Ralph Creffeild
Encyclopedia
Sir Ralph Creffeild was an alderman and three times Mayor of Colchester
. A significant landowner, he controlled extensive estates in and around the town. He came from a family of wealthy wool
merchants, originally from Flanders
, but at Chappel
by 1348. His father, also Ralph, was himself mayor on four occasions.
Born in 1653, he ran the family business in the High Street of Colchester, but moved to Ardleigh, where he remained for fifty years. Creffeild was knighted by Queen Anne
in 1713, having presented her with an address of thanks from the town's Corporation
on the conclusion of the peace of Utrecht earlier that year. In 1684 he married Rachel, daughter of George Tayspill; Rachel is now best remembered in Colchester for making a bequest to the poor of Trinity Parish. Though they had five children, only one survived to bear children: his second son, another Ralph Creffeild
, born in 1687. Ralph predeceased his father, dying in 1723; consequently the estate jumped him and proceeded to his son Peter Creffield.
Creffeild himself died on 22 June 1732, aged 79. He was buried in St. Nicholas Church. His estate was described in the Ipswich Gazette for 5 July 1735, as "a very good house with coach-houses, stables, granaries, yards, gardens, rishponds and about 40 acre
s of arable land." In addition to his houses in Colchester and Ardleigh, he held East Mersea Hall, eleven messuage
s, three gardens, three cottages and over 1200 acres (4.9 km²) of land, incorporating Ardleigh, East Mersea
, Elmstead
, Frating
, Great and Little Birch, Layer de la Haye
, Layer Breton
and Feering
.
Mayor of Colchester
The Mayor of Colchester sits as non-political chairman of Colchester Borough Council and serves as the civic representative of the borough. The mayoralty is customarily awarded to the most senior councillor of one of the political groups-Current Mayor:...
. A significant landowner, he controlled extensive estates in and around the town. He came from a family of wealthy wool
Wool
Wool is the textile fiber obtained from sheep and certain other animals, including cashmere from goats, mohair from goats, qiviut from muskoxen, vicuña, alpaca, camel from animals in the camel family, and angora from rabbits....
merchants, originally from Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
, but at Chappel
Chappel
Chappel is a village in Essex which sits on the River Colne. It is famous for its Victorian viaduct that crosses the Colne valley.- Name and history :...
by 1348. His father, also Ralph, was himself mayor on four occasions.
Born in 1653, he ran the family business in the High Street of Colchester, but moved to Ardleigh, where he remained for fifty years. Creffeild was knighted by Queen Anne
Anne of Great Britain
Anne ascended the thrones of England, Scotland and Ireland on 8 March 1702. On 1 May 1707, under the Act of Union, two of her realms, England and Scotland, were united as a single sovereign state, the Kingdom of Great Britain.Anne's Catholic father, James II and VII, was deposed during the...
in 1713, having presented her with an address of thanks from the town's Corporation
Municipal corporation
A municipal corporation is the legal term for a local governing body, including cities, counties, towns, townships, charter townships, villages, and boroughs. Municipal incorporation occurs when such municipalities become self-governing entities under the laws of the state or province in which...
on the conclusion of the peace of Utrecht earlier that year. In 1684 he married Rachel, daughter of George Tayspill; Rachel is now best remembered in Colchester for making a bequest to the poor of Trinity Parish. Though they had five children, only one survived to bear children: his second son, another Ralph Creffeild
Ralph Creffeild (born 1687)
Ralph Creffeild JP was a barrister and dignitary in Colchester, Essex, England, from a family of wealthy drapers and landowners....
, born in 1687. Ralph predeceased his father, dying in 1723; consequently the estate jumped him and proceeded to his son Peter Creffield.
Creffeild himself died on 22 June 1732, aged 79. He was buried in St. Nicholas Church. His estate was described in the Ipswich Gazette for 5 July 1735, as "a very good house with coach-houses, stables, granaries, yards, gardens, rishponds and about 40 acre
Acre
The acre is a unit of area in a number of different systems, including the imperial and U.S. customary systems. The most commonly used acres today are the international acre and, in the United States, the survey acre. The most common use of the acre is to measure tracts of land.The acre is related...
s of arable land." In addition to his houses in Colchester and Ardleigh, he held East Mersea Hall, eleven messuage
Messuage
In law, the term messuage equates to a dwelling-house and includes outbuildings, orchard, curtilage or court-yard and garden. At one time messuage supposedly had a more extensive meaning than that conveyed by the words house or site, but such distinction no longer survives.A capital messuage is the...
s, three gardens, three cottages and over 1200 acres (4.9 km²) of land, incorporating Ardleigh, East Mersea
East Mersea
East Mersea is a scattered village and civil parish on Mersea Island in the English county of Essex.-Grave of Sarah Wrench:The grave of Sarah Wrench , by the North wall of the chancel at St...
, Elmstead
Elmstead
Elmstead is a residential district in the London Borough of Bromley lying between Chislehurst, Mottingham, Bromley and Bickley.Elmstead Woods, an ancient woodland, has public access from Elmstead Lane...
, Frating
Frating
Frating is a village and small civil parish of the Tendring district of Essex. It is about east of Colchester and northwest of Clacton-on-Sea. The parish includes the settlements of Frating Green and Hockley....
, Great and Little Birch, Layer de la Haye
Layer de la Haye
Layer de la Haye is a small village of around 2,000 people near Colchester in Essex, England...
, Layer Breton
Layer Breton
Layer Breton is a village and a civil parish in the Colchester borough, in the county of Essex, England. Layer Breton has a church called St Mary the Virgin, Layer Breton.The village was among those which suffered damage from the 1884 Colchester earthquake....
and Feering
Feering
Feering is a village in Essex, England. Situated between Colchester and Witham, this village boasts three pubs, the oldest of which is The Old Anchor. However, on 14 July 2008 the Old Anchor pub suffered major damage caused by a fire which required 8 fire crews to contain and lasted over 3...
.