Sidney family

The name Sidney or Sidney derives from a village in Normandy called Saint-Denis. Sir William Sidney is reported to have been Chamberlain to King Henry II (1154-1189). However, this pedigree is brought into doubt by Leicester: "The family descends from John de Sydenie, a Surrey yeoman, who lived on a farm at Alford in the reign of Edward I. When, however, Sir Henry, father of the first (Sidney) Earl of Leicester, instructed Robert Cooke, the "rascally King of Arms", to prepare his pedigree, such a descent was not thought fine enough, and various high-placed apocryphal ancestors were invented, beginning with a William de Sidne, Knight, in the service of Henry II, and continuing through a long line of knights whose existence was established by various grants and deeds which the ingenious but unprincipled Clarenceux forged."

Sir William Sidney was courtier to Henry VIII, knighted 1513 after Flodden, tutor (and later steward) to Edward VI, his wife was governess to the young Prince. Edward VI granted him Penshurst Place, Kent , 1552, built 1338 by Sir John de Pulteney, Baron's Hall completed 1341, last owner before Sidney was Edward Stafford, Duke of Buckingham. Penshurst was forfeit to the crown when Buckingham was executed for treason 1521, Henry VIII used stay at Penshurst while courting Anne Boleyn at nearby Hever Castle. Sir William did not live to enjoy Penshurst for long, he died in 1554. ... more

Frances Sidney, Countess of Sussex - 1570

• A1. Sir William Sidney;
  • B1. Sir Symon Sidney, m. Margaret Deleamare;
    • C1. Sir Roger Sidney, knight, d:1239, m. Eleanor Sophan;
      • D1. Sir Henry Sidney, d:1268, m. Maud D'Abernon;
        • E1. Sir Henry Sidney, d:1306, m. N. Hussey;
          • F1. Sir William Sidney, m. Elizebeth Ashburnham;
            • G1. John Sidney, m. Helen Batisford;
              • H1. Sir William Sidney, m. Joan Brockhall;
                • I1. William Sidney, m. Alice Clumford;
                  • J1. William Sidney, m. Cecily Mitchell;
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        • K1. William Sidney of Stoke D'Abernon, d:1454, m. Thomasine Barrington;
          • L1. Nicholas Sidney of Penshurst, d:1512, m. Anne Brandon;
            • M1. Sir William Sidney of Penshurst, m. Anne Pagenham;
              • N1. Lucy Sidney, lvd:1508/1576, m. Sir James Harington;  <==  Harington family
              • N2. Francis Sidney, lvd:1508/1576, m. Sir Thomas Ratcliffe, Earl of Sussex;