St Pierre estate records

The archive has been divided into two groups: the St Pierre MSS and the Prothero MSS. The St Pierre MSS include St Pierre and Malpas estates' papers, including title deeds relating to the estates in Monmouthshire (mainly in the parishes of Mathern, 1541-1843, and Portskewett, 1526-1832), Gloucestershire (mainly Tiddenham, Henbury, Lawrence Weston and Wickwick, 1478-1857), and Herefordshire, 1609-1759, estate administration records including surveys and perambulations, 1684-1846, rentals and receipts, 1641-1820, accounts and vouchers, [c. 1721]-1866, timber papers, 1705-1856, plans, 1764-1767, and legal and related papers, 1718-1865; manorial papers, 1583-1824; papers relating to ferries on the Old and New Passages, 1506-1836; and family papers including household management records, 1819-1865, military commissions and shrievalty and lieutenancy appointments, 1666-1858, and the personal papers of various individual members of the family, 1564-1888. Prothero MSS include family settlements, 1840-88, papers relating to the trusts of various individual members of the family, 1881-1913, and Malpas Court estate papers, 1835-1917, mainly correspondence, rentals and plans.

The Lewis family had its seat at St Pierre, Monmouthshire, from [c. 1400] until they moved to Moynes Court in the same county in 1893. The (probably Welsh rather than Norman) family of St Pierre is known for the period 1245 to 1580, mainly for their North Wales and Cheshire interests, including holding the barony of Malpas in 1317. William de St Pierre and Sibil his wife can be definitely connected with St Pierre in Monmouthshire in 1340. After their deaths and the failure of the family, St Pierre was adjudged in 1395 to be the property of Robert ap Ieuan ap David, in right of his wife. What became of Robert is unknown, but shortly afterwards St Pierre was held by Sir David ap Philip (fl. 1387-1423), which Philip was the younger son of Llywelyn ap Ifor of St. Clears, Carmarthenshire, by Angharad, daughter and heir of Sir Morgan ap Maredydd of Tredegar, Monmouthshire. William Lewis (fl. 1487) was the first to adopt Lewis as a permanent surname, and was succeeded by his son George Lewis (d. 1508). His son, Henry Lewis (d. [1569x1571]), enhanced his estate by marrying Bridget, daughter and heir of Thomas Kemeys of Caldicot, and widow of Thomas Herbert, by whom he had the manor of Shirehampton in the parish of Westbury on Trym, Gloucestershire. The Lewis family also acquired the 1400 acres of the Abbey Dore estate, Herefordshire, when Captain Thomas Freke Lewis inherited the estate following the death of John Higham (formerly John Parsons) sometime between 1847 and 1852. He appears to have been succeeded by his sister, Mary Fanny Susanna (d. 1927), who in 1864 had married Francis Thomas Egerton Protheroe (d. 1917) of Malpas, Monmouthshire. Their heir appears to have been Air Commodore Freke William Wiseman-Clark. However, sometime after the death of Captain Thomas Freke Lewis without issue in 1908, his executors began to sell the estates. In 1925 the St Pierre mansion and deer park were sold to Daniel Lysaght.

Arranged into the St Pierre MSS and the Prothero MSS. The St Pierre MSS are arranged into the following sections: muniments of title by parish; estates of Oates, Rumsey and Kemeys by parish; estates of David Tanner; muniments of title (other counties); estate management; sporting records; family papers; general papers; ferry papers; manorial. The Prothero MSS are arranged into the following sections: muniments of title; family settlements; estate papers; family papers; public office; and general.

No restrictions

Deposit. It is Gwent Record Office's policy to withold information about donors or depositors in view of possible misuse.

Compiled by Stephen Benham for the HMC/NLW Family and Estates project. The following sources were used in the compilation of this description: Monmouthshire Record Office, Catalogue of documents relating to St Pierre estate [and] Malpas estate; Bradney, Joseph, Sir, A History of Monmouthshire (London, 1994 facsimile ed.), vol. 4, part 1.

Hard copies of the catalogue are available at Gwent Record Office, National Library of Wales, and the National Register of Archives.

Usual copyright regulations apply.

All records deposited at Gwent Record Office have been retained.

Accruals are not expected

Further papers relating to the Lewis family of St Pierre, [c. 1300]-1769, and Monmouthshire and Gloucestershire manorial records, 16th-17th century, are held by National Library of Wales, St Pierre Documents.