429 
SIR HENRY SHERE, KT. 
BY 
CHARLES DALTON, Esqre., F.R.G.S. 
Son of a Deptford sea-captain. Scholar and scientific officer; engineer 
and artillerist. Was employed at Tangier, from 1669 to 1683, as 
surveyor and constructor of fortifications. His plan and report on Sir 
Hugh Cholmley's famous Mole at Tangier is still in existence (Tangier 
State Papers, 10 March, 1669-1670). Was engaged in various oper¬ 
ations against the Moors, particularly in the sanguinary action of 24 
October, 1680, on which occasion Sir Palmes Fairborne, the Governor 
of Tangier, received a mortal wound, of which he died three days after. 
This event is graphically related in Shere's MS. Diary (Tangier State 
Papers, No. 30). On the evacuation of Tangier, in the autumn of 
1683, Shere was employed under Colonel George Legge (1st Lord 
Dartmouth) in demolishing the Mole, and the several batteries which 
he had caused to be erected (Dartmouth MSS., which contain several 
of Shere's letters from Tangier). On 15 June, 1685, a commission 
was signed, by James II., appointing Henry Shere, Esq re ., to be 
Comptroller of Our Train of Artillery for this present expedition in 
opposing the traitoi’ous practises and attempts of those Rebells who 
are now openly in arms against us.” The above Train was got ready 
at Portsmouth 16 June, 1685 (“ Cleaveland Notes,” p. 99). Nicholas 
Sandford was appointed Commissary to this Train—his Commission 
bearing date 15 June, 1685. 
At the battle of Sedgemoor it is on record ( <e Life of the Duke 
of Monmouth,” by George Roberts) that Peter Mews, Bishop of 
Winchester, assisted Shere to work his guns, and in the list of 
commanders on the King's side, at this battle (Roberts, vol. II.), the 
Bishop's name is bracket ted with Henry Shere, as joint commanders of 
the Artillery Train ! Nor is this at all strange when we remember that 
Bishop Mews fought on the Royalist side in the Great Civil War (like 
Compton, Bishop of London) before entering the Church. Macaulay 
also tells us that the Bishop of Winchester lent his coach horses and 
traces to drag the heavy guns into position at Sedgemoor. 
Shere was Knighted 20 July, 1685 (“ London Gazette”), and 
appointed Surveyor of the Ordnance, by Royal Grant, 25 September, in 
same year; Lieut.-General of a Train of Artillery in November, 1688; 
is said to have translated “ Polybius.” Was living in 1696. 
31st March, 1892. 
9. VOL. XIX. 
