Shown as John MERIWETHER
Sibertswold, Kent, England=Shepherdswell
By patent dated 26th July 1609, the Arms were confirmed and a Crest
granted to John Merywether, son of Richard, son of Edward, and his
posterity. They are blazoned as follows:--Arms: or three martlets sable,
on a chief azure a Lion passant guardant of the First. Crest: out of a
Crown or an armed hand holding a sword argent, thereon a Lion's head
erased proper. Motto: Virtute et vulneribus.
John served in the expedition to Calais and also in Flanders, the crest
was granted as an augmentation to his Armorial.
Butter St. Farm, with the Mansion Place House, and the lands belonging to
it, being the principal farm in the Parish of Shepherdswell, was formerly
part of the demesne of the Manor of Upton Court, and was held by the
Abbot of St. Augustine's and passed in like sorts, as the Manor itself,
to the family of Boys, from whom it was in the reign of Queen Elizabeth
alienated to John Merywether, who afterwards resided there, and by one of
whose descendants the present mansion was built
Canterbury Marriage Licences 1568-1618.
Meriweather John of Shepherdswell, Gent and Alice Crayford of Gr Mongeham
at Gr Mongeham Banns 7 Jan 1613