Christopher Harris (died 1625)

Arms of Harris of Radford: Sable, three crescents argent[1]

Sir Christopher Harris (c. 1553 – 1625) of Radford in the parish of Plymstock in Devon, was a Member of Parliament for Plymouth in Devon in 1584.[2] He was knighted in 1607.[3] He should not be confused with his great-nephew and heir apparent Christopher Harris (d.1623) of Lanrest in the parish of Liskeard in Cornwall, a Member of Parliament for West Looe in Cornwall (1621).

He was a close friend of Admiral Sir Frances Drake, who on one occasion lodged part of his captured treasure at Radford. In partnership with John Hele (died 1608) of Wembury in Devon, serjeant-at-law and MP, Harris acquired the estate of Buckland Abbey in Devon as a seat for Drake.[4] He owned The Armada Service, a set of 31 silver dishes now in the British Museum. His contemporary the Cornwall historian Richard Carew (d.1620) wrote that he: "admitteth no partner in the sweetly tempered mixture of bounty and thrift, gravity and pleasantness, kindness and stoutness, which grace all his actions".[5]

  1. ^ Vivian, p. 447
  2. ^ Vivian, Lt.Col. J.L., (Ed.) The Visitations of the County of Devon: Comprising the Heralds' Visitations of 1531, 1564 & 1620, Exeter, 1895, p. 447, pedigree of "Harris of Radford"
  3. ^ Hasler; "7 June 1609" per Vivian, p. 447
  4. ^ Vivian, p. 448, footnote
  5. ^ Carew, Survey of Devon, quoted in Gilbert, Charles Sandoe, An Historical Survey of the County of Cornwall, Volume 2, Part 1, pp. 135–6 [1]