Ralph Creffeild

Sir Ralph Creffeild (often incorrectly Creffield; Colchester, Essex, England, 1653 - Colchester, 22 June 1732) was an alderman and three times Mayor of Colchester. He came from a family of wealthy wool merchants, originally from Flanders, but at Chappel by 1348. His father, also Ralph, was himself mayor on four occasions.

Born in 1653, he ran the family business in the High Street of Colchester, but moved to Ardleigh, where he remained for fifty years. Rachel is now best remembered in Colchester for making a bequest to the poor of Trinity Parish. Though they had five children, his second son, another Ralph Creffeild, born in 1687. In addition to his houses in Colchester and Ardleigh, he held East Mersea Hall, eleven messuages, three gardens, three cottages and over of land, incorporating Ardleigh, East Mersea, Elmstead, Frating, Great and Little Birch, Layer de la Haye, Layer Breton and Feering.