Richard Lestrange

For Richard Lestrange, fictional character, see The Blue Lagoon (1980 film).

Richard Lestrange (L'Estrange, Strange) (born before Aug 1517^[1]) of Hunstanton and King's Lynn, Norfolk; later of Kilkenny, Ireland, was an English politician.

Family

He was the second son of Sir Thomas le Strange and Anne Vaux, daughter of Nicholas Vaux, 1st Baron Vaux of Harrowden,^[2] making him a first cousin of Katherine Parr. His brother, Nicholas Lestrange, was also an MP, who represented Castle Rising, Norfolk and King's Lynn. He was related to William FitzWilliam, but their exact connection is unrecorded.

He married Anne^[3] (or Dorothy^[4]) Astley and they had one son, Thomas.

According to The Astleys of Maidstone by Robert H. Goodsall, Anne (or Dorothy) was the daughter of John Astley and his wife Frances, daughter of John of Sittingbourne, Kent.^[3] She was their second child and second daughter.^[5] Anne's (or Dorothy's) grandmother, Frances's mother^[5] and the wife of John Cheney of Sittingbourne was Anne Sibilles, later Mistress Poyntz,^[6][7] who was Mother of the Maids in 1553.^[8] John Cheney, Esq. of Sittingborne, in the beginning of King Henry VIII's reign, gave the manor of Ufton in marriage with his daughter Frances to John Astley, esq. of Norfolk, the only son of Thomas Astley, esq. of Hill Morton and Melton Constable, in Norfolk, by his first wife Anne.^[9] Anne's (or Dorothy's) paternal grandparents were Thomas Astley of Melton Constable and his first wife Anne Boughton, daughter of Edward Boughton of Lawford, Warwickshire. Anne (or Dorothy) was a niece of John Astley and a niece-by-marriage of Kat Ashley, and the aunt of Jacob Astley, 1st Baron Astley of Reading.^{[3][10][11][12]}

Richard Lestrange's descendants settled at Castle Strange, County Roscommon.^[2]

Career

He was Mayor of Waterford 1581–2 and 1588–9. He was a Member (MP) of the Parliament of England for Horsham in 1559 and for King's Lynn in 1563. He was an early supporter of the rights of Mary I of England.^[2]

He probably secured election through his brother Nicholas, who was Chamberlain to the Duke of Norfolk; both Horsham and King's Lynn were controlled by the Duke.^[2]

References

1. Inquisition Post Mortem of John le Strange held at Norwich 25 Oct 1518 - Exchequer Series
2. LESTRANGE (STRANGE), Richard (b. by 1526), of Hunstanton and King's Lynn, Norf.; later of Kilkenny, Ireland. Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1558-1603, ed. P.W. Hasler, 1981
3. Goodsall, Robert H. (1958). The Astleys of Maidstone. Vol. Archaeologia Cantiana 72. Maidstone. pp. 1–17, [face p. 6.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
4. Dashwood, G.H. (ed.). The Visitation of Norfolk in the year 1563, taken by William Harvey, Clarenceux King of Arms: Volume 1 (PDF). Norwich. p. 64.
5. Henry King, 'Ancient Wills, 3', Transactions of the Essex Archaeological Society, 3 (Colchester, 1865), p. 186–187: British Library Harley 7376 f.29v, 32r. Quote: "The following is an abstract of the Will of Anne Pointz, with excerpts in the orthography of the Register :— Give to my daughter Frances Asteley's children, now the wife of John Asteley, of “Cunstable Melton,” in Norfolk, to the men children when 21, and to the women children at the day of “the solempnization of their marriage.” [...] To Anne Asteley second child and second daughter"
6. Buxton, Brian (2 December 2021). . Archived from the original on 2 December 2021. Retrieved 6 October 2023. However, a review of Poyntz family links shows, amongst others, links with Kent through the first marriage of John's wife, Anne, to a John Cheney of Sittingbourne. From his will it is clear that he was close to his near neighbour, and presumably relation, Sir Thomas Cheney of Sheppey.
7. jmc4 - Church Explorer (1 January 2014), Essex, North Ockendon, retrieved 6 October 2023{{citation}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link). Quote: "John Poinz 1558 elder brother of Thomas Poyntz 1562 www.flickr.com/photos/52219527@N00/11688265194/ with wife Anne Sibles sister and heir of Isaac Sibley of Bucks"
8. Buxton, Brian (Spring 2019). Asserting a Lineage: Gabriel Poyntz and his Memorials at North Ockendon (PDF). Essex Journal – A Review of Local History & Archaelogy. pp. 32 and 34. John (d.1547) son of (4) married Anne, sister of Isaac Sibley of Buckinghamshire. Anne was widow of John Cheney of Sittingbourne, Kent. She served Queen Mary and rode in the coronation procession of 1553 as 'mother of the maids.'²¹ [...] 21. TNA, PROB 11/31/546, will of John Poyntz, 1547 decreed how the manor was to descend. TNA, PROB, 11/37/21 will of Anne Poyntz 1554 confirms her royal service.
9. "Parishes: Tunstall | British History Online". www.british-history.ac.uk. Retrieved 6 October 2023. UFTON is a reputed manor, the house of which stands at the northern extremity of this parish, next to Sittingborne. It was antiently the property of the family of Shurland. Sir Robert de Shurland, of Shurland, in Shepey, possessed it in the reign of Edward I. having attended that prince into Scotland, to the siege of Carlaverock, where he was knighted, and in the 29th year of it, he obtained a charter of free warren for his manor of Ufton. He left an only daughter and heir Margaret, who carried it in marriage to William de Cheney, afterwards of Shurland, who died possessed of it in the 8th year of king Edward III. His descendant Richard Cheney, of Shurland, left issue two sons, William, who was of Shurland, and ancestor of the lords Cheney; and Simon, who seems to have inherited the manor of Ufton. He married Eleonora, daughter and heir of John Nottingham, of Higham, in Milsted, at which place his descendants resided. The Cheneys bore for their arms, Ermine, on a bend, azure, three martlets, or, and quartered the arms of Shurland, Cralle, and Nottingham. They continued owners of this manor, (during which time William Maries resided here in the reign of king Henry VI. as their tenant; in the 21st year of which reign he was sheriff, and kept his shrievalty here) till John Cheney, esq. of Sittingborne, in the beginning of king Henry VIII.'s reign, gave it in marriage with his daughter Frances to John Astley, esq. of Norfolk, the only son of Thomas Astley, esq. of Hill Morton and Melton Constable, in Norfolk, by his first wife Anne; by whose second wife was descended Sir John Astley, of Maidstone. He left by his first wife, Isaac his heir, and several other children, but he gave this manor in marriage with his eldest daughter Bridget, to Walter Herlackenden, descended from those of Woodchurch, and bearing the same arms. He afterwards resided here, and in his descendants resident at Uston, all of whom lie buried in this church, this manor continued down to Silvester Herlackenden
10. Goodsall, Robert H. (1959). The Astleys of Maidstone. Vol. Archaeologia Cantiana 73. Maidstone. pp. 125–141.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
11. "Holt hundred: Melton Constable | British History Online". www.british-history.ac.uk. Retrieved 29 September 2023. Thomas Astley, son and heir of Thomas, enfeoffed in the 22d of Henry VII. Will. Eton, &c. of this manor in trust, and married first, Anne, daughter of Edw. Boughton of Lawford, in Warwickshire, who bore sable, three crescents, or;—and had by her John, his son and heir;
12. Camden, William; Fetherston, John; College of Arms (Great Britain) (1877). The Visitation of the county of Warwick in the year 1619. Taken by William Camden, Clarenceaux king of arms. unknown library. London.