After writing the original piece I received interesting correspondence fromThe Herricks, Heyricks, Eyricks
(The spelling of the surname did not become fixed until the 17th Century and even then not all branches of the family chose the same spelling) originally came to England from Sweden and settled in Houghton-on-the-Hill when Leicestershire was part of the Danelaw.The Herrick family had a reputation for literacy at a time when many people could not read. During the prosperous years of the thirteenth century their numbers increased and they spread out into the neighbouring village of Great Stretton
Some members of the Herrick family became ironmongers and sold goods in the nearby town of Leicester on Cheapside, the only part of the town where people who were not Freemen were allowed to trade.
However, after the Black Death had decimated the population of Leicester the Town Council allowed outsiders to rent dilapidated property round Cheapside to store their goods. In the 15th Century a Thomas Herrick of Houghton-on the Hill rented a building on the corner of Cheapside and the Saturday market. Later he renovated the house and moved his famuly in. By the sixteenth Century the family had become Freemen of the city of Leicester and Thomas' son John became Mayor.
This John Herrick had twelve children all of whom were still alive when he died at the age of eighty. His tombstone can be seen in the Herrick Chapel in Leicester Cathedral.
Nicholas Herrick, John's eldest son, became a Goldsmith in London. He took on his younger brother William as an apprentice. Nicholas died after falling out of the window of his house leaving a baby son, Robert. William Herrick brought up his young nephew and when he was old enough made him his apprentice. However Robert did not like the work and persuaded his uncle to let him attend university. Later he became a famous poet.William Herrick became rich in London and important in the court of King James 1st. He kept in touch with Leicester, however and became its MP. Later he purchased Beaumanor Hall in Charnwood and bought King Richard's bed to furnish one of the rooms. It was perhaps the story of Black Annis associated with the bed that inspired William's nephew, Robert Herrick, to write the poem *The Hag*
Another son of John Herrick, Robert Heyrick, bought part of the GreyFriars lands after Henry 8th had dissolved the monasteries. The property included the tomb built for King Richard 3rd by King Henry 7th.
Until the end of the nineteenth Century the Herrick family were well known in Leicester. Members often served the city as Clerk to the Council.The tombs of many of the Herricks can be found in St Katherine's chapel in St Martin's Cathedral, Leicester and in the parish church at Woodhouse Eves
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