Did you know that Aldington once had a baronetcy? It didn’t last long, though (two years to be precise), as Peter Courten was the 1st and last Baronet of Aldington. The following are the few details that are known about his life.
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Peter Courten was born in 1598, the son of William Courten, a wealthy merchant, and his wife, Margaret. His mother died when he was young and his father married again, to Esther Tryon on 17th July 1604. He had one half-brother, William, and half-sisters, Hester, Margaret, Mary and Anne.
On 13th July 1615, William Courten, together with John Mounsey, bought the manor of Aldington. William Courten was knighted in 1622. In the same year, his son, Peter, was created 1st Baronet of Aldington.
Peter Courten married Jane (1606-1683) who was the daughter of Sir John Stanhope, Baronet, of Elvaston, Derbyshire, and his second wife, Catherine (née Trentham).
Sir Peter lived in Pirton, Worcestershire; there is no evidence that he ever lived in Aldington. When he made his will on 18th June 1624, shortly before his death, aged just 26, he described himself as “I Peter Courten of Pirton in the Countie of Worcester Baronet”. The will was proved in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury on 12th July 1624. The main bequests were to:
- Jone my wife;
- My brother William Courten;
- My three sisters Hester, Marie and Anne [all unmarried];
- My Aunt Mary (wife to Robert de Lean of London Merchant);
- My Aunte Jane sometimes wife to to John de Lean of Greate Quintin Merchant but now living at Horelem In Holland;
- My cozen John Casier;
- To my cozen Jane Casier sister of the said John; and
- My cozens Mathewe Marie Katherine and Margaret de Wald children to my Aunte Marie deceased sister to my mother and sumtymes wife to Nicholas de Wald of Middleboroughe in the Province of Zeland gent.
- Residue to my father Sir William Courten of London knight .. sole Executor.
- My uncle Sir Peter Courton of Middleborough knight and my uncle John Maunsey of London Merchant …Overseers.
The title became extinct on Peter Courten’s early death. After his decease, Jane married Francis Annesley, 1st Viscount Valentia, by whom she had nine children.
See also
Notes on the Manor of Aldington
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank Gill Stewart of Aldington for bringing this to our attention.