The Streatfeilds, Streatfields or Stretfields are an aristocratic

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

family of the

landed gentry The landed gentry, or the ''gentry'', is a largely historical British social class of landowners who could live entirely from rental income, or at least had a country estate. While distinct from, and socially below, the British peerage, th ...

, from

Chiddingstone Chiddingstone is a village and civil parish in the Sevenoaks District of Kent, England. The parish is located on the River Eden between Tonbridge and Edenbridge. The village of Chiddingstone Causeway and the hamlet Chiddingstone Hoath are also ...

Kent Kent is a county in South East England and one of the home counties. It borders Greater London to the north-west, Surrey to the west and East Sussex to the south-west, and Essex to the north across the estuary of the River Thames; it faces ...

. The family are traceable to the early 16th century and are a possible cadet branch of the

Noble A noble is a member of the nobility. Noble may also refer to: Places Antarctica * Noble Glacier, King George Island * Noble Nunatak, Marie Byrd Land * Noble Peak, Wiencke Island * Noble Rocks, Graham Land Australia * Noble Island, Great B ...

House of Stratford The House of Stratford () is a British aristocratic family, originating in Stratford-on-Avon between the eleventh and thirteenth centuries. The family has produced multiple titles, including Earl of Aldborough, Viscount Amiens, Baron Balti ...

. They were significant landowners in

Sussex Sussex (), from the Old English (), is a historic county in South East England that was formerly an independent medieval Anglo-Saxon kingdom. It is bounded to the west by Hampshire, north by Surrey, northeast by Kent, south by the English ...

Surrey Surrey () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South East England, bordering Greater London to the south west. Surrey has a large rural area, and several significant urban areas which form part of the Greater London Built-up Area. ...

and Kent, and instrumental in shaping those counties throughout the 17th and 18th centuries. From the early 16th century until 1900 the family seat was Chiddingstone Castle. The family later sold the castle to Lord Astor in 1938.The Streatfeilds of Kent
accessed 6 November 2015.

Notable members

Robert Streatfeild Robert Streatfeild (1514 - March 1599) of Chiddingstone, Kent is the earliest known ancestor to which most known Streatfeilds and Streatfields can trace their ancestry, and the progenitor of the Streatfeild family. Origins Robert Streatfeild wa ...

(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 Henry Streatfeild (1706 - 1762) was a substantial British landowner and member of the prominent Chiddingstone, Kent Streatfeild family. Henry Streatfeild was born on 3 June 1706 in Chiddingstone. He was the son of Henry Streatfeild (1679-1747) an ...

(1706–1762), substantial British landowner *

Alexander Streatfeild-Moore Alexander McNeill Streatfeild-Moore (born Alexander McNeill Streatfeild;
CricketArchive. Retrieved 2008-10-14. ...

(1863–1940), English cricketer *

Edward Champion Streatfeild Edward Champion Streatfeild (16 June 1870 – 22 August 1932) was an English cricketer who played 38 matches of first-class cricket between 1890 and 1893. Streatfeild was born in Nutfield, Surrey, son of Alexander Streatfeild (1837–1887) ...

(1870–1932), English cricketer *

Philip Streatfeild James Philip Sydney Streatfeild (5 November 1879 – 3 June 1915) was an English painter and bohemian descended from the historic Streatfeild family of Chiddingstone Castle, Kent. Streatfeild was born in Clapham, where his father was a bank cle ...

(1879–1915), English painter and bohemian *

Richard Streatfeild Richard Streatfeild (1 October 1559 – 18 September 1601) of Chiddingstone, Kent was an ironmaster who established the financial base for this significant Kentish family. Origins Richard Streatfeild was born (or baptised) on 16 October 1559. ...

(1559–1601), iron master who established the financial basis for the family *

(1833–1877), English cricketer *

Sidney Streatfeild Sidney Richard Streatfeild (27 June 1894 – 2 December 1966) was a Scottish Unionist Party politician descended from the historic Streatfeild family. Sidney Streatfeild was the son of Hugh Streatfeild (1867–1950) and Evelyn Cherry (d 1964). ...

(1894–1966), Scottish Unionist Party politician *

Thomas Streatfeild Rev Thomas Streatfeild MA, FSA (5 January 1777 – 17 May 1848) was a renowned antiquarian and churchman in the early 19th century descended from the historic Streatfeild family. He lived on both sides of the Surrey Kent border, but is best known ...

(1777–1848), renowned antiquarian and churchman * Rev. William Champion Streatfeild (1839–1912), clergyman * Sir Henry Streatfeild (1857–1938),

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...

officer and

courtier A courtier () is a person who attends the royal court of a monarch or other royalty. The earliest historical examples of courtiers were part of the retinues of rulers. Historically the court was the centre of government as well as the official r ...

who served as the commanding officer of the

Grenadier Guards "Shamed be whoever thinks ill of it." , colors = , colors_label = , march = Slow: " Scipio" , mascot = , equipment = , equipment ...

, and was

Equerry An equerry (; from French ' stable', and related to 'squire') is an officer of honour. Historically, it was a senior attendant with responsibilities for the horses of a person of rank. In contemporary use, it is a personal attendant, usually up ...

Edward VII Edward VII (Albert Edward; 9 November 1841 – 6 May 1910) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and Emperor of India, from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910. The second child and eldest son of Queen Victoria an ...

from 1908 until the King's death in 1910, he was then Private Secretary and Equerry to

Queen Alexandra Alexandra of Denmark (Alexandra Caroline Marie Charlotte Louise Julia; 1 December 1844 – 20 November 1925) was List of British royal consorts, Queen of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Empress of India, from 22 January 1901 t ...

from 1910 until her death in 1925 *

William Champion Streatfeild William Champion Streatfeild (1 September 1865Who was Who 1897–2007: London, A & C Black, 2008 – 15 February 1929) was the Anglican Bishop of Lewes. He was a descendant of the historic Streatfeild family, the father of the novelist Noe ...

(1865–1929), Anglican Bishop of Lewes *

Noel Streatfeild Mary Noel Streatfeild OBE (24 December 1895 –11 September 1986) was an English author, best known for children's books including the "Shoes" books, which were not a series (though some books made references to others). Random House, the ...

(1895–1986), author, most famous for her children's books *

Ruth Gervis Ruth Gervis (13 August 1894 – 26 October 1988) was a British illustrator. Together with her sister Noel Streatfeild she illustrated the 1936 book '' Ballet Shoes''. Her other book illustrations include '' The Buttercup Farm Family'', '' The P ...

(1894–1988), artist, art teacher and illustrator of children's books, most famously ''

Ballet Shoes A ballet shoe, or ballet slipper, is a lightweight shoe designed specifically for ballet dancing. It may be made from soft leather, canvas, or satin, and has flexible, thin full or split soles. Traditionally, women wear pink shoes and men wear wh ...

'', written by her sister,

. She was also a founding member of Sherborne Museum, Dorset. *

Geoffrey Streatfeild Geoffrey Streatfeild (born 1975) is an English actor in film, television, stage and radio. He is a member of the Streatfeild family. Career His notable film and TV roles include '' The Other Boleyn Girl'' and '' Kinky Boots''. He also appea ...

(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".

Possible Stratford descent

File:Stratford type A Rondel 6.jpeg, Stratford
Per fess gules and sable, three plates File:Streatfield CoA.jpeg, Streatfield
Per fess gules and sable, three bezants The

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 A cadet is an officer trainee or candidate. The term is frequently used to refer to those training to become an officer in the military, often a person who is a junior trainee. Its meaning may vary between countries which can include youths in ...

branch of the Stratford family, the name having been corrupted at some point prior to the 16th century.

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 Restoration style, also known as Carolean style from the name ''Carolus'' (Latin for 'Charles'), refers to the decorative and literary arts that became popular in England from the restoration of the monarchy in 1660 under Charles II (reigned fro ...

that it is now).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.

References

{{Reflist Stratford family English families English gentry families