that prevented an English landing at Baltimore
in the American War of 1812. There is a statue of him in Baltimore, and
his victory inspired the writing of "the star-spangled banner". In the
town of Williamsburgh is a house named Armistead which belonged to the
family. The Baltimore Sun has stated "The Armistead family is one of the
oldest, as well as one of the most distinguished, families in Virginia
as also in America".

A book entitled Armitstead Lineage published privately in Canada by
Thomas Armitstead MM deals largely with his own branch of the family which
originated in Newby, Clapham in the 17th century and subsequently emigrated
to Ireland. It does also deal with the Cheshire branch, that of Lord Armitstead
and the American Armisteads, and also gives useful extracts from parish
records and lists of wills, but makesno mention of the branch spelling
the name Armstead. This is the rarest of the three current spellings, Armistead
being the most common. Henry Hugh Armstead was a famous sculptor who exhibited
over 80 busts at the Royal Academy at one time or another and made the
figures on the podium of the Albert memorial and the frieze round the dome
of the Albert Hall.