Sir Richard Herbert of Ewyas

Ewyas

Ewyas was a possible early Welsh kingdom which may have been formed around the time of the Roman withdrawal from Britain in the 5th century. The name was later used for a much smaller commote or administrative sub-division, which covered the area of the modern Vale of Ewyas and a larger area to...

, Herefordshire

Herefordshire

Herefordshire is a historic and ceremonial county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire" NUTS 2 region. It also forms a unitary district known as the...

 was the illegitimate son of William Herbert, 1st Earl of Pembroke and Maud, daughter of Adam ap Howell Graunt (Gwynn). Richard had a full brother named George.

Sir Richard Herbert of Ewyas is distinguished from his uncle, Sir Richard Herbert of Coldbrook, brother of his father William Herbert.

Herbert legacy

While the Earl of Pembroke title went to his younger, legitimate half-brother William, Richard realized success through his own merit and his descendants: "Sir Richard Herbert, of Ewyas, who, though illegitimate, is ancestor of the men who have really, in modern times, rendered the name of Herbert illustrious."

In 1465, Richard Herbert was granted Westminster, manors of Grove, Radnore, Mookas, Brutescourt, Throuckeston, Westhide, Egelton, Redehire, Howton and Wormeton Tirell, co. Hereford.

He was successful as a Gentleman Usher to Henry VII and appointed Constable and Porter of Abergavenny Castle

Abergavenny Castle

Abergavenny Castle is a castle in the market town of Abergavenny, Monmouthshire in south east Wales.- A naturally fortified site :The castle was sited above the River Usk overlooking the river valley and the confluence of the rivers Gavenny and Usk. The site would have been naturally defensible in...

 on 22 July 1509. While Richard is most frequently titled "Sir Richard Herbert," there is debate as to whether Richard was a knight. Richard Herbert in "The Knights of England" was knighted in 1513, three years after this subject's death. According to Sil, Richard was never knighted, but was an Esquire. Richard is titled Esquire in 1465 when he was granted manors and lands.

In many sources, however, Richard is referred to as "Sir Richard Herbert." An article titled "The Family of Herbert" from The Gentleman's Magazine

The Gentleman's Magazine

The Gentleman's Magazine was founded in London, England, by Edward Cave in January 1731. It ran uninterrupted for almost 200 years, until 1922. It was the first to use the term "magazine" for a periodical...

states that he was knighted by King Henry VIII

Henry VIII of England

Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...

, in which case Richard would have been knighted in the last year of Richard's life (died 1510) and the first year of Henry VIII's reign, which began in 1509.

Marriage

Richard married Margaret, daughter of Sir Matthew Cradock of Swansea and Alice (Jane) Mancell, widow of John Malefant. Sir Matthew Cradow was receiver of Glamorgan, through whom Castleston Castle passed to his daughter Margaret and Richard.

Issue

Richard and Margaret had three sons, one of whom was William Herbert, 1st Earl of Pembroke (1501–1570), who became the 1st Earl of Pembroke (2nd Creation) on 11 October 1551. Existing Earls of Pembroke and Montgomery, and of Carnarvon, of the Duke of Powis, of Pool Castle (extinct 1747), descend from Sir Richard Herbert. Through the female line, of the Marquis of Bute, derives his Glamorganshire estates. William married Anne Parr

Anne Herbert, Countess of Pembroke

Anne Herbert, Countess of Pembroke, Baroness Herbert of Cardiff was lady-in-waiting to each of Henry VIII of England's six wives. She was the younger sister of his sixth wife, Catherine Parr.-Early years:...

, sister of Queen Catherine Parr

Catherine Parr

Catherine Parr ; 1512 – 5 September 1548) was Queen consort of England and Ireland and the last of the six wives of King Henry VIII of England. She married Henry VIII on 12 July 1543. She was the fourth commoner Henry had taken as his consort, and outlived him...

, the sixth and last wife of Henry VIII. William served Henry VIII in many capacities, including Chief Gentleman on the Privy Chamber and the Privy Council and Receiver of the King's revenues. He was knighted in 1544 and later elected to the Knights of the Garter. The other son was Sir George Herbert of Swanseawas ancestor to the Herberts of Swansea, Cogan, Cookham and the White Friars, extinct in 1739. Candleston Castle

Candleston Castle

Candleston Castle is a 14th.c. fortified manor house, in ruins since the nineteenth century southwest of Merthyr Mawr, former Glamorgan, Wales, and just northwest of Ogmore Castle, separated by the River Ogmore. Candleston's original long and narrow rectangular structure lay across the western...

 passed from Richard and Margaret to George.

Richard also was father to the illegitimate Herberts of Dinas Powis and Hengastell (Hen Gastell).

Death

Richard died between 2 and 12 September 1510 and was buried in Abergavenny Church; his tomb has a lavishly decorated wall arch and an alabaster effigy.