Streatfeild family

The Streatfeilds, Streatfields or Stretfields are an historic English family from Chiddingstone, Kent, traceable to the early 16th century and a possible cadet branch of the Noble House of Stratford. They were significant landowners in Sussex, Surrey and Kent, and instrumental in shaping those counties throughout the 17th and 18th centuries. The family seat was Chiddingstone Castle (originally High Street House).[1][2]

The Streatfeild coat of arms:
Per fess gules and sable, three bezants

One version of the Streatfeild crest

Notable members

Robert Streatfeild (1514 – March 1599) is recognised as the common ancestor of most living Streatfeilds and Streatfields. There are still direct descendants of his living in Chiddingstone.

Robert Streatfeild's descendants include:

• Henry Streatfeild (1706–1762), substantial British landowner
• Alexander Streatfeild-Moore (1863–1940), English cricketer
• Edward Champion Streatfeild (1870–1932), English cricketer
• Philip Streatfeild (1879–1915), English painter and bohemian
• Richard Streatfeild (1559–1601), iron master who established the financial basis for the family
• Richard Streatfeild (cricketer) (1833–1877), English cricketer
• Sidney Streatfeild (1894–1966), Scottish Unionist Party politician
• Thomas Streatfeild (1777–1848), renowned antiquarian and churchman
• Rev. William Champion Streatfeild (1839–1912), clergyman
• William Champion Streatfeild (1865–1929), Anglican Bishop of Lewes
• Noel Streatfeild (1895–1986), author, most famous for her children's books
• Ruth Gervis (1894–1988), artist, art teacher and illustrator of children's books, most famously Ballet Shoes, written by her sister, Noel Streatfeild. She was also a founding member of Sherborne Museum, Dorset.
• Geoffrey Streatfeild (1975-), actor in film, television, stage and radio.

All his known descendants to the end of World War 1 are listed on the website "The Streatfeilds of Kent".[1]

Possible Stratford descent

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

The House of Stratford has a remarkably similar coat of arms attributed to them in the former half of the 14th century. This could be seen as evidence that the Streatfields, though their line cannot be traced beyond the 1500s, are in fact a cadet branch of the Stratford family, the name having been corrupted at some point prior to the 16th century.[3][4][5][6]

Reunion

In July 2014 a significant number of direct descendants of Robert Streatfeild met for a memorial service in St Mary’s Church, Chiddingstone, followed by a gathering at Chiddingstone Castle, home of many generations of Streatfeilds (having been expanded by Henry Streatfeild (1639-1709) from a house in the High Street to the Restoration style that it is now).[7]

References

1. The Streatfeilds of Kent, accessed 6 November 2015.
2. The Streatfeild Manuscripts, The National Archives, Ref: U908.
3. Guillim, John. "A Display of Heraldry" 1724.
4. Papworth, John W. & Morant, Alfred. "Ordinary of British Armorials" 1874.
5. Burke, John. "General Armoury of England, Ireland and Scotland" 1847.
6. Berry, William. "Encyclopaedia Heraldica" 1828.
7. The Trustees of the Denys Eyre Bower Bequest (ed.). "A Treasure in the Garden of England: An Introduction to the History of Chiddingstone Castle". Chiddingstone Castle: A Treasure in the Garden of England. p. 2.