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Old 24-10-21, 17:45   #1
Amunet
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Default History of the Croft Family

So a while back, I was talking with another TR fan on twitter about what the origins of the Croft family might have been. As someone who loves history, I found the subject interesting and started putting together a fictional account of the family's history, mixing actual historical elements with fictional ones. I found a starting point in a historical House and went from there.

In terms of the games, I thought this would be interesting information to collect as documents in an explorable Croft Manor.

Anyway, I don't know if any of you will be interested in it, but since I've been putting it together, I might as well share it, so here it goes.

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The Croft family of Abbingdon, Surrey is a prominent English aristocratic family. As a cadet branch of the House of Croft of Croft Castle, Herefordshire, the family can trace their ancestry to the 11th century. The Abbingdon branch was founded by Thomas Croft, who was created Earl of Abbingdon by King Edward VI. Since then, the Crofts have been part of the Peerage of England and have held the title of Earl of Abbingdon continuously throughout the centuries.
The current holder of the title is Lord Henshingly Croft, 18th Earl of Abbingdon.
The family seat was originally Croft Manor near Compton, Guildford, until the early 17th century, and since then it has been Abbingdon Hall, in Abbington, Surrey.


Origins

The name Croft is of Saxon origin, meaning "enclosed field" and is associated with farmlands. It is also the name of several villages in England, including Croft in Herefordshire.

The Croft family, however, is not of Saxon origin. The House was founded by a Norman knight who came to England before the Conquest, in the time of Edward the Confessor. The family were styled "de Crofte" (meaning "of Croft") for four hundred years, the name being taken from the place which they settled and made their home.

The Norman Knight who founded the estate was Bernard de Crofte, who is mentioned in the Domesday Book. According to the Domesday, Croft, Leominster, Waverton (Wharton) and Newton were held by Bernard as an under tenant of William de Schoies, his overlord. Bernard had at least two sons, Jasper and Gilbert de Crofte. Jasper, his eldest, was Knighted by Godfrey de Bouillon in 1099 at the taking of Jerusalem during the First Crusade.
After Sir Jasper's death during the Crusades, Bernard joined the Priory of Thetford in Norfolk where he spent his later years as a monk.


In addition to their Norman origins, the Crofts boast of Welsh ancestry through Sir John de Crofte's wife, Jonet, who was the daughter of Owain Glyndŵr, the Welsh leader who, in the early 15th century, instigated a fierce and long-running war of independence against the Kingdom of England, and who was the last native Welshman to hold the title Prince of Wales.
The Croft family would eventually adopt the Welsh Wyvern crest, a wounded black dragon, as a symbol of their Glyndwr heritage.


The Wars of the Roses

The “famous and very Knightly family of the Crofts”, as William Camden imortalized in his Britannia, became key players and confidantes to England's leaders throughout history, achieving distinction both on the battlefield and in offices of state. One of the most prominent members of the family was Sir Richard Croft (1429/30-1509), who served as a royal official for Kings Edward IV, Edward V, Richard III, and Henry VII.

During the Wars of the Roses, the House of Croft sided with the White Rose of York. Sir Richard fought alongside Edward, 4th Duke of York at the Battle of Mortimer's Cross in 1461, playing an important role in defining the battle plan as one of York's advisers. He became a trusted confidante of the Duke and, when Edward was crowned King, Sir Richard went on to serve him as part of the Privy Council.

Croft remained close to the King throughout his reign. His wife, Eleanor, served as governess to Edward IV's sons, the two boys now remembered as the "Princes in the Tower". After the King's death, Sir Richard was among the nobles who wished for the young King Edward V to be crowned at once to avoid the need for a protectorate. The late King's brother, Richard, Duke of Gloucester, now Lord Protector of the Realm, however, repeatedly postponed the coronation and eventually seized the throne.

Not long after Richard III's ascension, the deposed King Edward V and his brother Richard of Shrewsbury, aged 12 and 9 respectively, disappeared from the Tower of London. Rumours of their murder spread throughout court. Believing the boys' deaths to have been ordered by their uncle, Sir Richard Croft could no longer support the King. An astute player of court politics, he remained a royal official to Richard III while secretly offering his support to Henry Tudor's cause.

After the Battle of Bosworth Field and Henry VII's ascension, Sir Richard and the Croft family had their position assured in Tudor's court and, once again, Sir Richard became a trusted confident of the King of England, whom he served until his death in 1509.

The Croft family remained close to the throne after Sir Richard's death, with several members holding prominent positions at court.


The Earl of Abbingdon

In 1547, not long after Edward VI was crowned King, Thomas Croft — a grandson of Sir Richard Croft — saved the young monarch's life during a hunting incident. As a reward, he was granted the title and rights to Abbingdon by the King and created 1st Earl of Abbingdon. Thomas' quick rise caused some friction with his brother, Sir James Croft, heir of Croft Castle, who was now outranked by his younger sibling. The two Houses would inevitably drift apart.

The following year, Lord Thomas Croft married Elizabeth Arden, daughter of Sir Henry Arden of Park Hall. The Crofts and the Ardens fought together during the Wars of the Roses and had enjoyed a friendly association ever since.
As descendants Æthelwine of Mercia, the Arden family is one of only three families in England that can trace its lineage in the male line back to Anglo-Saxon times.

As he established himself as Earl of Abbingdon, Lord Thomas grew in wealth and influence, going on to become a Privy Councillor to the King.

When Sir James Croft was imprisoned at the Tower for his support of Lady Jane Grey, their father besieged Thomas to intercede with Queen Mary I on behalf of his brother. On his release, Sir James joined with Wyatt's rebellion as one of the four chief rebel leaders. When the uprising failed, Sir James was once again arrested. Lord Croft was intensely interrogated but no charges were made. His brother, however, was tried and found guilty but Thomas managed to avoid his execution.


Croft Manor

Lord Thomas was also gifted by King Edward VI a manor house near Compton, Guildford, where the Earl took residence. Previously owned by the Ashby family, the property was seized by the Crown when William Ashby was charged and executed for treason during Henry VIII’s reign.

The beautiful Tudor-style country house was built by Edmund Ashby, with later additions being made by his son William, during the reigns of the first two Tudor monarchs. The house is constructed of bricks with a glowing raspberry colour of striking intensity, while dark brick diapering and decorative mouldings add variety to its façade. It is castellated and turreted in parts, with brick-fluted and twisted chimneys, and over the entrance the Royal Arms of England are supported by the dragon and greyhound of Henry VII and Henry VIII.

After Lord Thomas took residence there, the house was renamed Croft Manor, a name by which it is still known today.

Unlike many other houses of the period, Croft Manor has not been greatly altered over the centuries. This is because in 1607 Lord Thomas’ son, Henry Croft, 2nd Earl of Abbingdon, began work on one of Britain's finest houses, Abbingdon Hall, which would eventually become the family’s new principal residence. As a consequence, Croft Manor has survived almost intact as the perfect Tudor mansion, spared the constant improvements of successive generations.

The manor is currently the residence of Lord Henshingly Croft's wayward daughter, Lara Croft, who inherited it from her great-aunt, Lady Violet, who in turn had been gifted the house by her father, the 16th Earl of Abbingdon, as part of her dowry.


Abbingdon Hall

As loyal and rich subjects of the crown, the Crofts often entertained state visitors, hosting the monarch and their increasingly larger retinues.

During Elizabeth I’s reign, for instance, as the Queen travelled through southern England in annual summer progresses, she would stay at the houses of wealthy courtiers, including Croft Manor. The hosts were expected to house the monarch in style, and provide sufficient accommodation for about 150 travelling members of the court, for whom temporary buildings had to be erected.

Partly as a result of this imperative, but also general increasing wealth, the Crofts began making plans to build a new, larger house.

It was Lord Thomas’ son, Henry Croft, who began work on the project in 1607. He intended to move the family seat to Abbingdon and found the perfect location at Abbingdon Park.

An ambitious man, he wished to display the family’s wealth and status by building a noble palace of a large scale in the most modern style. Croft employed Robert Lemynge as main architect, and would also benefit from contributions by Simon Basil, the Surveyor of the King’s Works, and Inigo Jones.

Built in brick with stone mouldings around the windows and doors, with stone string courses and quoins, and a clock tower as the central feature of the building, Abbington Hall is a prime example of Jacobean architecture.

The interiors include some of the finest examples of Jacobean craftsmanship, such as the richly carved wooden Grand Staircase, elaborate plaster ceilings, great marble fireplaces with columned overmantels and the rare stained glass window in the private chapel.

The House was completed in 1611 and has been the Crofts’ principal residence ever since.

Abbingdon Hall forms the centrepiece of a large private estate with woodlands that cover an extensive spread across the county, a vast deer park and delightful formal gardens.

The Gardens date from the early 17th century and were laid out by John Tradescant the elder who was head gardener to Henry Croft.

Tradescant visited Europe and brought back trees and plants that had never previously been grown in England. The gardens included orchards, fountains, scented plants, water parterres, terraces, herb gardens and a foot maze. They were neglected in the 18th century, but restoration began in Victorian times and continues under the management of the present Countess of Abbingdon, Lady Amelia, and her small team of gardeners.
Some closing notes:

I wanted to include elements from the different Tomb Raider timelines, so I kept Henshingly from the Classics, the title of Earl of Abbingdon and it being granted by Edward VI from LAU and Amelia's name from LAU/Reboot.

I also wanted to include both the Classic and the LAU/Reboot manors. I kept the Classic one (inspired by Compton Wynyates) as the house Lara inherited from her aunt and the LAU/R manor (inspired by Hatfield House) as her childhood home where her parents still live and renamed it Abbingdon Hall. The descriptions of each residence is that of the manor houses that inspired them, although in the case of Compton Wynyates I changed the names of the family that originally built it as I gave them a different fate than the real one.

As you can see, I only got as far as the early 17th century for now. I really wanted to cover the origins of the Crofts and their establishment as Peers. Next will probably be what roles they played in key historical moments/ notable members in the subsequent centuries.
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Old 25-10-21, 02:18   #2
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This is really cool and thorough Amunet. I really like it!

I especially like how you tied in both Lara's childhood manor (the Jacobean one based on Hatfield House) and the manor she inherits from her aunt and lives in as an adult (the Tudor one from the early games) and how you differentiated between the two.

What do you think about Murti Schofield's undeveloped ideas that Lara's family lineage may go back to Eckhardt's experimentation 'camps' across Europe? I'm not sure how it would fit into your thorough work of establishing the timeline throughout the Middle Ages, but I wanted to mention it regardless since your work here reminded me of Murti's musings.
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Old 25-10-21, 04:08   #3
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Thank you for posting Amunet.
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Old 25-10-21, 09:03   #4
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Thank you both for taking the time to read and comment!
I was really unsure of whether I would post this or not because I know it's kind of a niche interest, but if at least one person finds it interesting, it's already worth it! So thank you again. ♥

As for your question, .snake., I confess I'm not a fan of that particular idea of Murti Schofield, of making Lara a result of Eckhardt's experimentations and as such have no desire to link the Crofts with Eckhardt. In fact, I don't want to connect any of Lara's family, past or present, with any of the games' narratives.

My idea was always for this to be background information and historical easter eggs to collect at Croft Manor.
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Old 25-10-21, 09:23   #5
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Originally Posted by Amunet View Post
As for your question, .snake., I confess I'm not a fan of that particular idea of Murti Schofield, of making Lara a result of Eckhardt's experimentations and as such have no desire to link the Crofts with Eckhardt. In fact, I don't want to connect any of Lara's family, past or present, with any of the games' narratives.

My idea was always for this to be background information and historical easter eggs to collect at Croft Manor.
Yes I fully agree with you.

As much as I love Murti's vision in almost all things, and also the vast expanse, depth, and multitude of threads in AOD's backstory... that was the one aspect I could never really get my head around. Kurtis being the descendant of a special bloodline of some kind, sure. But Lara as well? Never really was my cup of tea.

So yeah, I like your work of not tying in Lara's family, and a secret destiny connected with her family, to the games' narratives.

Plus I love your naming of the aunt as Violet. Makes me think of Maggie Smith in Downton Abbey now...

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Old 25-10-21, 09:45   #6
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Yes I fully agree with you.

As much as I love Murti's vision in almost all things, and also the vast expanse, depth, and multitude of threads in AOD's backstory... that was the one aspect I could never really get my head around. Kurtis being the descendant of a special bloodline of some kind, sure. But Lara as well? Never really was my cup of tea.

So yeah, I like your work of not tying in Lara's family, and a secret destiny connected with her family, to the games' narratives.
Yeah, I feel it's just really contrived when everything is connected like that.

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Plus I love your naming of the aunt as Violet. Makes me think of Maggie Smith in Downton Abbey now...

OMG! That was totally my inspiration for Lara's great-aunty! I adore Maggie Smith in that role!
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Old 25-10-21, 16:06   #7
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Enjoyable read Amunet. You put a lot of thought and time in assembling it all together. Thanks.
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Old 25-10-21, 16:15   #8
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Enjoyable read Amunet. You put a lot of thought and time in assembling it all together. Thanks.
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed reading it
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Old 22-11-23, 07:55   #9
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Originally Posted by Amunet View Post
So a while back, I was talking with another TR fan on twitter about what the origins of the Croft family might have been. As someone who loves history, I found the subject interesting and started putting together a fictional account of the family's history, mixing actual historical elements with fictional ones. I found a starting point in a historical House and went from there.

In terms of the games, I thought this would be interesting information to collect as documents in an explorable Croft Manor.

Anyway, I don't know if any of you will be interested in it, but since I've been putting it together, I might as well share it, so here it goes.



Some closing notes:

I wanted to include elements from the different Tomb Raider timelines, so I kept Henshingly from the Classics, the title of Earl of Abbingdon and it being granted by Edward VI from LAU and Amelia's name from LAU/Reboot.

I also wanted to include both the Classic and the LAU/Reboot manors. I kept the Classic one (inspired by Compton Wynyates) as the house Lara inherited from her aunt and the LAU/R manor (inspired by Hatfield House) as her childhood home where her parents still live and renamed it Abbingdon Hall. The descriptions of each residence is that of the manor houses that inspired them, although in the case of Compton Wynyates I changed the names of the family that originally built it as I gave them a different fate than the real one.

As you can see, I only got as far as the early 17th century for now. I really wanted to cover the origins of the Crofts and their establishment as Peers. Next will probably be what roles they played in key historical moments/ notable members in the subsequent centuries.
Amazing Story!! Can't wait I f there will be more History about the Croft's till Laras Birthday... If you want write more, I can help you if you want
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Old 22-11-23, 09:38   #10
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Amazing Story!! Can't wait I f there will be more History about the Croft's till Laras Birthday... If you want write more, I can help you if you want
Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it!

I've kind of put this one on hold as I've been working on a different story. That's me, starting a bunch of different stories and then never finishing them! (Well, not true, I did finish the Himalayan crash one )

Anyway, I'm still planning on continuing this one, I just don't know when.

Last edited by Amunet; 22-11-23 at 09:42.
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