William Danvers

He was a younger son of John Danvers (died 1449)[1] of Calthorpe, near Banbury and of Prescote in the parish of Cropredy, both in Oxfordshire who served four times as a Member of Parliament for Oxfordshire, in 1420, 1421, 1423 and 1435.[1] His mother (his father's second wife) was Joan Bruley, daughter and heiress of John Bruley, of Waterstock, Oxfordshire, a son of William Bruley, MP.[1] His elder half-brother was Sir Robert Danvers (d.1467), another notable judge.

He became a Justice of the Peace for Oxfordshire in 1456, and served again for Berkshire in 1463.[2] He represented Taunton in Parliament in 1467 and 1472, and with him in that Parliament was his brother Thomas, who sat for Downton. William was also member for Hindon in 1478.[2] He became a Serjeant-at-Law in 1485 and was made a Justice of the Court of Common Pleas on 5 February 1488.[3]

On the death of his brother Thomas Danvers in 1502, William Danvers inherited the manors of Adderbury, Colthorpe, and the family property in Banbury, Bourton, Cropredy, Milton, and elsewhere.[4]

In 1470 he married Anne Pury, by whom he was the grandfather of Edmund Docwra MP and great-grandfather of Henry Docwra, 1st Baron Docwra of Culmore.

He died on 19 April 1504 and was buried in St Mary's Church, Thatcham.