Sir Roger Fiennes (1384–1449) was an English

knight of the shire Knight of the shire () was the formal title for a member of parliament (MP) representing a county constituency in the British House of Commons, from its origins in the medieval Parliament of England until the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 ...

, High Sheriff of Surrey and Sussex, and builder of

Herstmonceux Castle Herstmonceux Castle is a brick-built castle, dating from the 15th century, near Herstmonceux, East Sussex, England. It is one of the oldest significant brick buildings still standing in England. The castle was renowned for being one of the fi ...

. He was also Treasurer of

King Henry VI Henry VI (6 December 1421 – 21 May 1471) was King of England from 1422 to 1461 and 1470 to 1471, and disputed King of France from 1422 to 1453. The only child of Henry V, he succeeded to the English throne at the age of eight months, upon ...

's household.

Origins

Roger Fiennes was the son of William de Fiennes, Sheriff of Surrey and Sussex in 1396, and Elizabeth Battisford. He was baptised at Herstmonceux on 14 September 1384. His younger brother was James Fiennes, 1st Baron Saye and Sele.

Career

Sir Roger was

knighted A knight is a person granted an honorary title of a knighthood by a head of state (including the pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church, or the country, especially in a military capacity. The concept of a knighthood ...

before 1412, accompanied King Henry V to France and fought at Agincourt in 1415. Sir Roger was prominent in the politics and a prominent member of the royal household. He was

Knight of the Shire Knight of the shire () was the formal title for a member of parliament (MP) representing a county constituency in the British House of Commons, from its origins in the medieval Parliament of England until the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 ...

for

Sussex Sussex (Help:IPA/English, /ˈsʌsɪks/; from the Old English ''Sūþseaxe''; lit. 'South Saxons'; 'Sussex') is an area within South East England that was historically a kingdom of Sussex, kingdom and, later, a Historic counties of England, ...

in 1416, 1429, 1439, 1442 and 1445. He was Constable of Portchester Castle from 1421 until his death, Sheriff of Surrey and Sussex for 1422 and 1434, Treasurer of the Household for

between 1439 and 1446, Keeper of the King's Wardrobe, and Chief Steward of the

Duchy of Lancaster The Duchy of Lancaster is an estate of the British sovereign. The estate has its origins in the lands held by the medieval Dukes of Lancaster, which came under the direct control of the monarch when Henry Bolingbroke, the then duke of Lancast ...

from 1441 to 1447. He financed the initial construction of

with spoils from the

Hundred Years' War The Hundred Years' War (; 1337–1453) was a conflict between the kingdoms of Kingdom of England, England and Kingdom of France, France and a civil war in France during the Late Middle Ages. It emerged from feudal disputes over the Duchy ...

Herstmonceux Castle

Roger Fiennes was ultimately responsible for the construction of

in the County of

. He needed a house fitting a man of his position, so construction of the castle on the site of the old manor house began in 1441.Anthony Emery: Greater Medieval Houses of England and Wales, 1300–1500: Volume 3, p.344 It was through his position as treasurer that he could afford the £3,800 construction cost of the original castle. The castle is not a defensive structure, but a palatial residence.

Marriage and children

Before 1422, Fiennes married Elizabeth Holland, daughter of Sir John Holland and his second wife, Margaret.Richardson, Douglas. ''Plantagenet Ancestry: A Study In Colonial And Medieval Families,'' 2nd Edition, 2011. pp. 148
Google eBook
/ref> John Holland's father, Robert, 2nd Baron Holland, was the brother of

Thomas Holland, 1st Earl of Kent Thomas Holland, 2nd Baron Holand, and ''jure uxoris'' 1st Earl of Kent, Order of the Garter, KG (26 December 1360) was an Kingdom of England, English nobleman and military commander during the Hundred Years' War. By the time of the Crécy campai ...

. Roger Fiennes and Elizabeth Holland had two boys and one girl: * Richard Fiennes, 7th Baron Dacre *Sir Robert Fiennes *Margaret Fiennes, who married Sir Nicholas Carew of Beddington Sir Roger Fiennes died in 1449. His will was dated at

Buxted Buxted is a village and civil parish in the Wealden District, Wealden district of East Sussex in England. The parish is situated on the Weald, north of Uckfield; the settlements of Five Ash Down, Heron's Ghyll and High Hurstwood are included wit ...

, Sussex 29 October 1449 and proved on 18 November 1449. He requested to be buried at All Saints, Herstmonceux, in his will.

References

External links

History of Parliament: FIENNES, Sir Roger (1384-1449), of Herstmonceux, Suss.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fiennes, Roger

Roger Roger is a masculine given name, and a surname. The given name is derived from the Old French personal names ' and '. These names are of Germanic languages">Germanic origin, derived from the elements ', ''χrōþi'' ("fame", "renown", "honour") ...

1384 births 1449 deaths People from Herstmonceux Members of Parliament for Sussex English MPs March 1416 High sheriffs of Surrey High sheriffs of Sussex English MPs 1429 English MPs 1439 English MPs 1442 English MPs 1445 Knights Bachelor