Ralph Bankes

Sir Ralph Bankes (1631 - 1677) was a servant of the restored Charles II and a knighted member of the Privy Chamber. He is most notable for being the builder of Kingston Lacy, the restored family seat of the Bankes Family.

Bankes was born at Corfe Castle, Dorset, was the second son and one of nine children of Sir John Bankes. Sir Ralph, like his father, trained as a lawyer at Gray's Inn and became close friends with Peter Lely, the painter and Roger Pratt, the gentleman architect. He was married to Mary Brune, niece of Charles Brune of Athelhampton. They were married in 1661 and had two children, John and Mary.

Bankes sat in Richard Cromwell's parliament in 1659 for the family seat of Corfe Castle and remained an MP until his death in 1677, actively safeguarding Dorset interests. With the restoration of Charles II in 1660, he went to Canterbury and was knighted. He was also made a gentleman of the Privy Chamber for services rendered to the crown. Until his death, he was engaged with Roger Pratt in the design of a new family home - Kingston Lacy. It was based on Clarendon House, built for the Lord Chancellor and which, Sir Ralph visited several times.

References

Kingston Lacy Guide by the National Trust, Anthony Mitchell. ISBN 1-84359-042-5