Ralph I St Leger

Ralph St Leger (died 1470) (''alias'' Randolf, etc.) of Ulcombe in Kent was Sheriff of Kent in 1467/8 and was constable of Leeds Castle in Kent. He was a member of the St Leger family.

Family

He was the eldest son and heir of Sir John St Leger (c. 1404 – 1441) of Ulcombe, Sheriff of Kent in 1430 by his wife Margery Donet, daughter and heiress of James Donet (died 1409) of Silham in the parish of Rainham, Kent. Two of Ralph's younger brothers married prominent wives: Sir Thomas St Leger (c. 1440 – 1483) married Anne of York (1439–1476), elder sister of Kings Edward IV and Richard III, and Sir James St Leger (c.1441 – post 1509), who married Anne Butler, a daughter of Thomas Butler, 7th Earl of Ormond, great-aunt of Queen Anne Boleyn.

Marriage and children

Ralph married Anne Prophett, daughter of John Prophett. By his wife Ralph had children including:
*Ralph St Leger, Sheriff of Kent in 1502. He married Isabel or Elizabeth Haute, daughter of Richard Haute (died 1487) by his wife Elizabeth Tyrrell, widow of Sir Robert Darcy (c. 1420 – 1469) of Maldon, Essex, and daughter of Sir Thomas Tyrrell (died 28 March 1477) of Heron in East Horndon, Essex. whose eldest son and heir was Sir Anthony St Leger (died 1559), KG, Lord Deputy of Ireland and ancestor of the St Ledger Viscounts Doneraile.
*Jacquetta St Leger, wife of John Fortescue (died 1503) of Filleigh Vivian, Lt.Col. J.L., (Ed.) The Visitations of the County of Devon: Comprising the Heralds' Visitations of 1531, 1564 & 1620, Exeter, 1895, p.353, pedigree of Fortescue (erroneously states Ralph to have been seated at Annery in Devon, which was in fact the inheritance by marriage of his brother Sir James St Ledger (d.post 1509)) in Devon, ancestor of Earl Fortescue.

Death and burial

He died in 1470 and was buried in Ulcombe Church, where his monumental brass survives showing figures of himself and his wife. It is now affixed to a wall within the St Leger Chapel in the north aisle, but was originally affixed to his ledger stone, now lost. It depicts Ralph prone with hands together in prayer and dressed in full armour, his bare head resting on his helm atop which is the crest of St Leger, ''a griffin passant''. His wife Anne lies to his left, and wears an elaborate head-dress. Both persons feet rest on dogs. The Latin inscription beneath is as follows (expanded from abbreviated text):

''Orate pro animabus Radulphi Sentleger Armigeri et Anne uxoris suae qui quidam Radulphus obiit undecimo die Novembriis anno domini millencimo CCCCLXX. Quorum animabus propicietur Deus Amen'' ("Pray ye for the souls of Ralph Saint Leger, Esquire, and Anne his wife, the which Ralph died on the eleventh day of the month of November in the year of our Lord one thousand four hundred and seventieth. On the souls of whom may God look with favour. Amen")

References

Sources

Hasted, Edward, History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent: Volume 5, 1798, pp.385–396, Manor of Ulcombe
* Catherine Stanhope,The Battle Abbey Roll with some Account of the Norman Lineages, 3 vols., London, 1889, "Sent Legere"
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Leger, Ralph I St
High Sheriffs of Kent
1470 deaths
Ralph
Year of birth unknown
People from Ulcombe