Rashleigh family

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Rashleigh is a surname that has connotations of wealth and status in Cornwall in the United Kingdom.

The Rashleighs of Fowey and Menabilly were powerful merchants in the time of Henry VIII and Elizabeth I. Philip Rashleigh, younger son of a family from Barnstaple in Devon, had purchased the manor of Trenant close to Fowey from the King after the dissolution of the monasteries in 1545. He went into trade, became successful but died in 1551. His two sons Robert and John founded the fortunes of the Fowey Rashleighs and their pedigree has been well documented.

Rashleigh pedigree

Arms of Rashleigh: Sable, a cross or between in the first quarter: a Cornish chough, argent beaked and legged gules; in the second quarter: a text "T"; in the third and fourth quarters: a crescent all of the third[1]

Important Rashleigh family members

Jonathan Rashleigh (1642-1702), of Menabilly, Cornwall, Sheriff of Cornwall 1687 (Previously thought to be Sir John Carew, 1635–1692, 3rd Bt). Painted c.1685/90 by unknown artist of the English School. National Trust, Collection of Antony House, Cornwall
Charles Rashleigh

Charles Rashleigh was an entrepreneur. The expanding mining industry around West Polmear led him to develop Charlestown, Cornwall on the south coast as a port, which was named Charlestown after him. He died in 1823.[1]

Harold St. James Rashleigh-Berry

Rashleigh-Berry was Lt. Col in the British Army stationed in Peshawar, British Indian Empire. Rashleigh-Berry participated in the Second Anglo-Afghan War, under Sir Frederick Roberts.

John Rashleigh (1554-1624, Founder of Menabilly)

John Rashleigh (1554 – 1624) was an English merchant and Member of Parliament. He was the father of Jonathon Rashleigh and grandfather of John Rashleigh (1619–1693). John Rashleigh was the son of Phillip Rashleigh a merchant, shipowner and landowner from Barnstaple. Phillip was himself the son of owner of the Rashleigh-Barton estate located in Devon which has been know to exist since 1196. After his father Phillip Rashleigh purchased the manor of Trenant in 1545, Phillip moved his family from Devon to Cornwall to take advantage of the dissolution of the monasteries by buying and re-selling the land acquired around Fowey, it was from this land that John Rashleigh commenced building Menabilly from land acquired in Fowey (from which Menabilly was later completed in its construction by his son Jonathan Rashleigh).[2]

Jonathan Rashleigh (1591-1675)

Jonathan Rashleigh (4 July 1591 – 1 May 1675), was an English merchant and politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1614 and 1675. He supported the Royalist cause during the English Civil War. Jonathon was also responsible for completing the construction of the family home of Menabilly.

John Rashleigh (1619–1693)

John Rashleigh (1619–1693) was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1661 to 1679. He was the son of Jonathan Rashleigh and the grandson of John Rashleigh (the merchant & member of parliament).

Jonathan Rashleigh (1642-1702)

This Jonathan Rashleigh (see painting to the right) was also based in Menabilly and was the Sheriff of Cornwall in 1687. He was the grandson of Jonathan Rashleigh the merchant and House of Commons politician .

Philip Rashleigh (1729-1811)

Philip Rashleigh (1729–1811) was a Cornish mineral expert and Member of Parliament[3] for Fowey.

Menabilly Estate

In the Return of Owners of Land, 1873 Mr Jonathan Rashleigh of Menabilly Estate, Par, was listed as the largest landowner in Cornwall with an estate of 30,156 acres (122.04 km2) or 3.97% of the total area of Cornwall.[4] The estate contains pleasure grounds and a large country house which was Daphne du Maurier's inspiration for the house Manderley in her novel Rebecca.[3]

References

  1. ↑ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlestown,_Cornwall
  2. ↑ http://www.foweyharbourheritage.co.uk/heritage/people/2073-2/
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Philip Rashleigh at the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
  4. ↑ Who Owns Britain - by Kevin Cahill (author)

External links

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