Stanford Rivers by H. M. Scott – The Petre Family

The Petre Family

The Barony and Main Line

See below – The Petres of Stanford Rivers and Bellhouse – also “Lords of Manors”.

The story of this powerful and wealthy Catholic family, with their estates in Essex, Oxon, Gloucester, Somerset, Dorset, Devon, Cambridge, Suffolk, Hertford, and London is most interesting and anyone wishing to learn their history should consult the various volumes available in all main libraries – particularly those written by F. G. Emmison Esq. (the former Essex County Archivist). We are mainly concerned with the Stanford Rivers (Bellhouse) branch but I think it important that a few details of the Main line should be included.

Their vast Essex estates were primarily accumulated in the 16th century by Wm. Petre (later Sir) born in 1505. A Commissioner for suppression of religious houses for the State (in 1535), he purchased a number of properties, including Ingatestone, from the Crown. Later, he and his son acquired many more from various sources, including Ingrave, Writtle, Margaretting and Thorndon Hall and so many other estates that it would be impossible for me to list them here.

Members of this remarkable family played an enormous role in the history of the realm in the 16th and 17th centuries and distinguished themselves by their wealth, power and sagacity. They intermarried with some of the most powerful families including that of the Howards (Dukes of Norfolk).

Sir William Petre

Sir Wm. Petre – born in Devon 1505 – Latin Scholar at Exeter College (which he later re-endowed), Fellow of All Souls in 1523. Tutor to George Boleyn (brother of Anne), the son of the Earl of Wiltshire. He built Ingatestone Hall in 1539 (the present main seat of the family). An idea of life at Ingatestone can be gained from records of the household which show that in one year, the family and their guests consumed 20,000 loaves of bread, 200 large cheeses, over 2,500 eggs, 113 sheep, 55 oxen and calves and much else. Princess Mary (later Queen) was his guest there in November 1548 together with a retinue of nearly fifty.

One of the most gifted men of the age, a skilled diplomat and a brilliant lawyer, he served four Sovereigns of different Faiths in various capacities. He was Secretary of State to Henry VIII, Edward VI and Queen Mary (who willed him the then large sum of £333 as a token of her high regard). As a valued Elder Statesman he was adviser to Queen Elizabeth I as well as to the famous William Cecil. He died in 1572.

The Barons Petre

1st Baron – Sir John Petre. Created 1st Baron Petre of Writtle by James I in 1603. Born 1549. He married Mary, daughter of Sir Edward Waldegrave in 1570. He conformed to the English Church although he leaned towards Catholicism. He used Thorndon Hall as his main Seat but his London home was in Aldersgate. He died in 1613.

2nd Baron – William. Born 1575 – purchased the Stanford Rivers estate in 1623 (see “The Petres of Stanford Rivers”). Died 1627.

3rd Baron – Robert Petre. Died 1638.

4th Baron – William. Married Elizabeth, daughter of John, 2nd Earl of Rivers (2nd creation). Accused by Titus Oates of participation in Popish Plot and died from ill health in the Tower of London in 1684 and was succeeded by his brother.

5th Baron – John. Born 1599, died unmarried in 1684.

6th Baron – Thomas. Born 1633 (brother of 4th and 5th Barons), Lord Lieutenant of Essex and a favourite of James II, died 1717.

7th Baron – Robert. Born 1689 – son of 6th Baron – died of Smallpox in 1717.

8th Baron – Robert James. Born 1713 – married May 2nd 1723 to Anna Radcliffe, only daughter and heiress of James, third (and last) Earl of Derwentwater; died 1742.

9th Baron – Robert Edward. Born 1742, married Anne Howard (niece of the Duke of Norfolk) – permitted to worship as Roman Catholic but not to sit in Parliament. Rebuilt his Mansion at Thorndon. Died 1801.

10th Baron – Robert Edward. Born 1763 – married Mary Howard – died 1809.

11th Baron – William Henry. Born 1793 – married (1) Frances Bedingfield, (2) Emma Howard – died 1850.

12th Baron – William Bernard. Died 1884.

13th Baron – Rev. Wm. Joseph. Born 1847 – died 1893.

14th Baron – Bernard Henry. Born 1858 – married Ethelreda Clark of Toronto – died 1908.

15th Baron – Philip Benedict. Married Julia Taylor – succeeded to title in year of her death 1908.

16th Baron – Lionel George. Killed in action 1915.

17th Baron – Joseph William. Born 1914, uses Ingatestone Hall as the main family seat.

The Petres can claim to be the oldest noble family in Essex.

The Petres of Stanford Rivers, Traceys and Bellhouse

The connection of the Petre family with the Manor began in 1623 when the 2nd Baron purchased the estates (except Littlebury). He gave the Mansion (see “Bellhouse”) to his son William (I). [In order to clarify matters I will insert a numeral after each member of the family so named].

William Petre I

William I was born at Ingatestone in 1602. He and his wife, Lucy, had a number of children but for brevity I will only mention below the heir to the estates. During his ownership and on account of his adherence to Charles I, Parliament granted – in 1645 – Stanford Rivers to the Earl of Essex. (The Earl died in 1646) but in spite of this Petre still occupied the mansion and one third of the estate. The rest was administered by John Mann – a member of the Essex Committee for administering the estates of delinquents.

Wm. Petre I regained possession completely in 1653. It appears that he had never lost control of the Manorial Court, as in the Court Rolls of 1647–1660 he is invariably named as lord of the Manor. He died January 15th 1677 aged 75 and his wife in March 1679. Both are buried in the Chancel of our church. (Part of the foregoing has already been mentioned in the section “Bellhouse”).

William Petre II

Wm. Petre II (son of the above) was born 1630 and inherited the estates of about 1,600 acres. He married Anne Cauldwell of Cantes Hall, Essex in 1656. He died November 11th 1686, and his wife in 1688. Both are also buried in the chancel.

William Petre III

He was succeeded by his son (William Petre III) who was born on July 2nd 1666 and who married (1) Anne, daughter of Robert Powtrell of West Hallon, Derbyshire, who died without issue on February 21st 1688 and lies buried at Stanford Rivers. (2) Penelope, daughter of John Woolfe (Wolphe), Barrister-at-Law, in 1692. They had eleven children, six daughters (four born at Bellhouse) and five sons. All the daughters became Nuns and to endow them he was forced to raise considerable mortgages. He died in April 1728 and at his special request was also buried in the church chancel.

William Petre IV

William Petre IV – son of the above – born 27/3/1964 [sic; apparent date error in source], married on June 10th, 1722, Mary Tudor Radcliffe, only daughter and heiress of Edward, 2nd Earl of Derwentwater (see note re 8th Baron Petre re the other intermarriage of the two families). Mary Petre's mother was Lady Mary Tudor, daughter of King Charles II. Her large dowry made a welcome addition to the encumbered estate.

Petre handed the administration of the Stanford Rivers estate to his kinsman, Robert, Baron Petre. An Account book for the years 1738–1744 shows that the rent roll of the Manors of Stanford Hall, Traceys, and Bellhouse was just over £1,000 per year. William died 21/9/1745 aged 52 and his wife on 16/3/1756 and are both buried at Stanford Rivers. (As I write I am wondering if many readers realise that such a close relative of the then Royal family lies buried in their church!).

Edward Petre and the Keepe Family

Wm. Petre IV's brother, Edward, born at Bellhouse, married Sarah, daughter of Wm. and Mary Keepe of Newhouse Farm (q.v.). Keepe was a Churchwarden of St. Margaret's in 1726 and had six children – one died in infancy and is buried in the Church – and his son John inherited the estates.

John Petre and Catherine Petre

John Petre – born 23/7/1737 was sent by his Aunt, Lady Mary, to receive his religious education at Douai. In 1747 a Receiver in Chancery was appointed to administer the estates at Stanford Rivers but later John Petre assumed control. On his marriage in 1759 to Frances Manby, he provided that if he had no sons, his estates should pass to Robert, Baron Petre in trust for Lord Petre's second son, if one should be born to him.

John Petre died in 1762, leaving his daughter Catherine the sum of £4,000. From his death until 1772, Stanford Rivers was administered by a Steward acting for the executor of John Petre's Will. In 1775 the estate was conveyed to Baron Petre as guardian of his second son, George Wm. Petre.

Catherine Petre, born at Bellhouse 20/12/1760, married Francis Wright of Bedford Square, London (see Note below). She seldom resided at Bellhouse but spent much time at a Convent in Hammersmith. She seems to have lent the Mansion to relatives by marriage – William and Mary Colgrave. Catherine died at Hampstead in 1845 aged 85 and the last link of the Petres with Bellhouse was severed.

Note: A mention of the Wright family of Kelvedon Hall will be found under “Roman Catholicism”. This once wealthy Banking family owned the Mansion and estate of Belsize Park in Hampstead.

The Hon. George William Petre and George Robert Petre

The Hon. George Wm. Petre – born 1766 – the second son of Robert, 9th Baron Petre, married in 1786 Maria Howard and on his marriage Bellhouse became his property. On his death in 1797 (see Memorial in the Church), his son – George Robert Petre – inherited his property. The estate was heavily mortgaged about this period. Petre died without issue in 1829. He had sold most of his property in 1819 (including the Manorial rights) to Judith Smith. (See “The Smith family”.)