House of Stratford

Great Farmcote Manor The feudal manor house of the Farmcote Estate, historically the seat of the Gloucestershire Stratfords

A cadet branch of Stratfords, founded by Stephen de Stratford, were granted Lordship of the Manors of Farmcote, Hawling and Temple Guiting in 1314. His son, John Stratford, in 1320 became a member of parliament for Gloucestershire, and his son was raised to the knighthood as Sir Stephen Stratford.[4] Sir Stephen married Elizabeth Monthault, descendant of Eustace de Montaut, and all later cadet branches stem from this union. Following the dissolution of Hailes Abbey in 1539 this branch took Farmcote Manor House as their seat. This line were cousins to Robert Dover, and involved in the establishment of the Cotswold Olimpick Games in 1612.[5]

The Farmcote and Hawling estates were sold in 1756, by sons of Walter Stratford, though part of Farmcote Manor still stands, and Stratford tombs, arms and effigies can be found in the estate chapel there.[6]

Notable members of this line include:

• Stephen de Stratford, progenitor of the Stratfords of Farmcote
• John Stratford, member of parliament for Gloucestershire, 1320
• Sir Stephen Stratford, knight of the realm
• Thomas de Stratford (died 12 June 1396) Senior Proctor of Oxford University, Archdeacon of Gloucester, Prior of Caldwell
• John Stratford (c.1582-c.1634) Merchant and entrepreneur, a significant grower of tobacco in the Cotswolds

Andrew de Stratford, a nephew of John de Stratford and friend of William of Wykeham, moved to the Wessex area as part of his uncle's familia when he became Bishop of Winchester.[7] Acquiring land in the New Forest, Hampshire, Wiltshire and Berkshire, Andrew married a certain Christine and founded a cadet branch of Stratfords, descendants of which remain in Hampshire, Wiltshire, and Berkshire to this day.[8][9]

Notable members of this line include:

• Andrew de Stratford (died 30 November 1378), landowner and verderer
• Robert Stratford (died before 1392), landowner
• John Stratford (verderer) (died July 1433), landowner and verderer
• John Stratford (mayor) (died about 1501), medieval Mayor of Winchester
• Frank Stratford (1873 - 1954), Mayor of Basingstoke[10]
• Graham Stratford landowner and agriculturalist, Mayor of Alton

Merevale Hall, Warwickshire now seat of the Dugdale Baronets.

The Manor of Merevale in north Warwickshire (including the original Merevale Hall and estate) was purchased in the mid-seventeenth century by Edward Stratford (died 1665), 9x great grandson of Sir Stephen de Stratford of Farmcote. [11] In 1749 the property was inherited by Penelope Bate Stratford (the daughter and co-heiress of Francis Stratford of Merevale) who married into the (now) Dugdale baronets, who still possess the estate.[12]

In 1749 Merevale Hall was inherited by Edward's eventual descendant Penelope Bate Stratford (the daughter and co-heiress of Francis Stratford of Merevale) who married William Geast. William Geast took the surname of his Uncle, John Dugdale, and their child was Dugdale Stratford Dugdale who married the honourable Charlotte Curzon, daughter of Assheton Curzon, 1st Viscount Curzon of the (now) Earls Howe.[13] Their son William Stratford Dugdale had a son also named William Stratford Dugdale who had a son named William Francis Stratford Dugdale, who came to be the 1st Baronet.[14] The Merevale estate has descended to the present incumbent, his grandson Sir William Matthew Stratford Dugdale, 3rd Bt of the Dugdale baronets thus:[12]

• Sir William Francis Stratford Dugdale, 1st Baronet (1872-1965)
• Sir William Stratford Dugdale, 2nd Baronet (1922-2014)
• Sir William Matthew Stratford Dugdale, 3rd Baronet, born 22 February 1959; the only male issue of the 2nd Baronet's first marriage
• Thomas Joshua Stratford Dugdale FRSA (born 1974), British documentary film-maker, male issue of the 2nd Baronet's second marriage

Abigail Stratford was the daughter of Robert Stratford, progenitor of the Irish Stratfords. In 1697 she married George Canning,[23] and in 1703 they had a son, named Stratford Canning. He had a son sometime after 1734, also named Stratford Canning, who had a son in 1786, also named Stratford Canning, who was created 1st Viscount Stratford de Redcliffe on 24 April 1852.[24]

• Stratford Canning, 1st Viscount Stratford de Redcliffe KG GCB PC (1786–1880), a diplomat and politician, best known as the longtime British Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire

Lady Amelia Stratford was the daughter of John Stratford, 1st Earl of Aldborough. On 7 September 1760 she married Richard Wingfield, 3rd Viscount Powerscourt, and took his name; it is from this maternal Stratford lineage that the current Viscount Powerscourt descends.[25]

The Stratford descendant Viscounts Powerscourt are as follows:

• Richard Wingfield, 4th Viscount Powerscourt (1762–1809)
• Richard Wingfield, 5th Viscount Powerscourt (1790–1823)
• Richard Wingfield, 6th Viscount Powerscourt (1815–1844)
• Mervyn Wingfield, 7th Viscount Powerscourt (1836–1904)
• Mervyn Richard Wingfield, 8th Viscount Powerscourt (1880–1947)
• Mervyn Patrick Wingfield, 9th Viscount Powerscourt (1905–1973)
• Mervyn Niall Wingfield, 10th Viscount Powerscourt (1935-2015)
• Mervyn Anthony Wingfield, 11th Viscount Powerscourt (born 1963)
• The heir presumptive to the viscountcy is a kinsman of the current holder, also a Stratford descendant: Richard David Noel Wingfield (born 1966), a great-great-great-grandson of the Rev. Hon. Edward Wingfield (1792-1874), the third son of the fourth Viscount. He has a son, Dylan.

When Edward Stratford, 2nd Earl of Aldborough (Amelia's brother) died in 1801 he bequeathed the bulk of his estate to Amelia's grandson (his nephew, too junior to inherit the Powerscourt Viscountcy) on the proviso that he took back the Stratford name, thus becoming John Wingfield-Stratford in 1802.[12] This line inherited Stratford House in London, and Amelia lived there until her death in 1831. It was sold in 1832.[26]

Notable Wingfield-Stratfords include:

• Brigadier-General Cecil Wingfield-Stratford CB, CMG (1853–1939) a British Army officer in the Royal Engineers and an English international footballer
• Captain Esmé Cecil Wingfield-Stratford DSC (1882–1971) an English historian, writer, mind-trainer, outdoorsman, patriot and ruralist

Esmé Cecil's daughter (Roshnara) married Richard John Wrottesley, 5th Baron Wrottesley, and though they later divorced it was through issue of their marriage that the Barony descended:

• Clifton Hugh Lancelot de Verdon Wrottesley, 6th Baron Wrottesley (b. 1968), great-grandson of Esmé Cecil Wingfield-Stratford[27]
• The heir apparent is the present holder's eldest son the Hon. Victor Wrottesley (born 2004)

The Type A (or "trinity") Stratford Coat of Arms is the oldest of the two, first associated with John de Stratford and his familia in the early 1300s. It can be divided into two broad subtypes; Trestle, and Roundel.[29]

• 
  Gules, a fess humette between three trestles, or
• 
  Gules, a fess humette or, between three trestles, argent
• 
  Gules, a fess humette or, between two trestles, argent
• 
  Gules, a fess humette between three trestles, argent

The Trestle type is most closely associated with the original Warwickshire Bishops, the Hampshire Stratfords descended from Andrew Stratford, and with Nicholas Stratford. The design is consistently based around gules, a fess humette, surrounded by three trestles argent (sometimes or). Variants include colour of fess and trestles, and number of trestles.[29]

In heraldry the trestle (also tressle, tressel and threstle) as a charge is extremely rare, and known for symbolising hospitality (as historically the trestle was a tripod used both as a stool and a table support). The fess humette is apparently intended to represent a banqueting table, with the trestles gathered around.[30]

• 
  Or, a fess gules, between three torteaux
• 
  Argent, a fess gules, between three bezants
• 
  Irish
  Argent, a fess between three hawks heads erased, gules
• 
  Gules, a fess argent, between three plates
• 
  Sable, a fess argent, between three plates
• 
  Per fess gules and sable, three plates

The Roundel type is associated solely with the medieval Bishops, and appears to be an archaic, simplified or corrupted version of the Trestle type. The design is consistently based around a fess, surrounded by three roundels. Variants include colour of fess, field and rondel.[29]

A single example of a variant Roundel type surviving is in the later Irish recording of a shield in the name of Stratford: argent, a fess between three hawks heads erased, gules.[31]

• 
  Stratford
  Per fess gules and sable, three plates
• 
  Streatfield
  Per fess gules and sable, three bezants

The arms of the Streatfield (or Streatfeild) family, recorded in the sixteenth century, bear a striking resemblance to an attributed form of Stratford arms. This could be seen as evidence that the Streatfields, though their line cannot be traced beyond the 1500s, are in fact a branch of the Stratford family, the name having been corrupted at some point prior to the sixteenth century.[30]

• 
  Barruly of eight, argent and azure, a lion rampant gules
• 
  Paly of eight, argent and azure, a lion rampant gules
• 
  Barruly of five, azure and argent, a lion rampant ruby
• 
  Barruly of ten, argent and azure, a lion rampant gules, langued or
• 
  Barruly of ten, argent and azure, a lion rampant, or
• 
  Barruly of ten, or and gules, a lion rampant, argent

The Type B Stratford Coat of Arms was first recorded by the Heralds Visitations to Gloucester of 1543, and since has been consistently based around a lion rampant, gules, on a barruly of ten, Argent and Azure. It is associated with the Gloucester, Merevale and Irish branches. Variations have included the addition of a crescent to denote a younger son, a change in the barruly number, change in langue colour, and in lion colour.[32]

The Earls of Aldborough took supporters of human figures, a winged woman and armoured man, representing Fame and War. Officially: Dexter a Female figure, representing Fame, vested Ar, winged Or, in her right hand a trumpet gold, and in her left hand an olive branch vert, the sword belt Gules. Sinister, a man in complete armour Proper, garnished Or, spurs, sword, shield and spear of the last, sword belt Gules, holding in his right hand the spear, and upon his left arm the shield.

They also adopted the motto "Virtuti Nihil Obstat Et Armis" (Nothing Resists Valour and Arms).[32]

• 
  The Lusignan Coat of Arms, granted twelfth century
• 
  The Luxembourg Coat of Arms after 1288
• 
  The Stratford Type B Coat of Arms, first recorded 1543
• 
  The Aldborough Arms, with Supporters (eighteenth century)

The Stratford Type B Coat of Arms is remarkably similar to two other prominent Coats of Arms, an extremely unorthodox occurrence. The exact relationship to the arms of Luxembourg and of Lusignan are unknown, if indeed any exists at all. Both bear (with some variation in number) a barruly of ten Argent and Azure, and both have a lion rampant gules - though often on these royal arms it is granted a crown (or), and the lion of Luxembourg bears a forked tail as difference. The similarity is too close to be dismissed satisfactorily as independent coincidence, and historians have generated various theories as to the connection between the houses and the arms, none conclusive.[33]