Sir William Meredith Research Collection Research by Mrs Miriam Scott (MA, Oxon.) into Sir William Meredith (died 1605) and his family. The Merediths were a prominent early modern Kentish family who owned Leeds Abbey in Leeds, Kent, from the late 16th to mid-18th century. The research includes information regarding the history of Leeds Abbey, the families of Sir William Meredith's children (including the Cottington and Wyche families), as well as his connection to family in Denbighshire, North Wales. The collection is comprised of handwritten and digital research notes, a card index of people who lived at, or were associated with, Leeds Abbey, copies of portraits, images and photographs, and photocopies from published works. The research was inspired by the Meredith Memorial in St Nicholas Church in Leeds, Kent. Documents and books from a number of libraries and records offices were used in compiling the research, a list of which can be found in the collection. The research led to an article being published in the Friends of the National Archives magazine by Miriam Scott, titled 'Sir William Meredith, knight. A gruff Welsh voice in London'. These research papers were deposited with support from Professor Catherine Richardson in the Department of Medieval and Early Modern Studies (MEMS) at the Univeristy of Kent. Digital files can be found in series MER/1, MER/2, MER/3 and MER/9. References throughout the collection to documents labelelled PROB/... relate to Records of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury held at The National Archives. Leeds Abbey is not to be confused with Leeds Castle, although Leeds Castle did own the estate of Leeds Abbey for a time from c.1790. The Leeds Abbey site is currently owned by the Rochester Bridge Trust and is on Historic England's Heritage at Risk Register. c. 1998-2009