Spanish Armada - Sir William Harris

There is no doubt that is a Spanish Armada connection with Belchamp Hall and the village of Belchamp Walter in the 16th Century.

However, there seems to be different accounts relating to who Sir William Harris was and what his involvement in the battle.
The Halls' website says that he was a Commander, Thomas Wright (1831/36) says he was an Officer.

While a Commander is an officer there is no account that I can find linking Sir William to the battle off the Scilly Islands in 1588.

From the historical perspective the Elizabethan era saw a renaissance of Ancestral Art in that the commisioning of family portraits was all the rage for those that could afford them. If you look at the artwork associated with major historical figures there is a marked change in the nature of the portraiture. Before the Elizabethan age there is either a complete lack of such work or what there is the compositions are much more primative.

Researching possible Sir Williams turns up a Sir William Harris of Creeksea

Margaretting, Essex, is a village 4 miles from Chelmsford. Ingatestone is the next railway station between Shenfield and Chelmsford and the village of Margaretting.

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This page is part of an on-going research project on the history of Belchamp Walter and the manor of Belchamp Walter. If you have found it making a web search looking for geneological or other information on the village then please bookmark this page and return often as I am likely to make regular updates. If you delve deeper into this website you will find many other pages similar to this one.

The Belchamp Hall website says:

" Family portraits by well-known artists hang on the walls. One by Cornelius Janssen depicts the first John who bought the house and estate from Sir John Wentworth in 1611. Elizabethan portraits of Sir William and Lady Harris, whose daughter Frances married Oliver, M.P. for Essex in the two Protectorate parliaments, hang each side of the door. Sir William commanded a ship in the battle against the Spanish Armada and relics which he captured then, including an iron Treasure Chest with its original huge key, are still in the house. "

The history and topography of ... Essex – by Thomas Wright (1831/36) says:

" A picture, with a large gun, some pistols, and powder-flasks, inlaid with gold and ivory, were presented to the ஓaymonds by Sir William Harris - a sea officer, who took them, with other property, in the action with the Spanish Armada, in 1588". "

The BritishBattles website makes no mention of Sir William Harris as a Commander only Sir William Winter who commanded the Vangard. They do mention Sir William FitzWilliam in respect to an Irish battle which Sir William Harris of Shenfield and his cousin, another Sir William of Creaksea Essex, fought in the Nine Years War (1593 to 1603).

Margaretting (near Ingatestone and Shenfield) and Creaksea.

The House of Dudley - Joanne Paul

Joanne's account of the Armada is interesting, to me, as she underplays it in contrast to Elizabeth I's approach:

Not the largest fleet ever assembled

Background to this page

Having seen this page found by those making an Internet search I have decided to add a bit more context.

Oliver married Francis Harris in 1653. Francis was possibly the daughter of Sir William Harris who's son, Authur, served on Cromwell's Protectorate Parilaments with Oliver. This Sir William Harris was from Creeksea and not his cousin from Shenfield (Margaretting). The connection to the Plantagnet line is in question, in my estimation.

This lineage is not really of consequence as it is not difficult to trace a path back to a royal as Danny Dyer can attest. However, the family tree constucted by Alan Freer maybe incorrect.

Spanish Armada - Sir William Harris

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