Sir Philip St Clere was a son of Sir Philip St Clere of Ightham, Kent and Little Preston, Northamptonshire & his wife Joan de Audley. He served as High Sheriff of Surrey and Sussex and was a major landowner whose estates included land in eight English counties.
Sir Philip was a son of Sir Philip St Clere of Ightham, Kent and Little Preston, Northamptonshire & his wife Joan, daughter of James de Audley of Wold by Margaret. He was heir sometime in the period, 1387–95, to his cousin, Elizabeth de Audley, wife of John Rose, and daughter of Thomas de Audley. In 1405, he served as High Sheriff of Surrey and Sussex.
Marriage and family
Philip St Clere married Margaret, daughter of Sir Nicholas de Loveyne. It was Margaret’s second marriage, as she was the widow of Richard Chamberlain, by whom she had two sons, Richard and John. Philip and Margaret were the parents of:
According to inquisitions post mortem that were held at Godstone on 26 May 1408 and at Penshurst on 21 November 1409, Margaret St Clere died on either 10 or 7 May 1408. As these dates were only a few days before her husband died, the evidence suggests that the couple may have succumbed to the same sickness.
Death and will
The will of “Philip Seyntclere Knight” was made on 16 May 1406. He directed that he be buried in the chancel of Penshurst parish church. The will was proved on 26 June 1408. A series of enquiries were held after his death to ascertain his property rights and the identity of his heir. These confirmed that Sir Philip held properties in Cambridgeshire, Kent, Leicestershire, Oxfordshire, Somerset, Suffolk, Surrey and Sussex. The dates reported for his death at these hearings were 14, 16 and 18 May 1408. As his will was dated 16 May and writs to initiate the enquiries were dated 17 May, the only plausible date of those given for his death is 16 May. On 27 June 1408, the King charged Sir John Pelham 1000 marks for control of the manors, other property and the marriage of the heir of Sir Philip St Clere until such time as an heir reached full age. The grant obliged Sir John to maintain the heir and the houses and buildings on the relevant lands.
Property
Records of the inquisitions post mortem that were held during the year after Sir Philip’s death provide evidence of the large scale of his property ownership:
In Sussex: The manors of Lavertye, Tarring Neville, Brambletye, Jevington, Heighton and Nutbourne. Also the reversion of the manor of Exceat and lands and tenements at Newnham in Maresfield.
In Kent: The manor of West Aldham, the manor of Ospringe, Kemsing and Woodland. Also the reversion of Lullingstone Castle.
