General Notes

"Richard Ripley, MA, is a member of APG Association of Professional Genealogists (Westminster, Colorado) and OGS Ontario Genealogical Society (Toronto, Ontario). Nevertheless, there may be some unintentional errors or omissions in some entries here. Also, this site is very busy, and there may be overdue but pending updates.

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ID: I20394
Name: Thomas Phillips , Sir, Esquire to Henry VII
Sex: M
Birth: ABT. 1439 in Pembroke, Wales
Death: 1550 in Castlebythe, Pembroke, Wales
Reference Number: 20394
Note:
This family are owners of Picton Castle in Wales. They retain a Royal title, and a Coats of Arms obtained from King Richard II some years before. They are known to spend part of each year in the Royal Court at London, where marriages and the birth of children can be noted in the files in this family tree, and part of each year at the castle in Wales, as well as in various estates in Shropshire and Carmethan, near the castle. Some photographs and stories may be viewed at our FTM website; for more, obtain a copy of our CD by email request.

It should be noted that this family is large and complex at this time, despite the appearance in this family tree of a smaller and more focussed family. It may be expected that further refinements will be made

The Wogan line of Picton ended in an heiress who married Owain Dwnn, and the Dwnns in turn ended in an heiress, Jane, who in the late 15th century married Sir Thomas Philipps of Cilsant, esquire to the body of Henry VII. The Cilsant family, which held extensive lands in West Carmarthenshire was descended from a late 11th-century magnate named Cadifor Fawr. Cadifor's great-grandson, Aaron ap Rhys, took part in the Third Crusade, became a Knight of the Holy Sepulchre, and is said to have added the golden collar and chain to the back of the lion rampart which is the insignia of the Philipps family. The Philippses have held Picton Castle since the days of Sir Thomas.

Historical Records which show that he was also convicted of felonies...

Thomas Phelips, born probably slightly before 1440, is the earliest known progenitor of this family. We see here that he was residing in Somerset by 1465.

Three entries in the Patent Rolls seem to gibe ample evidence that he resided in the parish of Lufton, Somerset [ 1 mile east of Montacute] prior to his having established himself at Montacute...and that his origins were in the County of Kent in a parish called Cooling. The first of these, dated 29 Oct. 1460, is a commission to Sir William Bonville and others to arrest "Thomas Philip of Lukton, county Somerset, Yoman" and bring him before the King in Chancery, presumbably for some disloyalty to the Duke of York's assumption of power in September 1460. The second of these, dated February 1466, is a pardon granted to "Thomas Phelip late of the parish of Colying, county Kent, gentleman, alias of Lukton, county Somerset, gentleman, for all offences committed by him before 27 Novemeber 1465." The third patent roll enty, also dated in February 1466, is a grant returning all of Thomas' confiscated property to him: "Thomas Phillippes late of the parish of Cowlyng, county Kent, gentleman, of all the goods and chattels forfeited by him for certain felonies of which he was indicted before the justices of the peace in the county." [ Ref.: Phelips of Montacute: Two Early Representatives, by J.H.C. Phelips, as reproduced in March 1981 from Somerset & Dorset Notes & Queries, Vol. XXXI Part 313, p.2 citing Calendar of Patent Rolls, 1452-1461, p. 649, CPR, 1461-1467, p. 421, and CPR, 1461-1467, p. 483; hereinafter referred to as JHC Phelips]. In 1472, he is seen as one of the patrons of the living of Brympton, Somerset, as a Sydenham trustee. [Ref.: Ibid, p.4 citing Somerset Incubents, by F.W. Weaver, p. 36] In 1476, when he is still described as of Lufton, he was sued for a debt of 20 pounds. [Ref.: Ibid, p.4, citing De Banco Roll, Dorset County Museum ref. 57/858/202d]. Thomas Phelips was establishing himself at Montacute as early as 1479 when, in December of that year a half burgage 'within the free borough of Montacute in North Street, namely on the east side of that street between a burgage of Thomas Geffrey and a garden of the said Thomas Phelips on the south" was conveyed to him. {Ref.: Ibid, p. 2, citing Somerset County Record Office ref. DD;PH5].

Further, such an influencial connection (to the King), could explain his rise in rank form yeoman in 1460 to gentleman by 1466 and his appointment to the office of Escheator fro Somerset & Dorset in 1471 and 1478. [Ref.: Ibid, p. 3-4}. Further evidence of a relationship derives from a lease extant in the Kent County Record Office in which John, Lord Cobham leased his manor of Brooke Montacute to "Jane Philip , widow." [ Ref.: Ibid p. 3, citing Kent County Record Office ref. U601 T202]. "

Sources:
Title: Philipps, Baronets of Wales
Author: Picton Castle Trust, seat of the Phillips Family, Baronets, of Wales
Publication: prepared from castle narratives, legends, and records
Note: These records lack dates and some important detail is missing, While these records are consulted, they are cross-checked in this family tree against parish church records and historical accounts. A full copy of this sheet of castle records is included on the family CD.
Repository:
Note: Copy provided on Family CD
Call Number:
Media: Manuscript
Text: The family archives from Picton Castle describe this marriage, without a date. Thomas is referred to as 'Thomas Philipps of Cileant and Picton'. Jane Dwinn is referred to as 'Jane Dwinn daughter of Sir Henry Dwinn and Margaret Wogan of Winton'. Sir Henry Dwinn is said in this source, to have died 1469 at Banbury.