The gateway of the Standon Lordship house.
This is part of a sheet describing the pedigree of Robert Lee
Edward Sadleir marries Ann Lee
| This is a story of a 24 year law suit. In 2001 some papers were bought at auction, which has led to a continuing search to discover the details of this story of chicanery, obstruction and greed. One limb of this story, recently unearthed, lies along The Meridian Line in Hertfordshire. A little known man, courtier and servant to Tudor monarchs, lived for many years at Standon in Hertfordshire, just north of Ware. The house, now known as The Lordship, was built by Sir Ralph Sadleir when Henry VIII had given him the Manor as reward for his many services. The house, rebuilt since Sir Ralph's time - partly by the Duke of Wellington - stands about a mile east of The Line. | |
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The gateway of the Standon Lordship house. |
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| Sir Ralph Sadleir's services to the Tudors extended throughout the whole of his lifetime. He was first involved with state duties when - through contacts with his employer, Thomas Cromwell - Henry VIII asked him to join the King's service in 1536. Ralph was then 29. The last of his royal duties was in 1586 as a member of the commission to try Mary Queen of Scots who was executed on the 8th February 1587. Shortly afterwards Sir Ralph, then 80 years old and held in high esteem by all who knew him, died on 31st of March 1587. | |
| There are several accounts of the life of Sir Ralph Sadleir - the most comprehensive by Humphrey Drummond published in 1969. Our story of the law suit is linked with Sir Ralph's second son Edward who married Anne, the daughter of Sir Richard Lee of Sopwell, near St Albans in Hertfordshire. There was good reason to expect that marriage. Not only were the two houses near to each other - 18 miles as the crow flies - but Sir Richard Lee and Sir Ralph were well known to each other and had worked together. Sir Ralph was a military man as well as an ambassador and Sir Richard an expert in military fortifications. Anne Lee was co-heir with her sister Maud to the fortune of Sir Richard Lee, and when her sister's marriage did not produce children, Ann's husband Edward Sadleir gained control of a considerable fortune, including the Sopwell estate. |
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This is part of a sheet describing the pedigree of Robert Lee |
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Edward Sadleir marries Ann Lee |
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| Our link to the law suit begins when a grandson of Edward Sadleir - Robert Sadleir of Sopwell - married Ellen Bancroft, daughter of Thomas Bancroft of Norfolk and his wife Margaret. It was this Margaret Bancroft, at the centre of this story of greed, who manipulated the legal process over 20 and more years; perhaps even to the crack of doom, since we do not as yet have a document that proves the contest was ever resolved. | |
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Top line shows Robert Sadleir marries Ellen daughter of Thomas Bancrofte and the descent of the female line to the Sebright family |
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