duchy of Lancaster.  At Sir John's death, Rycote Manor passed to his son, Sir Giles Heron, who sold it in 1539.