Dudley North, 3rd Baron North was a distinguished nobleman in the court of James I. His excessive early lifstyle resulted in him in 1605 at the age of 24 having to retire to the country at Eridge House, the property of Lord Abergavenny, to recharge his batteries. He decided to return to London early in 1606 and during his journey he discovered The Wells. According to Thomas Benge Burr's History of Tunbridge Wells published in 1766 :
"He could not pass by without taking notice of a water, which seemed to claim his attention, on account of the shining mineral scum that everywhere swam on its surface, as well as on account of the ochreous substance which subsided at the bottom, and marked its course to a neighbouring brook. His lordship accordingly observed these uncommon appearances, the meaning of which he could not instantly comprehend; however, they induced him to alight from his carriage, in order to examine it more attentively; and at the same time he ordered one of his attendants to borrow a little vessel from the neighbouring hovel, that he might taste it: and the peculiar ferruginous taste of the water not only convinced lord North, that it held its course through some undiscovered mine, contained in the dark cavities of the earth, but also gave him room to fancy, that it was indued with some medicinal properties, which might be beneficial to the human race."
North returned to London and the properties of the samples he had collected were examined by physicians and
"the result of their inquiries proved so favourable to this hereto neglected spring, that they hasted back again to publish its valuable qualities, and to give their noble patient sufficient encouragement to try its efficacy, on the return of the vernal season"
North followed their advice, was cured of his disorders and lived on to 1666 at the advanced age of 85.
Dudley Lord North was a distinguished nobleman in King James's court … this young nobleman had reached his twenty-fourth year, when he fell into a lingering, consumptive disorder that baffled the utmost efforts of medicine … and his physicians advised him to retire into the country, and try the efficacy of that last remedy, change of air, for the re-establishment of his constitution.
His lordship, in the spring of 1606 made Eridge-House the place of retreat … when, finding his disorder rather increased than diminished … his lordship therefore, rejecting all sollicitation to remain any longer, abruptly quitted this retired mansion, and began his journey to London.
His road lay directly through the wood in which these useful springs were concealed from the knowledge of mankind; … he could not pass by without taking notice of a water, which seemed to claim his attention, on account of the shining mineral scum that everywhere swam on its surface, as well as on account of the ochreous substance which subsided at the bottom, and marked its course to a neighbouring brook. His lordship accordingly observed these uncommon appearances, the meaning of which he could not instantly comprehend; however, they induced him to alight from his carriage, in order to examine it more attentively; and at the same time he ordered one of his attendants to borrow a little vessel from the neighbouring hovel, that he might taste it: and the peculiar ferruginous taste of the water not only convinced Lord North, that it held its course through some undiscovered mine, contained in the dark cavities of the earth, but also gave him room to fancy, that it was indued with some medicinal properties, which might be beneficial to the human race.
Some of the water was carried to London, the physicians were consulted upon its virtues, and … the result of their inquiries proved so favourable to this hereto neglected spring, that they hasted back again to publish its valuable qualities, and to give their noble patient sufficient encouragement to try its efficacy, on the return of the vernal season
[in 1607] Lord North returned to Eridge to add the power of the water to the purity of the air, and … the success he met with more than answered his most sanguine expectations, … he returned to town so perfectly freed from all his complaints
| Roger North | m: c 1490 | Christiam Warcup | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| b: c 1470 | b: c 1470 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Edward | Joan | Alice | Thomas | Edward | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| b: c 1496 Walkeringham, Nottinghamshire d: 31st Dec 1564 | b: c 1498 Walkeringham, Nottinghamshire | b: c 1500 Walkeringham, Nottinghamshire | b: c 1502 Walkeringham, Nottinghamshire | b: c 1504 Walkeringham, Nottinghamshire | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Edward North 1st Baron North | m: c 1525 | Alice Squire | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| b: c 1496 Walkeringham, Nottinghamshire d: 31st Dec 1564 | b: c 1500 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Christian | Sir Roger | Thomas | Mary | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| b: c 1529 Cambridgeshire d: 20th Mar 1563/64 | b: 27th Feb 1530 London d: 3rd Dec 1600 | b: c 1533 London | b: c 1538 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sir Roger North 2nd Baron North | m: c 1550 | Winifred Rich | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| b: 27th Feb 1530 London d: 3rd Dec 1600 | b: c 1530 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sir John | Thomas | Henry | Mary | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| b: 1554 Kirtling, Cambridgeshire d: 5th Jun 1597 | b: c 1555 Kirtling, Cambridgeshire | b: c 1556 London d: 29th Nov 1620 | b: c 1558 London | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sir John North | m: c 1575 | Dorothy Dale | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| b: 1554 Kirtling, Cambridgeshire d: 5th Jun 1597 | b: c 1555 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dudley | John | Elizabeth | Roger | Mary | Gilbert | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| b: 1581 Cambridgeshire ch: 18th Sep 1582 St. Gregory by St. Paul, London d: 16th Jan 1666 Kirtling, Cambridgeshire | b: c 1583 Cambridgeshire | b: c 1585 Cambridgeshire | b: c 1587 Cambridgeshire | b: c 1589 Cambridgeshire ch: 9th Apr 1592 St. Gregory by St. Paul, London | b: c 1591 Cambridgeshire | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dudley North 3rd Baron North | m: 28th Nov 1600 Brocket Hall, Hertfordshire | Frances Brocket | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| b: 1581 Cambridgeshire ch: 18th Sep 1582 St. Gregory by St. Paul, London d: 16th Jan 1666 Kirtling, Cambridgeshire | b: c 1585 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dudley | Dorothy | Charles | Robert | Elizabeth | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| b: 1st Nov 1602 Kirtling, Cambridgeshire d: 24th Jun 1677 Kirtling, Cambridgeshire bur: 27th Jun 1677 Kirtling, Cambridgeshire | b: 1605 ch: 16th Jan 1605 Hatfield, Hertfordshire d: 21st Apr 1698 Kirtling, Cambridgeshire | b: c 1607 Kirtling, Cambridgeshire | b: c 1609 Kirtling, Cambridgeshire | b: c 1613 Kirtling, Cambridgeshire | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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