Thomas Carew and Wilmot Lampen

Thomas Carew was born in 1640 at Anthony House in Torpoint, Cornwall.

Thomas was baptised on 14 May 1640 at St Minver Cornwall, the son of Alexander Carew, 2nd baronet 1609-1644 and Lady Jane Rolle 1605-1679.

Thomas’s father was beheaded on 23 December 1644 in Tower Hill after being “condemned to death for treachery by a council of war held at Guildhall”. Thomas would have been around four years of age at the time.

The manor house is full of personal treasures and portraits of the Carew family stretching back many generations.  Antony House – wikipedia.

Thomas married Wilmot Lampen on 17 November 1663 at St Dominick, Cornwall.

Wilmot Lampon / Lampend was born in 1635 and baptised on 24 November 1635 in Linkinhorne, Cornwall. She was the daughter of John Lampen of Padreda 1604-1660 and Wilmot Laudrey.

In 1664 the newly married couple were living in Calstock occupying and renting a property belonging to his mother Dame Jane Carew. They were possibly living on the property Harrowbern, which is referred to in his mother’s Will as the “Mannor of Harrowbeard”, which he inherited after her death. 

Thomas and Wilmot had several children born in Cornwall –

1. Alexander b 1659 Harrowbeare d 1709
2. Jane b 1664 Helston d 1717 Lanlivery, Cornwall. Marr Rev Nicholas Kendall.
3. Elizabeth b 1667 d 1685
4. Sarah b 1669
5. Mary b 1674
6. John b 1678  d 1745 Harrowbeare, Cornwall.
7. Joan b unknown

Thomas was described as a gentleman of Harrowbeare, Calstock, Cornwall on his daughter Jane’s baptism record. The property can be found in the records as Harrowbern, Harrobeare, Harrowbeard, and Wetharrowbarrow. According to land records located in the Cornish Archives (Kresen Kernow) it appears that Thomas sold this property, Harrabeare, Calstock three months after his mother’s death. The village is now spelt Harrowbarrow.

The Cornwall Record Office has the PCC will of Thomas’s son John Carew, bequeathing his property at Harrowbeare dated 7 May 1744 Ref CRO R/3093.

Thomas’s niece by his brother Sir John Carew (3rd baronet) and first wife Sarah Hungerford, was a lady named Rachel Carew 1669-1705. Rachel married Ambrose Manaton 1648-1696.

A portrait of Rachel painted by Mary Beale can be seen on display at Antony House today. It is said that the portrait so impressed Daphne du Maurier whilst at Antony House that it formed an inspiration for her novel My Cousin Rachel. 

​My Cousin Rachel is a novel by British author Daphne du Maurier, published in 1951. Like the earlier Rebecca, it is a mystery-romance, set primarily on a large estate in Cornwall. The story has its origins in a portrait of Rachel Carew at Antony House in Cornwall, which du Maurier saw and took as inspiration.

Thomas Carew died in 1684 and left a will proved in 1686. He was buried at Calstock on 3 January 1684, the day after his daughter Elizabeth Carew.

Wilmot Carew died in 1692 and left a will held at the Cornwall Record Office Ref AP/C/2177.

The Carew family are an ancient aristocratic line that descend directly from King Edward II of England. Click on the images below to read about the family.