Nicholas Poyntz

Sir Nicholas Poyntz (1510—circa 28 November 1556) was a prominent English courtier during the latter part of Henry VIII's reign. There is a portrait drawing by Hans Holbein the Younger in the Royal Collection and an oil portrait after the same artist based on the drawing in the National Portrait Gallery, London. One further portrait also exists after Holbein. Life He was the eldest son of Sir Anthony Poyntz (1480?–1533), vice-admiral, and his first wife Elizabeth Huddefield. His uncle was John Poyntz. On Saturday 21 August 1535, Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn visited Nicholas Poyntz at Acton Court, Iron Acton, Gloucestershire. Poyntz had built a special new lodging for his royal guests which still survives. It contained three first-floor state rooms and one of these still has painted decorations by an artist of the Tudor court. These staterooms connected to the older house by a covered walkway called a 'pentice.' Archaeological excavations found fragments of precious Venetian glass and maiolica which Nicholas probably bought for the visit. The evidence of lengthy preparations by Nicholas at Acton shows that Henry's progress in the west of England was planned in advance. In 1539 and 1545 he served as High Sheriff of Gloucestershire and in 1547 represented Gloucestershire in Parliament as a Knight of the Shire.