James Paynter (1666 - ?) was the leader of a Jacobite uprising in Cornwall in the 18th century.
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In 1715 he took an active part in proclaiming James Francis Edward Stuart (the Old Pretender) on the death of Queen Anne, for this he was tried at Launceston and acquitted and welcomed by "bonfire and by ball" from thence to the Land's End. For his actions he was created Marquess of Trelissick (also called Marquis of Trelessick) in the Jacobite Peerage on 20 June 1715.
Family
James Paynter was descended from the wealthy Paynter family of Trelissick House in Hayle; he was from a junior branch of this family that settled at Trekenning House in St Columb Major parish. His Paynter relatives at Boskenna were also known to be Jacobite sympathisers and in 1745 villagers at St Buryan were convinced that the Paynter family were harbouring Charles Edward Stuart (the Young Pretender).