Sir Ralph Winwood c 1563 - 1617
Ralph Winwood was the son of Richard Winwood of Aynho. He was educated at St John's College and Magdalen College Oxford, studying law, and then went on to the University of Padua in Italy, 1594
He pursued a career as a diplomat becoming English ambassador in France
In 1603 he bought the Crown Lease of the Manor of Deanshanger from Josiah Ivory and Simon Lambert. At this time, he was Clerk of the Privy Council. It is not known how much time he spent living in the manor, if at all. He and his family spent much time abroad.
He married Elizabeth Ball around 1604, their first son, James, named after the King, was born in 1605, in the United Provinces.
Ralph was knighted on 28 June 1607, by James I, for his ambassadorial services in France and the United Provinces.
From 1614 he was Secretary of State and Privy Counciler, as well as MP for Buckingham. Winwood purchased the royal manor of Ditton Park in the same year. His wife spent several years having the property re-built.
He sold the Manor of Deanshanger in 1615 to Robert, Lord Spencer, of Althrop. Lord Spencer was joint representative of England at The Hague, with Ralph, in the peace negotiations between United Netherlands and Spain.
In around 1617 he secured a lease on a London property in Westminster when he returned from his work abroad.
Ralph died of a fever in October 1617 at his London house in St. Bartholomew the Less (near St Barts Hospital)
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One of his daughters, Anne, went on to marry Edward, 2nd Lord Montagu in 1633. They lived, amongst other homes, at Boughton House, near Kettering. It is said that there is a full-length portrait of her father in the house, painted by Dutch artist Abraham Blyenberch, in 1613. One of their sons was named Ralph, after his grandfather.
Below links show the references to the information in the above text. Photograph of Boughton House was taken by the author in circa 2008
http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1604-1629/member/winwood-sir-ralph-1563-1617
https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/northants/vol5/pp208-245#fnn192