Strode was the eldest son of Richard Strode of Newnham, Plympton St Mary, by his wife Frances Cromwell, first cousin of King Edward VI. Frances was a daughter of Gregory Cromwell, 1st Baron Cromwell by his wife Elizabeth Seymour, sister of Queen Jane Seymour and sister of Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset uncle and Lord Protector of King Edward VI. He entered Inner Temple in 1580 and succeeded to the estates of his father the following year. At the time of the Spanish Armada he became a colonel of the stannary of Plympton, in command of one hundred men. He was a JP for Devon from about 1592. In 1593 he came into possession of the family tin-mining interests which were previously managed by his uncle, Philip Strode and was appointed High Sheriff of Devon for 1593-94. In 1595 he was in charge of construction works on Plymouth fort. He was a close friend of Admiral Sir Francis Drake and was one of the executors of Drake's will. In 1597, Strode was elected Member of Parliament for Devon. He was appointed surveyor of the house and castle of Templeton, Devon for life. In 1599 he became Deputy Lieutenant. He was elected MP for Plympton Erle in 1601 and was re-elected for the seat in 1604. In 1606 he was appointed surveyor of Devon for life. He was re-elected MP for Plympton Erle in 1614 and in 1621. In 1624, he was elected MP for Devon. He was elected MP for Plympton Erle again in 1625 and 1626. As well as Newnham, Strode also had a residence at Meavy, about six miles to the north, which was later the residence of his second son William Strode, MP. His great-grandfather Richard Strode had married Agnes Milliton, daughter of John Milliton of Meavy. Strode died in 1637 and was buried in the church of St Mary's Plympton, where there is a monument to him. His will was proved in February 1639.
Marriages and children
Strode married twice. Firstly in 1581 to Mary Southcote daughter of Thomas Southcote, MP, of Bovey Tracey, by whom he had three sons and seven daughters:
John Strode, third son, of Tavistock, who died at some time after 1644.
Mary Strode, eldest daughter, married Sir George Chudleigh, 1st Baronet, of Atherington. She predeceased her husband and was buried in Ashton Church.
Joanna Strode, second daughter, married in 1615 as his second wife, Sir Francis Drake, 1st Baronet, of Buckland, nephew of his namesake the great Admiral. She remarried in 1639 at Bere Ferrers to John Trefusis of Milor, Cornwall.
Margaret Strode, sixth daughter, married Sir John Younge of Stetscome.
Elizabeth Strode, seventh daughter, married Edmond Speccot of Anderdon, Cornwall, second son of Humphrey Speccot, MP, of Speccot, in the parish of Merton, Devon.
Strode's second marriage, in 1624 was to Dunes Glanville daughter of Nicholas Glanville, who was brother to Sir Sir John Glanville. He was her third husband; they had no children.
