James I The First King of Great Britain -by Sandra Easom, Chair, Newmarket Local History Society

As we rapidly approach the coronation of King Charles III we can also look back to reflect on the coronation of that much earlier monarch, King James I. James was the very first King to choose to style himself, “King of Great Britain and Ireland”. It was a symbol of James’ aspirations and belief that a united country would be a stronger and more powerful one. Scotland and England retained their separate Parliaments and laws under the King.

James had been born in 1566, the only son of Mary Queen of Scots and her second husband, Lord Darnley. Queen Mary was forced to abdicate in her son’s favour before he was even a year old and he thus became King James VI of Scotland in 1567. Sadly, mother and child were never to see each other again.

When Queen Elizabeth I died March 24th 1603, James also ascended the English throne. Through his Mother’s ancestry he was a descendant of Margaret Beaufort, sister of Henry VII. Queen Elizabeth had also been James’ Godmother. Had his Mother not been deposed, and later executed, she would have had the legitimate claim to the English throne after Elizabeth’s death.

The Stuart monarchs had a passion for all kinds of sport, especially hunting and hawking in James’ case. On February 4th 1604, Fordham Parish register records that King James came to the Heath ‘to hunt the hare’. In a few accounts you might see that it says “in 1605”. This is not necessarily incorrect. In 1752 a change in the Julian Calendar, used in Great Britain and Ireland, was brought about to bring the nation into line with the Gregorian calendar used in the rest of Europe.

When the King’s Gentlemen Harbingers sought accommodation for the King on that cold, February night, no-one could guess what this would mean for the little, nearby market town of Newmarket. They chose the old, wooden Griffin Inn. Not only was this probably the largest medieval inn in Newmarket but it also had a licence to sell wine, which James liked. In those days the law only permitted the sale of wine in one establishment in each town. This was probably to protect the local brewing industry, then considered essential to the country’s economy and health. Fermented ale was considered safer to drink than water and even children drank a weak version (“small beer”).

King James fell in love with the small town and the freedom it offered due to its distance from London and the wild Heath surrounding it for miles in every direction. He was resolved to visit it as often as he could.

Thus began “Royal Newmarket” for James and his Stuart family - son Charles (1st) and later, grandson Charles (2nd). Royalty had visited Newmarket many times before but this was the first time they had chosen to stay.

Apart from his hunting pursuits, in that same year the King, who was also a scholar and an author in his own right sponsored the translation of the Bible into English for all his subjects to read. This was done with great reverence by a committee of eminent scholars. This Bible became commonly called “The King James Version” (Authorised Version) and James also had the Book of Common Prayer revised.

For more local history visit: Newmarkethistory.org