• Born: 990, Brimfield, Gloucestershire, England
• Died: Bef 1085

  Research Notes:

Guillaume de Jumièges records that "Gunnor" had “excepta Sainfria...duas sorores Wewam et Avelinam”, adding that “tertia...sororum Gunnoris comitissæ” [Aveline, from the context] married “Osberno de Bolebec”, by whom she had “Galterium Giffardum primum et Godefridum patrem Willelmi de Archis”. “...Walterius Gyfardus...” subscribed the charter under which Guillaume Duke of Normandy donated the church of Arques to Saint-Wandrille, dated to [1035/55].

Seigneur de Longueville, Normandy. "…Walterius Giffardus…" witnessed the charter dated 29 Aug 1060 under which "milite…Richardo…fratribus Willelmo…atque Balduino" donated "Gausberti Villa" to Chartres Saint-Père. The Brevis Relatio de Origine Willelmi Conquestoris records that "Waltero Giffardo" contributed 60 ships towards the invasion of England in 1066. Orderic Vitalis names “...Galterius Giphardus et Radulphus Toenites...” among those who took part in the battle of Hastings. He received grants of 107 lordships (48 in Buckinghamshire) as his reward. Orderic Vitalis records that King William installed “Guillermum Osberni filium” at his new fortress at Winchester (“intra mœnia Guentæ”) and appointed him “vice sua toti regno versus Aquilonem”, while he granted “Doveram...totamque Cantiam” to “Odoni fratri suo”, and thus he entrusted “his duobus præfecturam Angliæ”, seconded by “Hugonem de Grentemaisnilio et Hugonem de Monteforti, Guillelmumque de Garenna”, dated to 1067. Orderic Vitalis states that the king "gave [Walter Giffard] the county of Buckinghamshire", in the chronicler's description of post-conquest grants made by King William, without specifying that he was created earl. ¹