St George's Fields - Brandon Family

Brandon Family

The manorial area was informally referred to as 'le weste socne' (i.e. the ‘soke’ west of the ‘high’ street) in the thirteenth century Rolls and as the Abbot's manor later. From some point in the fifteenth century the Brandon family became the King’s Marshals; as such they controlled the two ancient royal prisons on the eastern side of the high street, the King's Bench and the Marshalsea. As they became more prominent at court they grew wealthier and acquired parts of the western side of the high street from the Abbey to create a large mansion and grounds including, notably, Moulton Close which is now the park around the Imperial War Museum. The house became known as Brandon Place. Charles Brandon, the last of the male line, became Marshal in 1510 and was created Duke of Suffolk in 1514; he married Henry VIII's sister in 1516. The mansion then becomes known as Suffolk Place. Charles died in 1545, but not before he disposed of the family home.