New additions, May 2016
pp.785-789 de Wikes and de Windresor
"Died 1148/49…" There is a slight discrepancy with the following entry for his son Hugh II de Mortemer, which says Hugh I died in 1148/50.
Eldon Olson
"He married Nesta, known as Agnes, daughter of Osbern fitz Richard and Nesta, daughter of Gruffydd ap Llewelyn, prince of North Wales (k.1067)."
Gruffydd ap Llewelyn was killed in 1063 as correctly stated on p. 846.
Bevan Shortridge
p.621 de Oilli, Henricus II
"Twice married, to Sibil and to Matilda Cantilupe, he left issue a son Henry (d.s.p. 1232) and two daughters Margery and Margaret. Margery, wife of Henry de Newburgh, earl of Warwick (d.1229), inherited the whole of the d'Oilly barony of Hook Norton in 1232 (Sanders, 54)."
There are several errors in this entry, possibly brought about by adopting Sanders' rendition of the family.
First there were only two Henry d'Oillys - the second died in 1232. This is proven by a number of contemporary records, but especially a pedigree extracted from a 1225 curia regis roll.
Secondly Henry's second wife was called Matilda and after his death she went on to marry William Cantilupe. She appears to have been a sister or half sister of Maud fitzGeoffrey.
Sibil was the mother of Henry II d’Oyly’s daughter and heir, Matilda, who married Maurice de Gaunt. Matilda died without issue in 1219.
Margery and Margaret (possibly named Joan) were Henry II d'Oilly's sisters, not daughters, (by Henry I d'Oilly and Maud de Bohun) and it is most likely that it was Margery d'Oilly who was married to Waleran de Newburgh, earl of Warwick not Margery Bohun as traditionally ascribed. Henry II d'Oilly's heir in 1232 was Thomas, earl of Warwick, Margery's grandson, not Margery herself. The other sister was wife of Simon fitz Walter of Daventry, the son of Walter fitz Robert who was Maud de Bohun's second husband.
Wrottesley (1834); CRR, 9: 334-335; Clark (editor, 1907), pp.45 & 94; CIPM, 1: no. 558; Illingworth (editor, 1812-18), 1: 102; Bayley (1845), p.11
Rosie Bevan
"He married Emma, daughter of Gilbert I de Gand (d.c.1095), by whom he left issue his son William II (d.1175/75 (sic)) and Walter."
This entry does not include his other son, Henry de Percy, identified on p.630. Alan also left illegitimate sons – Alan and Geoffrey who witnessed their brothers’ charters.
EYC, 11: 3
Gordon Kirkemo
For “EYC xi 107-12” read EYC xi 9
T. Powys-Lybbe
"Wife of Guy de Ridale and then of Simon de Gerardmoulin"
Joan is identified as sister of Thomas Basset, presumably the same as the sheriff of Oxfordshire, in a charter by Malcolm IV, king of Scotland in which he gave the vill of Piddington, Oxfordshire, to St Frideswide, Oxford. Joan was married first to Guy de Ryhale (also known as Guy fitz Payn and Guy de Cahaines) who gave permission to Ralph the hermit to found a chapel and build a hermitage in Muswell (part of the fee of Piddington), which was later granted to the abbey of Missenden, Bucks. By Guy she had a son and heir, Thomas (DD 661, 662). She married secondly Simon de Gerardmoulin who confirmed the grant around 1152/3. There is some suggestion that she married thirdly Alberic de Dammartin, from the 15th-century MS copy of a surrender made ca. 1160 of all rights claimed at Piddington by Missenden abbey to St Frideswide's under the gift of Alberic, count of Dammartin & his wife Joan. However the documents of the earlier gift refer to 'Albrici Comitis de Damartyn & Iohane de Pidingtona, que fuit sponsa Guidonis de Riala', which may not necessarily mean the two individuals were married, but gave their interests separately.
Barrow (1960), p.250; Wigram (1895), p.96; Jenkins (1962), p.67
Peter Stewart, Rosie Bevan
"Son of Saher I de Quency and Matilda de Senlis. Married first Orabilis, daughter of Ness of Mar and secondly Hawise, countess of Lincoln, daughter of Hugh II, earl of Chester, by whom he had issue Saher III de Quincy, earl of Winchester (d.1219), Joan, wife of Humphrey de Bohun and Margaret, countess of Lincoln, wife first of John de Lacy, secondly of Walter Marshal and thirdly of Richard of Wiltshire. ... He died in 1217."
This appears to amalgamate details relating to three separate Robert de Quencys.
(1) Robert de Quency*, the younger son of Saher de Quency and Matilda, married (i) Orable daughter of Nes and (ii) Eve. By Orable he had issue Saher de Quency, 1st earl of Winchester (d.1219), and died before Michaelmas 1197. [CP, 12-2: 747, 748]
(2) Earl Saher's eldest son Robert married Hawise, countess of Lincoln, by whom he had issue Margaret, countess of Lincoln. He died 1217 [CP, 7: 676; in the CP account of Winchester this is erroneously "corrected" to make Hawise's husband a younger brother, not a son, of Earl Saher. For most recent corrections on this family see http://www.medievalgenealogy.org.uk/cp/vol12pt2.shtml#winchester]
(3) A younger son of Earl Saher, also named Robert, married Helen, daughter of Llywelyn ap Iorwerth, was the father by her of Joan, wife of Humphrey de Bohun, and died 1257. [CP, 12-2: 751, note e; CP, 6: 463]
A useful account of the Quency family is given in Roth (1984).
Chris Phillips; Peter Stewart
p.658 de Redvers comes, Baldwin
"He left a widow Lucy, daughter of Richard fitz Gilbert de Clare (k.1138)…".
Richard de Clare was killed in 1136 as correctly entered on p.399 under de Clare, Ricardus II.
Cristopher Nash
p.659 de Redvers Comes, Ricardus II
"He died without issue in 1193, when his heir was his cousin William de Vernon."
William de Vernon was Richard's uncle, not his cousin, as correctly shown on p.768.
Bearman (1994), p.110
Chris Phillips
"Son of Henry de Ria, whom he had succeeded by the end of 1162. He died c.1170, leaving a son Hubert III, who came of age c.1174, and died in 1188, leaving two minor daughters, Isabel, who married respectively c.1199, Geoffrey Chester (d.1206) and Roger de Cressy (d.1246)."
The other daughter and coheir to the barony of Hockering has inadvertently been missed out. Isabel died without issue in 1263 when her heir was her sister Aline, wife of John Marshal (d.1235). Aline died in 1257 and her heir was her grandson John Marshall II.
Sanders (1960), p. 53
Rosie Bevan
p.671 de Ros, Peter and de Ros, Robert
The first entry says that Peter's wife was Adeline, youngest sister and coheir of Walter Espec, and the next entry says that she was daughter of Walter Espec. She was actually the sister of Walter Espec as correctly stated on p.840 under Espec, Adelina.
Henry Sutliff III
p.674 de Rumelio, Cecilia; p.1039 Meschin, William
Both entries record that their daughters Alice and Avice were their eventual heirs. It has been established that there was a third daughter called Maud, wife first of Philip de Belmeis, of Tong, Salop, and secondly of Hugh de Mortimer, of Wigmore, co. Hereford.
In Domesday Descendants, Maud is stated to be wife of Hugh de Mortimer as "Matilda, daughter and coheiress of William le Meschin of Skipton" (p. 601) and Philip de Belmeis as "Matilda, daughter of William le Meschin of Bayeux" (p. 317).
CP, 9: 271; EYC, 7: 7-9
Chris Phillips, Henry Sutliff III, Rosie Bevan
Dugdale's Monasticon "IV, p.76, no IV", is cited which should be "V, p.76, no IV".
Chris Phillips
Dugdale, Monasticon IV, p.76, no IV, should read vol V
Chris Phillips
Discrepancy in the date of death of William I de Say, between his entry and the entry of his son below. i.e. c.1155 and c1144.
Chris Phillips
p.691 de Sancto Johanne, Willelm
"He was first married to Olive, daughter of Stephen of Richmond and widow of Henry de Fougeres, and secondly to Godehild Paynel, mother of his heir Robert."
Here two, separate William St Johns, great uncle and great nephew, have been conflated into one individual. William de St John the elder is covered in CP XI p.344. He was married first to Olive, daughter of Count Stephen of Brittany and died around 1189 without issue, leaving a widow, Godeheut, who appears to have married afterwards Geoffrey Peverel. William de St John the younger is covered in CP XI p.321/322. He died in 1239 leaving a son and heir, Robert, and a widow Godeheut, who married Richard de Lucy. It is very likely that the two Godeheuts were closely related.
Gordon Kirkemo, Paul Reed, Linda Jack, et al
"He married Isabel of Gressenhall, Norfolk daughter of Roger dapifer of the earls Warenne, by whom he had issue William".
Isabel's father was named William fitz Roger or William de Gressenhall. This is stated in DD, p.488 under de Gressinghale, Willelm.
Blomefield (1805-10), 9: 511; HKF, 3: 396, also discusses the family
John Ravilious, Chris Phillips
p.725 de Sudeley, Radulf; p.315 de Bellocampo Vicecomes, Willelm
On the information given by Emma Mason and elsewhere, it looked as though William de Beauchamp's son William might not have been married until as late as the 1190s. The identification of the elder William's wife as Bertha, daughter of William de Braose, certainly seems to be incorrect - she should be the wife of the younger William. On that mistaken basis, Emma Mason dated the elder William's marriage to about 1140. But this was apparently dated on a date of "160 years earlier" in an inquisition of 1305, which is clearly wrong and refers to a different William.
CIM, 1: 534
Chris Philips
There is a typographical error in the reference given at the end of the biography, "(Seayes, Derbyshire, ch. N.17 and 3)". For Seayes read Jeayes.
Rosie Bevan
Had issue including "…Lucy, wife of Richard de Vernon". The husband of Lucy was William de Vernon as correctly reported on p.768. Richard de Vernon was their son.
Round (1913), p.12
Eldon Olson
"He married Constance, daughter of Roscelin de Beaumont of Le Mans, a grand-daughter of Henry I."
Constance was the daughter of Richard I de Beaumont, vicomte of Maine, and the grand-daughter of Roscelin. She was the great grand-daughter of Henry I.
CP, 12-1: 768, notes g & h; CP, 11, appendix D, p. 116 notes b, c, & e.
Kevin Bradford
“Founder of a nunnery at Flamstead, Hertfordshire, c.1150”. As Roger was a small boy when his father died in 1162 (“Radulfus de Toene moritur, relicto parvulo filio ex filia Roberti comitis Leecestriae”), it is more likely that Flamstead was founded after the accession of Richard I (1189) during whose reign Roger earned favour owing to his military success.
CP 12/I:765, note (f) citing Robert de Torigny.
Chris Phillips
p.743 de Traci, Gracia; de Traci, Willelm
There is a small discrepancy between entries on p.725 where John and Gracia's marriage is dated c.1130/35, whereas on p.743 under de Tracia, Gracia, it is said that in 1129 John accounted for a plea of his wife.
Chris Phillips
"Married Rose Blund"
This is chronologically impossible. This Robert who died in 1178 has been confused with his great-grandson Robert de Valeines who was married to Roese Blund. Her brother, William, died in 1264 and at his inquisition taken the same year Robert de Valoines, son of Roese, was stated to be 17 years of age.
CIPM, 1: no. 585
Rosie Bevan
"At his death in 1184 his heir, by his wife Havise, was his daughter Gunnor, wife first (before 1185) of Durand de Ostilli (d.1194) and secondly (by 1199) of Robert fitz Walter of Little Dunmow (d.1235). Gunnor’s daughters by her first husband both died without issue.".
Gunnor’s daughters were by her second husband Robert fitz Walter.
CP, 5: 127 note (a), 132 note (c); CRR, 1233-1237, no.1432
Rosie Bevan
p.762 de Ver, Alberic II; p.1027 Maminot, Walchelin
CP, 9: 585 (Norfolk) and DD, pp. 175, 176 (Bigod Comes, Hugo) agree that Hugh Bigod, Earl of Norfolk (d. 1176/7) married firstly Juliana, daughter of Aubrey II de Vere [d. 1141], and following the annulment of this marriage (or their divorce), Gundred, daughter of Roger, Earl of Warwick. Both Juliana and Gundred survived him.
In addition, the two sources agree that Juliana also married Walchelin Maminot. Where they disagree is as to the order of her marriages. DD, pp. 762, 1027 says that Juliana married firstly Walchelin and secondly Hugh, and dates Walchelin's death to c. 1145/57. That would imply that she married Hugh Bigod in about 1145 at the earliest.
CP, 9: 585 says that she married Walchelin secondly, and that he was dead by 1182, citing a gift by her for the souls of her father and mother and of her husbands Hugh Bigoth and Walkelin Maminot (in that order), dated between 1147 and 1182.
One detail in the CP account suggests it is right in marrying her first to Hugh, then to Walchelin. Part of the evidence for the identity of Gundred, Hugh's second wife, is that five churches, including that of Holy Cross, Bungay, were part of her maritagium, that Bungay was later held by the Earls of Norfolk of the Earls of Warwick, and that it had earlier been received by the Earl of Warwick in exchange from the Earl of Leicester [CP, 9: 585, note e (continuation on p.586)].
Earlier, CP says [9: 581] that after Hugh's rebellion in 1140, the king marched against him and took Bungay Castle. If Bungay Castle was also part of Gundred's maritagium, that would place Hugh's marriage to her in or before 1140. Clearly, his marriage to Juliana must have been even earlier, and before the date given by Keats-Rohan for Walchelin's death. So she could not have married Hugh as Walchelin's widow.
This chronology seems reasonable, as Juliana's son Roger Bigod was active by 1163/4, when he attended the Council of Clarendon [CP, 9: 586, 587]. On the other hand, CP [9: 579] places Hugh Bigod's birth at perhaps c.1095 (and in any case he must have been born by 1107 when his father died). That would make a first marriage after about 1145 extremely late.
Chris Phillips
“He married Ascelina, youngest sister and coheiress of Payn Peverel of Bourn…”
Ascelina was the youngest daughter of Payn Peverel, and youngest sister of William Peverel – see p.1065
Gordon Kirkemo
"Daughter of William II de Warenne. She married first Roger earl of Warwick (1119-53), by whom she had issue two sons and two daughters".
It appears that she had a third son Henry who is mentioned in a charter with his brother William.
CP, 12-2: 362, note (d)
Henry Sutliff III
p.777 de Warenne, Gundreda
The heirs of Gundreda de Warenne d.1224 are stated to be her daughters Joan de Neville and Margery de Breaute. These were in fact her granddaughters being the daughters of Gundreda's daughter, Alice de Curcy, by William III de Curcy of Stogursey. Alice was married first to Henry de Cornhill, d.1193, by whom she had Joan, married to Hugh de Nevill, the Forester d.1234. Alice was married secondly to Warin fitz Gerold d.1216, by whom she had Margaret, married first to Baldwin de Redvers d.v.p.1216, and secondly to Faukes de Breate.
CRR, 9: 347; EYC, 3: 471
Rosie Bevan
"Son of Robert of Wells...His successor by 1211 was Gervaise de Welles."
The Honor of Haganet, situated at Haughley in Suffolk, was created by William I and given to Hugh II de Montfort for services during the Conquest, in particular for the capture of Dover Castle. Before Henry of Essex, who held the Constableship for a time until 1163, it was in the hands of Robertus fitz Bernard de Vere who had married Adeliza de Montfort. She was the sister of Robert II de Montfort who held the English de Montfort lands. Some of these lands were granted to the Monks of Horton Priory, near Ashford Kent. A charter, issued by Robertus de Vere, dated circa AD 1140-44, was witnessed by Roberto de Well and Willelmo filio Normanni, Ricardo de Well filio Roberti et Willelmo fratre. At some time after the death of Adeliza 1142 - 52 Henry of Essex assumed the Constableship. Ricardo de Welle attested one of his charters.
We know that by 1195 a Robert de Welles was appearing before the Curia Regis in connection with a claim for land he had inherited and that his father was Gervaise de Welles. The complainants in the suit alleged that the land, which their family had owned since the Conquest was taken by Henry of Essex and given to Gervaise de Welles. At the same time (1194) the pipe roll for that year contained an entry for the tallagium de Honoris de Haganet in which Robertus de Welles et Willelmus de Essetford debent scutagio militem eius dem honoris. Set requirendi sunt in Kent. The Red Book of the Exchequer (p.613) contained a list of the wardens of Dover Castle for 1211-12, including Essetford, Welles and Gervaise de Welles. One other, Hudo de Chandos, had been alive in 1140, which demonstrated that not all those listed were contemporaries. There is every reason, therefore, to conclude that Gervaise de Welles likewise was alive earlier, between 1152 and 1163, though which Robert he preceded (if they were not the same person, as between the one who witnessed the de Ver charter, and the one who appeared before the King`s court), is uncertain.
The Dictionnaire Topographique du Departement de Seine-Maritime (1982), p.1057 contains an entry for Veules-les-Roses (com.can. Saint-Valery-en-Caux) making reference to 'Gerv. de Welles 1166-1172/73', giving the earlier period during which Gervaise was alive, and providing the Norman origin of his name.
Scott (1876); Douglas (1944); Palgrave (1928), 5: 102; Hall (1896), pp.613-614
Peter Wells
Son of Walter the Deacon (q.v.), according to Cartae Antiquae (PR Soc. n.s. 37) no. 92. Co-founder of Wix, or Sopwick, priory (Benedictine nuns), c. 1123-33, with Walter Mascerel and Edith their sister. Apparently died shortly after 1163. He left a son William who was dead without issue by 1199 when he was named in a plea by Saswal de Oseville who claimed to be the heir of Alexander by descent from Alexander's elder brother. Discussed by C. N. L. Brooke and B. Dodwell in Medieval Miscellany for Doris Stenton, PRS n.s. 36 (1960).
Sawal claimed to be heir of Alexander by descent from a sister of Alexander, as discussed by Brooke and Dodwell and as given under next entry.
p.786 de Wikes, Edith Soror Alexandri
Daughter, according to Cartae Antiquae (PR Soc. n.s. 37) no. 92, of Walter the Deacon (q.v.). Wife of two successive stewards of Bury St Edmunds, first Ralph and then Maurice of Windsor, son of Walter fitz Other (q.v.), she appears to have no male issue by either marriage. The stewardship of Bury passed to her brother's son. Sister of Walter and Alexander de Wikes and with them co-founder of Wix priory. In 1199 Saswalo de Oseville impleaded Ralph de Hastings for half a fee in Wix that should have descended to him through his grandmother, sister of Alexander of Wix. Edith is Alexander's only known sister.
The dapifership passed to Maurice’s sister’s son, Ralph de Hastings.
Son of Walter fitz Other, castellan of Windsor (q.v.). Dapifer of Abbot Albold of Bury St Edmunds by marriage with Edith, daughter of Walter the Deacon and relict of Ralph dapifer. The marriage was childless and the stewardship passed to a younger son of Edith's brother Robert. He died soon after 1139.
The dapifership passed to Maurice’s sister’s son, Ralph de Hastings.
Son and successor of Walter the Deacon of the barony of Little Easton. Family charters relating to his succession refer to him as Robert fitz Walter, but he appears to have attested charters in his lifetime as Robert of Windsor, probably taking his byname from his connexion to the family of Walter fitz Other of Windsor whose daughter he had married and whose son Maurice had married his sister Edith. The relationship is established by the fact that Henry II's charter giving the stewardship of Bury to William his dispencer is very specific in its description of the relationships between William and his predecessors in the office. William's immediate predecessor was his paternal uncle ('patruus') Ralph I of Hastings, a son of Robert fitz Walter; Ralph of Hastings had inherited the office from his maternal uncle ('avunculus') Maurice of Windsor (his mother's brother who had probably derived his right through his wife Edith). Robert was dead by 1128, when Henry I notified his men that he had rendered the lands of Robert fitz Walter de Windsor to his son William (Cal. Charter Rolls ii, p. 137). It was perhaps his wife who brought the name of Hastings to their descendants. She may soon have remarried to Hugh de Waterville, who accounted for his wife's dower in Bilstone, in the fief of Walter the Deacon, in 1129/30. Father of William fitz Robert, alias de Hastings, Ralph I and Richard de Hastings, Alice de Hastings, Emma de Hastings, wife of Walter de Excestre; probably also father of Robert de Windresor who atttested several Wix and Bacton charters c. 1130-55.
This entry assumes Robert married a daughter of Walter fitz Other to explain the surname de Windsor. This results in false conclusions over the identity of Ralph the dapifer, whom Keats Rohan assumes to be of the family of Little Easton. In fact the charter of Henry II relates to the other Hastings family, dapifer of St Edmunds.
Hastings of Little Easton
by Andrew Lancaster and Rosie Bevan, 2016.
With thanks to Chris Phillips for providing unpublished copies of Wix charters.
The Hastings pedigree given on p. 47 of Domesday Descendants has unfortunately been created by grafting the line of the dapifer Hastings onto that of Little Easton based on the assumption that William fitz Robert was the same individual as William de Hastings, king’s dispenser. That they weren’t the one and same can be shown by the fact that William fitz Robert was dead in 1162, when his son, Robert, succeeded to the family estates, whereas in 1166 William de Hastings, king’s dispenser was alive holding his family estates and died around 1182. Most of the extended pedigree of Hastings of Little Eaton is derived from charters of Wix nunnery. However, to complicate matters Brooke identified 24 of these charters as the work by two forgers in the late 12th century [C N L Brooke, "Episcopal Charters for Wix Priory", 45-64]. Whether the forgeries were made to fill in undocumented gaps, replace destroyed documents, or if they were part of an elaborate scheme to fraudulently claim rights over tenements, is not clear. What does seem genuine, and can be mostly proven from alternative sources, is the genealogy they reveal.
It is because both Hastings families held land in Purleigh that much of the confusion comes about. Barbara Dodwell unravelled this conundrum, showing how the Isle of ‘Siricheseie’ and tithes of Purleigh held by Edith, presumed daughter of Walter the Deacon, and her husband Maurice de Windsor at the time of their gift to Wix priory were then held of the Bishop of Norwich [B. Dodwell, "Some Charters Relating to the Honour of Bacton", 147-157]. The gift pertained to one of the estates in Purleigh which was originally held by Theodoric as part of his honour of Bacton of 13 knights’ fees, and inherited by his descendant William of Bacton, who because of his indebtedness, arranged that the bishop of Norwich should hold eight knights’ fees until his debt to him was paid. Ultimately William’s uncle, Roger de Valoines, purchased the eight fees by paying off the debt to the bishop, and arranging for the upkeep of William in his own household. The Purleigh holding of Edith and Maurice, which passed to Ralph de Hastings by hereditary right along with the stewardship of St Edmund’s, was evidently regarded as pertinent to the stewardship. At any rate its ‘inheritance’ by Ralph de Hastings was not completely regular, as sometimes occurred in this period.
The most thorough study of this family was published by Clarence Smith in 1966-1968, and while some of it was speculative, the following outline follows his conclusions [J. A. Clarence Smith, "Hastings of Little Easton (part 1)", Transactions of the Essex Archaeological Society. Vol. 2:1, (1966), 1-13; J. A. Clarence Smith, “Hastings of Little Easton (concluded)", Transactions of the Essex Archaeological Society. Vol. 2:2, (1968), 101-122]
Walter the Deacon
The documented descent of the barony of Little Easton is largely reliant on forged Wix charters, but undoubtedly begins with Walter Diaconus or Walter the Deacon, brother of Theodoric, both of whom are recorded in the Domesday Book several times. Walter’s holdings were found to be in Little Easton, Purleigh, Wix, Bromley, Colne, Chesterford, in Essex; Sezincote in Warwickshire; Stretton and Depwade in Norfolk, and Bildeston and Swilland in Suffolk, representing a small barony of 10 knights’ fees. These fees were attached to the castle guard of Windsor, which appears initially to have been a toponym for the family, (and not because the family were descended from Walter fitz Other of Windsor as is sometimes claimed). The name of Walter’s wife is unknown, though Clarence Smith speculates with plausibility that she was a near relation of Queen Edith. Walter had younger sons, who were settled in Wix by his heir, Robert [Francis Palgrave ed. Rotuli Curiae Regis I, 319.]. They were Alexander de Waham (also known as de Wix) and Walter Maskerel with an estate in Wix, of which they gave to Wix nunnery in the time of King Henry I two carucates of land, seven villeins in the village of Wix and the garden and dwelling owned by their father next to the church, as well as 10 shillings worth of land in the vill of Frating. These details appear in a forged confirmation charter of King Stephen stating the gift was made by, “…Walterus Mascherellus et Alexander ejus, petitione Edithe sororis sue…” [RRAN III, 355]. In another forged charter attributed to King Henry II, it is added that their father was Walter decanus, (i.e. the dean, not the deacon), “… Walteri Mascherelli et Alexandri fratri ejus, et Edithae sororis suae, et Walter decani patris eorum…“. [Ancient Deeds A5276; Monasticon Anglicanum, 4:515].
Confirmation of their paternity cannot be corroborated elsewhere, although the siblings’ relationship to the successive heads of the barony of Little Easton is established from other sources such as the curia regis rolls [C N L Brooke, ‘Episcopal Charters for Wix Priory’, 45-63]. Edith was evidently wife of Maurice de Windsor, as she and her husband gave to the nunnery of Wix as of their inheritance, the isle of Siricheseie and the tithes of their demesne of Purleigh [Ancient Deeds A8923]. Later cases before the curia regis repeat that Alexander de Waham, Walter Maskerel and Edith were siblings. Around 1162 Alexander de Waham granted land he had purchased in Wix called “Horiselle” and “Cokeseie” to Ralph fitz William, who rather confusingly was probably Ralph de Hastings, dapifer of St Edmunds, as ‘Horitel’ (perhaps a mistranscription of Horiselle) was evidently later held by William III de Hastings as above. This notion is supported by the fact the witnesses of the grant were William de Hastings (presumably Ralph the dapifer’s nephew and heir) and Robert de Windsor, undoubtedly Ralph’s kinsman through his mother’s marriage [TNA E40/5266].
Robert fitz Walter
Walter’s barony passed to his eldest son Robert fitz Walter, who was dead by late 1129 according to an inspection of a series of royal charters from the reigns of Henry I, Henry II and Richard I. These were reproduced in full in the Calendar of Charter Rolls, for an inquiry into the inheritance of barony of Little Easton. The charter of Henry I, dated Christmas 1129, confirmed the lands of Robert fitz Walter de Windsor to William fitz Robert, his heir [CChR, 1257-1300, 137]. Robert’s wife is unknown but by 1129 his widow had probably become wife of Hugh de Walterville who rendered account for her dower in Bildeston [Pipe Roll, 31 Henry I, 96].
William fitz Robert
As William fitz Robert, Robert’s heir confirmed all the grants made by his uncles Walter Mackerel [sic] and Alexander his brother to Wix nunnery [Ancient Deeds, A5275]. Later he also granted to Walter son of Walter Maskerel the land in Wix, which the elder Walter had held of him. This he did at the request of Richard his brother and Alexander his uncle [L. Landon, “The Barony of Little Easton and the Family of Hastings”, 177 citing TNA E/40/13881]. Keats-Rohan records that William fitz Robert’s wife was Hawise de Guerres. After William’s death around 1161 Hawise married secondly Gilbert de Pinkeny, and thirdly in 1181 another William fitz Robert and was still living in 1219 some 53 years after her first husband’s death, suggesting a later marriage [Book of Fees, 282].
According to Landon’s study of the Wix charters, William fitz Robert fathered Robert de Hastings his heir, Ralph, Alexander, John, and Beatrice [Landon, op. cit. 174-179]. Keats Rohan claims there was also a son, William, but none of the references provided, or indeed elsewhere, corroborate this [Domesday Descendants, 506].
Clarence Smith suggests that William also had three aunts, or daughters by a previous marriage - Alice (wife of George), Agnes, wife of Silvester) and Emma (wife of Walter de Excestre), who witnessed his charter confirming the grants of Alexander de Waham to Wix priory [J. A Clarence Smith, "Hastings of Little Easton (part 1)", Transactions of the Essex Archaeological Society. Vol. 2:1, (1966), 8 citing TNA E40/13780, TNA E40/13883]. An important point to be made here is that as Emma was mother of Ralph de Excestre who married Amabel de Hastings, sister of William II de Hastings, dapifer of St Edmund’s, there could not have been consanguinity between the two families within several generations, owing to canon law of marriage at that time. In 1189 this same Ralph de Excestre appears in a final concord with his kinsman Ralph de Hastings of Wix, quitclaiming a hide in Wix with its appurtenances which probably represented his mother’s marriage portion [Feet of Fines of the Reign of Henry II, 3].
Ralph de Hastings is evidently the one and same as holding a knight’s fee in Wix of his brother in 1166 as returned in Robert’s Carta, which he’d evidently inherited by 1162 [RBE, 358]. He is solidly placed in the family by his charter to Wix nunnery confirming the gift of Alexander de Waham, uncle of his father, and the gifts of his father William, and grandfather Robert. His charter was witnessed by John his brother, Rector of Bildeston [TNA E/40/13894]. He is also involved in cases before the curia regis. In one, Ralph de Hastings had a writ to summon 12 men to give evidence before the justices to determine if Robert de Hastings his brother had held the custody of half a knight’s fee in Wix, which belonged to Walter Maskerel, with Ralph when he was underage, which land Ralph was claiming against Ralph de Cornhill and Alice his wife who was daughter and heir of Robert de Hastings [CRR, 1196-1201, 61]. In another case Sewal de Oseville, grandson of a sister of Alexander de Waham, sued Ralph de Hastings for half a fee in Wix, which William son of Alexander had once held. Ralph made his brother John his attorney [Francis Palgrave, ed. Rotuli Curia Regis, 318]. Ralph’s heir was his daughter Hawise who was the first wife of the Justiciar, Philip Basset [CIPM I, no.807].
Alexander’s placement is confirmed by his charter in favour of Wix priory witnessed by Richard de Hastings his uncle and Ralph his brother [TNA E/40/13694].
Robert de Hastings refers to ‘Lady Beatrice, my sister’ in his charter of gift of land in Westfirth to Wix priory [TNA E/40/13370]. She was married twice - to Gilbert Carbonel, by whom she had an heir William, and secondly to William de Goldingham [TNA E/40/13370; R E G Kirk, Feet of Fines for Essex, 14, 23]. Part of her maritagium had evidently been an eighth part of a knight’s fee in Wix and a manor known as Carbonels was occupied by her descendants for centuries afterwards.
Robert de Hastings
As ‘Robert de Hastings de Estanes,’ he made a charter confirming to Wix nunnery the gift of Alexander de Waham, uncle (‘avunculus’) of William his father, and Alicia his wife of her dower of a third part of Alexander’s land in Wix – again affirming the family relationships [British Library. Lansdowne 503 no.26]. The total gift represented the service of 1/6 part of one knight’s fee that the nunnery held of the lord of the fief. Of note Hugh de Flamville (d.1212), Robert’s brother-in-law was the first witness of his charter. Robert’s wife was Maud de Flamville, not Alice as given in the pedigree on DD 47, but as given correctly on DD 506. Maud’s name is known from a charter of Hugh’s to Malton priory, Yorkshire, “…et quam etiam ecclesiam ego ipse concessi et confirmavi praedictae elemosinariae antequam sororem meam Matildem Flamvill Roberto de Hastinges in matrimonium dederam…” [W. Dugdale, Monasticon Anglicanum VI: 972]. Robert died in 1189 leaving his daughter Alice, as heir to the barony of Little Easton as given correctly under DD 506 sub Robert de Hastings. Her first marriage to Ralph de Cornhill was without issue, but by her second marriage to Godfrey de Louvain, brother of the duke of Louvain, she left a son and heir named Matthew.
See also the article on The family of Hastings, the King’s Dispenser and dapifer of St Edmund’s
Bibliography
Brooke, C. N. L. (1960) "Episcopal Charters for Wix Priory" in P. M Barnes and C F Slade eds. A Medieval Miscellany for Doris Mary Stenton. London: Pipe Roll Society, 1962.
Calendar of Charter Rolls. 6 vols. London: HMSO, 1903-1927. [CChR]
Clarence Smith, J A. "Hastings of Little Easton (part 1)", Transactions of the Essex Archaeological Society. Vol. 2:1, (1966), 1-13.
Clarence Smith, J A. "Hastings of Little Easton (concluded)", Transactions of the Essex Archaeological Society. Vol. 2:2, (1968), 101-122.
Cronne, H A and R H C Davis eds. Regesta Regum Anglo-Normannorum 1066-1154; Vol. III. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1968. [RRAN III]
Curia Regis Rolls [CRR]. London: HMSO, 1923-present.
Descriptive Catalogue of Ancient Deeds. [Ancient Deeds]. 6 vols. London: HMSO, 1890-1915.
Dodwell, B. "Some Charters Relating to the Honour of Bacton", in P. M Barnes and C F Slade eds. A Medieval Miscellany for Doris Mary Stenton. London: Pipe Roll Society, 1962.
Dugdale, William ed. Monasticon Anglicanum. 6 vols. London: Longman, 1817-1830.
Kirk, R E G, ed. Feet of Fines for Essex (A.D.1182-A.D. 1272). 3 vols. Colchester: Essex Archaeological Society, 1899-1949.
Landon, L, "The Barony of Little Easton and the Family of Hastings", Transactions of the Essex Archaeological Society. New Series, 19 (1926), 174-179.
Palgrave, Francis, ed. Rotuli Curiae Regis: Rolls and Records of the Court held before the King’s Justiciars or Justices. I London: The Record Commission, 1835.
Saltman, Avrom ed, Theobald Archbishop of Canterbury. New York: Greenwood Press, 1969.
The Book of Fees commonly called Testa de Nevill. London: HMSO, 1921-1931.
The Pipe Roll of 31 Henry I: Michaelmas 1130: Reproduced in Facsimile from the edition of 1833. London: HMSO, 1929.
p.837 Episcopus Saresberiensis, Roger
“Uncle of Alexander, bishop of London, Nigel, bishop of Ely, and Adelelm archdeacon of Dorset”.
Roger le Poer also had a brother, Humphrey named in a charter of gift of a carucate of land in Kidwelly to Sherbourne priory.
Dugdale, Monasticon Anglicanum IV,pp. 64-65
Byron Huws
"Daughter of Gruffudd ap Llywelyn...and Angharad"
References usually give Angharad as Gruffudd's mother, and his wife as Ealdgyth, daughter of Aelfgar of Mercia.
Lloyd (1911), 2: p.367 n.31, chart p.767; Davies (1993), p.83, chart 101; Williams (1995), p.52 chart, p.53 n.33
Bevan Shortridge
http://users.ox.ac.uk/~prosop/domesday-descendants-corrigenda.pdf
Katharine Keats-Rohan
p.861 Filius Alani, Willelm II
Dugdale's Monasticon "IV, p.76, no IV", is cited which should be "V, p.76, no IV".
Chris Phillips
"Steward of Henry II. He and his wife Juliana gave the church of Denton to Merton priory. Juliana was daughter and heiress of Robert Doisnel. They had no issue".
William married secondly Eustacia de Courteney, and died around 1199. Eustacia’s second husband was Luke fitz John, and after her death around 1230 her heir was John de Courtenay.
EYC, 3: 300
Rosie Bevan
http://users.ox.ac.uk/~prosop/domesday-descendants-corrigenda.pdf
Katharine Keats-Rohan
p.885 Filius Eustachii, Ricardus
"He died in 1157".
CP, 12-2: 274 and notes say that it was Eustace who died in 1157, and his son Richard FitzEustace had already died during his father’s lifetime.
Chris Phillips
