The Streatfeilds, Streatfields or Stretfields are an aristocratic English family of the landed gentry, from Chiddingstone, Kent. The family are traceable to the early 16th century and are a possible cadet branch of the Noble House of Stratford.[citation needed] They were significant landowners[citation needed] in Sussex, Surrey and Kent, and instrumental in shaping those counties throughout the 17th and 18th centuries.[citation needed] From the early 16th century until 1900 the family seat was Chiddingstone Castle. The family later sold the castle to Lord Astor in 1938.[1]

Streatfeild
Minor nobility and landed gentry

Arms of the Streatfeild family: Per fess gules and sable, three bezants
CountryKingdom of England, Kingdom of Great Britain, United Kingdom
Place of originChiddingstone
FoundedEarly 16th century
FounderRobert Streatfeild
Historic seatChiddingstone Castle
One version of the Streatfeild crest

Notable members

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Robert Streatfeild (1514 – March 1599) is claimed as the common ancestor of most living Streatfeilds and Streatfields.

Possible Stratford descent

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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.[2][3][4][5]

Reunion

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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).[6]

References

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  1. ^ The Streatfeild Manuscripts, The National Archives, Ref: U908.
  2. ^ Guillim, John. "A Display of Heraldry" 1724.
  3. ^ Papworth, John W. & Morant, Alfred. "Ordinary of British Armorials" 1874.
  4. ^ Burke, John. "General Armoury of England, Ireland and Scotland" 1847.
  5. ^ Berry, William. "Encyclopaedia Heraldica" 1828.
  6. ^ 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.