Joan was born in
Modbury,
Devon on an unknown date, but no later than 1513, the daughter of Sir Philip Champernowne and his wife, K(C)atherine Carew. She was the niece of
Katherine Ashley née Champernowne, the governess of
Queen Elizabeth I. Before her marriage, she served as maid-of-honour to
Catherine of Aragon. In 1525 she married
Sir Anthony Denny, who at the end of King Henry's reign was widely considered to be his most trusted servant. Joan was considered to be both beautiful and intelligent, and a member of the burgeoning Protestant faction at court along with her husband. In August 1539, she and others ladies of the court visited Portsmouth to see a newly built ship. They sent Henry VIII a joint letter which was signed by
Mabel, Lady Southampton,
Margaret Tallebois, Margaret Howard (sister of Queen
Catherine Howard),
Alice Browne, Anne Knyvett (daughter of
Thomas Knyvett), "Jane Denny",
Jane Meutas,
Anne Bassett,
Elizabeth Tyrwhitt, and Elizabeth Harvey. She was appointed lady-in-waiting to queen Catherine Parr, and became the personal friend of the queen. She had twelve children, including: • Henry Denny, Dean of Chester (d. 24 March 1574). He married, firstly, Honory Grey, daughter of
William Grey, 13th Baron Grey de Wilton and
Lady Mary Somerset. His second wife was Elizabeth Grey, by whom he had a son, who died unmarried. •
Sir Edward Denny (died 12 February 1600), married Margaret Edgcumbe, daughter of Sir Piers Edgcumbe (1536 - c.1607), by whom he had issue. The Tudor historian,
Joanna Denny, was a descendant of Joan's. ==References==