MRP: Piers family

Sir Thomas Piers

b. ca. 1616, d. April 1680

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Editorial history

17/07/11, CSG: Created page

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Profile of Piers family

The Piers family name also appears as Peirse in primary and secondary records.

Sir Thomas was created baronet of Stonepitt, Kent, in the Baronetage of Nova Scotia on 24 March 1638.

He married twice, firstly to Jane Oxenden around 1643, and then, following her early death, to Audrey Master of Ospringe in May 1649. He had four children; Thomas Piers (b.abt 1643, d.1693), his son and heir by Jane, and three further boys by Audrey, including a son, Streynsham (XXXX-1681), who shared his cousin Streynsham Master's unusual forename. According to Hasted Sir Thomas Piers’ father was Lawrence Piers (alt. Peirce) of Westfield, Sussex. Westfield is a parish a few miles to the north east of Hastings on the road to Ashford, and appears to have had a high proportion of yeoman and weaver/kersey makers in its early C17th PRC wills.

Sir Thomas Piers had his home at Stonepit(t)(s), near Seal in North Kent, which he inherited from his father, Lawrence Piers (XXXX-c.1625). The house had come into the family through his father’s marriage to XXXX of Stonepitt. Though Sir Thomas is cited by Maximilian Dallison in his legal complaint against the Oxenden brothers after Elizabeth Dallison's death, he appears to have maintained relations with Maximilian, and was appointed overseer in Maximilian's will of 1671, described as "my good friend Sir Thomas Piers."

Sir Thomas Piers appears to have been a parliamentary sympathiser, at least during the first English Civil War. His name appeared high up the list of names of commissioners and council of war in Kent in 1645 constituted to trial people involved in the 1645 Kent uprising. Described as "Major Sir Thomas Piers", his name was listed fourth after Colonel Sir Iohn Sedley Knight and Baronet, Colonel Sir Michael Livesey, and Colonel Sir Richard Hardres. Sir James Oxinden was also on the list, but towards the end. Sir Thomas Piers had formed a regiment of horse with the enthisiastic parliamentarian Sir Michael Livesey, of Eastchurch, Kent, whose name was listed second on the 1645 list of commissioners.

By 1657 Sir Thomas Piers' name had been dropped from a Kent county list of commissioners to raise funds, as had that of Sir Richard Hardres. Sir James Oxenden had died that year, but his son, Henry Oxenden, appears in the 1657 list. However, there is no evidence that Sir Thomas Piers moved to the royalist side as Sir Richard Hardres did in the second English Civil War (TBC). Sir Michael Livesey

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Notes

“PIERS The Right Worshipful Sir Thomas, (Peirs), bart, of Seale co. Kent, widower, 33, and Ethelred alias Awdrie, MASTER, spinster, 23, daughter of the Right Worshipful Sir Edward MASTER, knight, late of the precinct of Christchurch in Canterbury, deceased – at St Bartholomew the Less, London. 19 May 1649.”

“PIERSE Thomas, (Piers), esq, bachelor, 26, son of Sir Thomas PIERSE, bart, of Stonepitt, co. Kent , and Elizabeth COURTUPP, spinster, 23, daughter of Sir George COURTUPP knight of _ co. Sussex, both said fathers consenting – at St Bartholomew the Great, London. 5 July 1669.”

“1663...June 3 Thomas Fowler, of S' Peter Ashe, co. Kent, Esq., aged 20, his father dead (with consent of his guardian Reginald Peckham, of same, Esq.), & Jane Piers, Sp:r 21, dau. of Sir Thomas Piers, of Scale, co. Kent, Bar*, who consents ; at Seale.”

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Actual sources

Primary

PROB 11/337 Duke XXXX Will of Maximilian Dalyson of Hamptons in West Peckham, Kent 01 December 1671
PROB 11/363 Bath 60–123 Will of Sir Thomas Piers of Seal, Kent 24 May 1680

Secondary

Hasted, Edward, 'Parishes: Seale', The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent, vol. 3 (1797), pp. 51-59

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Possible primary sources

Canterbury Cathedral Archives

CCA: Bothamley Deeds...Agreement between Thomas Fowler of Ash next Stansted in the Co of Kent & Jane his wife of the one part and Sir Thomas Piers of Stonepitt in the pa of Seale, Bart U92/B/10/2 1665
- Contents: Concerning lands in Ash With the advowson of the church of the same.

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East Sussex Archives

East Sussex Record Office: Courthope of Whiligh in Ticehurst, East Sussex:....Bond SAS-CO/1/1334 12 Apr 1686
- Contents: George Rivers of Tunbridge, Co. Kent, Esq. to Sir Thos. Piers of Seale, Co. Kent, Bart., & George Courthope of Ticehurst, Esq. & John Baker of Mayfield, Esq.; Bond for performance of Covenants. of Indentures of 20 Oct 28 Chas. 2nd, the said Sir Thos. Piers, George Courthope & John Baker being joint trustees for Rose & Eliz. Rivers, sisters of the said George Rivers

East Sussex Record Office: Additional Manuscripts, Catalogue R: Deeds of Sempstead Farm, Ewhurst AMS6001 1683 - 1843
- Contents (extract)...On 9 Feb 1683 Edward Piers of Ewhurst esq, a son of Thomas Piers of Stonepit in Seale, Kent, bt, deceased, mortgaged a house, barns, stables and land (160a) called Sempstead Place in Ewhurst, occupied by Richard Gill, to Henry Piggott of Chiddingstone, Kent, yeoman for £100 at 6%. On 3 Apr 1684 Piers's £50 mortgage of 20 Aug 1682 of a barn and seven pieces of land (40a and 3a wood) in Brede occupied by John Clinsett was assigned by Thomas Glover of Southfleet, Kent, yeoman to John Ashdowne of Chiddingstone, who advanced a further £20. On 7 Jan 1685 Piers mortgaged a house, barns, stables and 18 piece of land (70a) called Lordingstreet in Ewhurst and Northiam, occupied by Stephen Catt whose lease had been granted by Sir Thomas Piers, to Edward Medhurst of Cowden, Kent, yeoman for £50 at 3%; the Brede land was also charged. On 25 Mar 1687 all these mortgages were assigned to William Woodgate of Chiddingstone yeoman who undertook to pay £600 to satisfy Edward Piers's debts;...

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Sheffield Archives

Sheffield Archives:Deeds and Papers of the Barker Family of East Lodge, Bakewell, Derbyshire...Agreement to levy a fine Bar D/461 14 Jun 1663
- Contents: Nicholas, Earl of Scarsdale, Sir Thomas Piers of Stonepitt and William Chapman of the Inner Temple, with John Mildmay of Danbury (co. Essex) and Mary, his wife, daughter of Elizabeth Bancroft, deceased, late wife of James Bancroft, merchant tailor of London and Robert Stanton of Bowbrickhill (Bucks.) and Elizabeth, his wife, also daughter of Elizabeth Bancroft. Coates Park, Alfreton to Piers and Chapman, in trust for Mary Mildmay.

Sheffield Archives: XXX... Lease and Release Bar D/229-230 27 Nov 1675
- Contents: Robert Cory, D.D. of Danbury (co. Essex) and Mary, his wife a daughter and co-heir of Elizabeth Bancroft, widow, of James Bancroft, late citizen and merchant tailor of London, Sir Thomas Piers of Stonepitt in Seale (co. Kent) and William Chapman of the Middle Temple, to Edward Phiney of Greisthorpe and Robert Jackson of Alfreton. A moiety of Coates Park of Alfreton: for £605.

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TNA

PROB 4/21966 Piers, Streynsham, of St. Olave, Hart Street, London 1681 5 May

PROB 11/145 Clarke 1–63 Will of Lawrence Peirse of Westfield, Sussex 05 May 1625

PROB 11/366 North 48 – 94 Will of Streynsham Peirs or Piers, Gentleman of London 05 May 1681