Francis Noel Clarke Mundy

Francis Noel Clarke Mundy (15 August 1739 – 23 October 1815) was an English poet, landowner, magistrate and, in 1772, Sheriff of Derbyshire. His most noted poem was written to defend Needwood Forest which was enclosed at the beginning of the 19th century.

Life

Francis Noel Clarke Mundy was born on 15 August 1739 at Osbaston Hall in Osbaston, Leicestershire. He was the son of Wrightson Mundy, who was MP for the Leicestershire constituency, and his wife Anne (née Burdett). Anne's father, Robert Burdett, was the son and heir of his namesake Sir Robert Burdett, 3rd Baronet of Bramcote, but he did not succeed to the baronetcy, as he predeceased his father.

Francis was the direct descendant and heir of Sir John Mundy, who had first purchased the manors of Markeaton (the principal seat of the Mundys), Allestree and Mackworth from Lord Audley in 1515. To these was added the manor of Osbaston, which the Mundys had inherited through a female ancestor, Philippa Mundy (née Wrightson), daughter and heiress of Michael Wrightson of Osbaston.

He was a direct descendant of Edward III via his Noel ancestors, who could trace their ancestry back to Philippa, Countess of Ulster. As such he was also a descendant of the Plantagenet Kings preceding Edward III, as well as William the Conqueror, the Dukes of Normandy and of Alfred the Great.

He received his education at Repton School and then at Winchester, before proceeding to New College, Oxford in 1757, receiving his MA in 1761.

In 1762–63, Joseph Wright of Derby exhibited a set of six portraits that were commissioned by Mundy. Each of the portraits subjects were dressed in the attire of the Markeaton Hunt, which consisted of yellow breeches and a blue coat over a scarlet waistcoat. These paintings were hung at Markeaton Hall. The subjects of these commissions included old school friends like Harry Peckham and relatives like his brother-in-law, Francis Burdett.