Walter DE SOMERVILL
(-Aft 1166)

 

Family Links

Spouses/Children:
Cecily DE LIMESI

Walter DE SOMERVILL

  • Born: Somerville, near Evreux, Normandy, France
  • Married:
  • Died: After 1166

  Also called Walter DE SUMERVILL and Walter DE SOMERVILLE

  Research Notes:

Sir Walter, the first of the English family, left his native Somerville, near Evreux in Normandy, it is said, to follow the Conqueror to England, who for prowess on the battlefield gave him Wichnor, in Staffordshire, long to remain the principal seat of his descendants. On Sir Walter's foundation arose a house which by successive alliances with heiresses brought to it Stockton in Warwickshire, Ingleby in Derbyshire, and in this county Cossington, and subsequently Hamilton, which, before it gradually decayed away, was a hamlet of Barkby. Barkby is a village about four miles south-east of Cossington, and the site of Hamilton is about a mile and a half further south, in the direction of Scraptoft... 1

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In 1166 Walter de Somervill was amerced for the concealment of a double duel by the wapentake court of Skyrack. At that time he held 2 fees in Wichnor of Robert de Stafford, and 1/4 fee in Willesley and Packington, co. Leic., of William, earl of Ferrers, besides the fee which he held of Henry de Lascy. He married Cecily de Limesi of Stokton, probably daughter of Ralph de Limesi, the founder of the priory of Hertford, and by her had Roger his son and heir, who succeeded his father before 1176. At this time part of the Yorkshire estate was held by William de Somervill, nephew of Walter. 2

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STOCKTON does not figure in Domesday Book, but Dugdale is no doubt right in considering it to have formed part of the large and valuable manor of Long Itchington, of which it was afterwards held. Walter de Somerville held a virgate of land here in the reign of Henry II, which he may have obtained through his wife Cecily de Limesi, whose family were overlords of Long Itchington and Stockton. Robert de Somerville, of the fifth generation from Walter, obtained the right of free warren in his demesne lands here in 1290. His son Roger died seised of the manor in 1338, when it was held of William Corbet.... 3

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Warwick Assize Roll, 46 Hen. 3. m. 2. 4

  Marriage Information:

Walter married Cecily DE LIMESI, probably daughter of Ralph DE LIMESI and Hadewise.

Sources

1 Medieval Cossington, A Narrative based upon the Researches of the late George Francis Farnham, M.A., F.S.A., by S. H. Skillington (PDF), p. 217.

2 Early Yorkshire charters; being a collection of documents anterior to the thirteenth century made from the public records, monastic chartularies, Roger Dodsworth's manuscripts and other available sources, William Farrer, 1914, p. 307.

3 British History Online: Parishes: Stokton, citing A History of the County of Warwick: Volume 6, Knightlow Hundred.

4 Showing the line of descent from Walter de Somerville, in Pedigrees from the Plea Rolls, collected from the Pleadings in the various Courts of Law, A.D. 1200 to 1500, from the Original Rolls in the Public Record Office, p. 499.

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