Sir Richard Lee, Lord Mayor of London

Lord Mayor of London twice, 1460-61 and 1469-70. Alderman 1452-1472. Knighted 1471 (by Edward IV).

Richard was Lord Mayor of London and a patron of the church of St. Stephen Walbrook, London, Middlesex, England. He left legacies to the said church and the parish churches of Walkingstead, Surrey and East Grinstead, West Sussex, England where his mother and father were buried.

Sir Richard Leigh

Sir Richard Leigh Sheriff Mayor

Sheriff of London 1452-1453. Mayor 1460-1461 and 1469-1470. Member of the Grocers’ Company. Buried at St. Stephen Walbrook.

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Richard Lee (son of John Lee)567, 567, 568 was born 1420 in Wolksted, Surrey, England569, 569, and died 1471 in London, England569, 569. He married Lettice in Maidstone England, Kent, England569.

Includes NotesNotes for Richard Lee: Born in Wolksed County, Surry, England, Richard was a grocer and Lord Mayor of London in 1460 under Henry the IV and 1469 under Edward the IV. He served as Alderman starting on August 7, 1452. at Bishopsgate 1452-69, and Walbrook 1469-72. Richard served at Sheriff 1452-3 and auditor 1446-8, and 1453-5. He additional served as Master Grocers 1452-4, 1459-60, 1468-9. Sir Richard was knighted posthumously on May 21, 1471. He owned Great Delce in Kent (now Maidstone).His mother was buried in East Grinsted County Sussex. Patron of the Church of St. Stephen Walbrooke, London. This is where he is buried. (this church was destroyed by fire and rebuilt in 1666). He bore for his arms, Azure, on a fefts cotized or 3 Leopard's faces gules. His arms are remaining in the church of East Grinstead in Surry and St. Dionis Backchurch, London (demolished in 1878)

Richard Married Lettice, Lettice was a Spanish lady in the service of the Queen, Two sons and four daughters were by this marriage. Margaret, Alice, Lettice and Joan all married. One son John Lee, was a doctor at low and Richard (whom follows). One brother of Richard was mentioned, William.

The manor of Delce lies on the eastern side of the parish of Nashenden outside Rochester co. Kent. The old Lee home site was on Earl Street, Maidstone. Pictures and sketches of the old home exist as some of the stained glass windows.(location unknown). Formerly called Much Delce, Delce Magna, Great Delce. The manor was originally given by William the conqueror to Bishop Odo of Bayeux, his half Brother, son of Robert of Normandy and Herleva, his mistress. Several family owned Delce till Richard Lee, Lord Mayor bought it.

Here is a long discription and history of the house, and the church where this part of the family is buried.

GREAT DELCE is a manor which, with the estate now called LOWER DELCE, lies on the eastern side of this parish, about half a mile southward from Eastgate, in Rochester. It was formerly called Much Delce and Delce Magna, or Great Delce, and was given by William the Conqueror to Odo, bishop of Baieux, his halfbrother, under the title of whose lands it is thus entered in the general survey of Domesday: In the lath of Aylesford, in Rochester hundred, the son of William Tabum holds Delce of the bishop (of Baieux). It was taxed at one suling and one yoke. The arable land is . . . . . There is one carucate in demesne, and five villeins having five carucates. There are 12 acres of meadow, wood for the pannage of one bog. In the time of king Edward the Confessor, and afterwards, it was worth three pounds, and now 70 shillings. Godric held it of king Edward. This manor afterwards came into the possession of a family, to which it gave name. Herebert, Gosfrid, and Hugo de Delce possessed it in successive generations. After which it passed to Buckerel, and the heirs of Thomas Buckerel, in the latter end of the reign of king Henry III. held it as two knights fees and a half, of Bertram de Criol. After which this estate seems to have been separated into parcels, for Geoffry de Haspale held this manor as the fourth part of a knight's fee only, at the time of his death, in the 15th year of king Edward I. as appears by the inquisition taken for that purpose. The next family who succeeded, as appears by the original deeds of this estate, was that of Molineux, descended from those of Sefton, in Lancashire; but they did not keep possession of it long, for by the evidence of an antient court roll, Benedict de Fulsham was lord of it in the 30th year of king Edward III. His descendant, Richard Fulsham, held it of the king in capite, as the fourth part of a knight's fee, at his death in the 5th year of king Henry V. Soon after which this name seems to have become extinct here; for in the 9th year of that reign, Reginald Love died possessed of it, and his successor held it till the latter end of king Henry VI's reign, when it passed by sale to William Venour, whose arms were, Argent, on a fess sable five escallops or, three and two, and who died possessed of this manor in the 1st year of king Edward IV. After which it was within a few months conveyed by sale to Markham, descended from an antient family of that name in Nottinghamshire, in which name it staid but a very short time before it was sold to Tate, who passed it away to Sir Richard Lee, citizen of London, and grocer, who served the office of lord-mayor in the 39th year of king Henry VI. and the 9th year of king Edward IV. He was the eldest son of John Lee, of Wolksted, in Surry, and grandson of Symon Lee, who was descended of ancestors in Worcestershire, and bore for his arms, Azure, on a sess cotized or, three leopard's faces gules. He lies buried in the church of St. Stephen, Walbrook, his arms are remaining in East-Grinsted church, and in that of St. Dionis Backchurch, in London, with those of several marriages of his posterity; his son Richard Lee seems to have had this manor of Great Delce by gift of his father during his life-time, and kept his shrievalty at this mansion in the 19th year of the latter reign, his son Richard, who was both of Delce and of Maidstone, left two sons, the youngest of whom, Edward, was archbishop of York, and the eldest Richard, was of Delce, whose only surviving son, Godfrey, in the 31st year of Henry VIII. procured his lands to be disgavelled, by the general act passed for this purpose, after which his descendants continued to reside here for several generations, but Richard Lee, esq. about the latter end of queen Anne's reign, passed away the whole of this estate, excepting the manor, and forty acres of land, to Thomas Chiffinch, esq. of Northfleet, in this county, from which time this seat and estate acquired the name of Lower Delce. Thomas Chiffinch, esq. died in 1727, and was succeeded by Thomas Chiffinch, esq. his only son and heir, who died without issue in 1775, and by his will bequeathed this, among his other estates, to his niece and heir-at-law, Mary, the daughter of his sister Elizabeth Comyns, who afterwards carried them in marriage to Francis Wadman, esq. of the Hive, in Northfleet, and he is the present possessor of Lower Delce. THE MANOR OF GREAT DELCE, and the forty acres of land above-mentioned, together with a farm, called King's Farm, continued in the possession of Richard Lee, esq. who died possessed of them in 1724, and his grandson, Richard Lee, esq. of Clytha, in Wales, now possesses this manor; but in 1769, he alienated all the demesnes of it, together with King's farm, to Mr. Sampson Waring, of Chatham, who died possessed of them in 1769, leaving his brother, Mr. Walter Waring, and his sister, Mrs. Smith, of Lower Delce, his executors, who are at this time entitled to the profits of them. The court for the manor of Great Delce has not been held for some years. The manor is held by castle-guard rent of Rochester castle; but when the mansion and most part of the lands were sold, as above mentioned, from Lee to Chiffinch, the former expressly charged the whole of that rent on the premises bought by Chiffinch, and entirely exonerated that part which he reserved to himself from paying any portion of it. An account of the tithes of this manor, given to the priory of Rochester, may be seen under the following description of Little Delce manor. LITTLE DELCE, or DELCE PARVA, now known by the name of UPPER DELCE, is a manor in this parish, situated in the high road between Rochester and Maidstone, somewhat more than a quarter of a mile from the former. This likewise, as well as that of Great Delce, was given by William the Conqueror to his half brother Odo, bishop of Baieux; under the general title of whose lands it is thus described in the book of Domesday:From: 'The city and liberty of Rochester: The city parishes', The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent: Volume 4 (1798), pp. 153-82. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=53801. Date accessed: 05 May 2007.

The PARISH of St. MARGARET, is Rochester, is within the ECCLESIASTICAL JURISDICTION of the diocese and deanry of Rochester. The church is situated at the south extremity of St. Margaret's-street; it consists of one nave and two chancels on the south side of much later date than the church. That towards the east end was built and long supported by the family of Lee, of Great Delce, whose remains lie in a large vault under this chancel; but since the alienation of their mansion here, the repair of this part of the fabric has devolved on the parishioners. The chancel, at the east end of the church, belongs to the appropriator, who consequently repairs it. At the west end of the church is a tower, containing five bells; it is entirely covered with ivy to the top of it, which makes a most beautiful and picturesque appearance. Against the east wall, in the south chancel, is the antient bust of a man in robes, with a coronet on his head. In the reign of king Charles II. a coronet, set round with precious stones, was dug up in this church yard; and the report of the parish has been, that one of our Saxon kings was buried here. Among other monuments and inscriptions in this church are the following: In the chancel, a brass for Syr James Roberte Preess, obt. Sep. 24, 1540. A monument, arms, Head, impaling quarterly a chevron between three hawks belled or, for Francis Head, esq. eldest son of Sir Richard Head. bart. obt. 1678; he married the only daughter of Sir George Ent. In the north window, Argent. three crosses bottony fitchee sable, and argent on a bend quarterly, an efcallop gules. In a pew, partly in the chancel and partly in the nave, Argent on a bend gules, between two peliers, three swans proper. In the nave, a brass for Tho. Cod. vicar, a benefactor to the steeple of this church, obt. Nov. 1465. In the chancel, south of the rectors, a monument, arms, Argent, a right hand couped sable, impaling Lee, for Thomas Manly, esq the third son and heir of George Manly, of Lach, esq. he married Jane, second daughter of Richard Lee, esq. of Delce, and left one only son and two daughters, obt. 1690. In the east window, arms of Lee, Azure on a fess cotized, or three leopards heads gules. In a chapel, west of the Lee chancel, in the east wall, a bust of a person with a crown on his head, much defaced. From: 'The city and liberty of Rochester: The city parishes', The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent: Volume 4 (1798), pp. 153-82. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=53801. Date accessed: 05 May 2007.

More About Richard Lee: Burial: 1471, St Stephen Walbrook, London England. Will: 04 Mar 1472, Will Proved.

More About Richard Lee and Lettice: Marriage: Maidstone England, Kent, England.569

Children of Richard Lee and Lettice are:

   +Richard Lee, b. 1440, Delce Magna, Maidstone, Kent, England569, 569, 569, d. 26 Sep 1498, Great Delce Manor, Maidstone Rochester, Kent, England569, 569, 569.

   Lettice Lee, b. 1438, Delce Magna, Maidstone, Kent, England569, d. date unknown, England569.

   John Lee, b. 1442, Delce Magna, Maidstone, Kent, England569, d. 1495, England569.

   Margaret Lee, b. 1434, Delce Magna, Maidstone, Kent, England569, d. date unknown, England569, 570.

   Alice Lee, b. Abt. 1440, Delce Magna, Maidstone, Kent, England571, d. date unknown, England571.

   Joan Lee, b. Abt. 1436, Delce-Magna, Maidstone, Kent, England, d. date unknown.