Cresacre More was the youngest son of Thomas, who was son and heir of John More, who married Ann Cresacre. This John More was son of the Lord Chancellor, Sir Thomas More, who was beheaded on the 7th July 1533 for refusing to take the Oath of Supremacy to Henry VIII as head of the Church of England. Sir Thomas published the book Utopia in 1516, and was the son of Sir John More. He was canonized in 1935.
Cresacre More succeeded to the family property in 1606, he inherited the persecution with the property, being "granted" by the king to one
John Grove, "in consideration for some good and acceptable service to us latelie done". Thus Grove was placed in a position enabling him to take advantage of Cresacre and his property. Such was the persecution of Cresacre he was never allowed to leave his London property without consent from the Privy Council.