Oliver St John (1560-1630), created 1st Viscount Grandison, c1620's

Sir Oliver St. John, Viscount Grandison

Oliver St. John, Lord Grandison, made the following request in his will dated June 26, 1630.

‘I ordain that the remainder of my mortallitie [corpse] shall be buried in the channcell of the Church of Battrichsey [Battersea] … My funeral to be performed after the late manner and usage in the night without ceremony.’

A midnight burial by torchlight was something exceptional and reserved for a person of distinction.

Sir Oliver looks the very model of ‘a person of distinction’ in this stunning portrait that hangs in the Dining Room in Lydiard House, wearing his ceremonial armour and an extravagant sash across his shoulder.

Born in 1559, the second son of Nicholas St. John and his wife Elizabeth Blount, Oliver spent most of his childhood at his parents’ property in Purley, Surrey.

Educated at Trinity College, Oxford and then Lincoln’s Inn, Oliver was destined for a career in the legal profession. However, like so many other St. John males, Oliver was possessed of a volatile temper and in 1584 he was found guilty of the manslaughter of explorer George Best whom he had challenged to a duel. Forced to abandon his legal career, Oliver was fortunate to save his neck when he was later acquitted by jury.

Oliver fled abroad to reconsider his career options, eventually settling on becoming a professional soldier, which was probably better suited to his temperament. In 1591 he served with distinction in France and Flanders. In 1593 he served as MP for Cirencester but by 1600 he was back in the saddle. In 1601 he was deployed to Ireland where he would serve for more than 20 years. He was made Master of the Ordnance in Ireland 1608, Lord Deputy of Ireland April 1616 to Sept. 1622, and Lord Treasurer of Ireland Aug. 1625 to May 1629. In 1620 he was created Viscount Grandison of Limerick.

Oliver married Joan Roydon, the widow of Sir William Holcroft in 1593 and moved into the Manor House, Battersea, although his military career saw him spend little time there.

He acquired the Manor of Battersea from the Crown in 1627 and moved home to England in his retirement. Following two years of failing health, Sir Oliver, Viscount Grandison died aged 70 years of age on the night of December 29/30, 1630.

Sir Oliver’s nephew Sir John St. John, 1^st Baronet, who resided at Lydiard House, inherited the Battersea estate, his niece Barbara St. John, wife of Edward Villiers, inherited the Grandison title.

About the Portrait

Medium - oil on canvas

Measurements - H 78 x W 62 cm

Gifted in 1995 by Miss Catherine McLean from the estate of Vernon St.John, 6th Viscount Bolingbroke and conserved thanks to a Woodmansterne Art Conservation Award.