Like his brother Hamon, Robert, after the battle of Evesham, was rewarded for his loyalty to the King by a grant at the expense of one of the rebellious citizens of London. The Patent Roll of October 19 records a grant to Robert le Estraunge of a capital messuage in the City of London, late of John de Turri, the King's enemy. Another entry in the same Roll, on June 28, 1266, shows that Robert was still in the King's good graces, as a pardon is granted at his request to Hugh Corbet for the death of Adam le Ventrer.
The manor of Sutton, with Rowton and Ellardine, had been sold between 1260 and 1269 by Madog de Sutton to John le Strange (III); he enfeoffed his son and heir, John (IV), therein, and the latter granted these manors to his younger brother Robert. On August 1, 1267, Robert exchanged two of these manors with Giles de Erdington, who granted to him the manor of Marbury, in Cheshire, with the land of Halehurst, Salop, for the yearly rent of a rose at midsummer; in return for which Robert granted to Giles all his land in Rowton and Ellardine for 73s. yearly rent; the deed was witnessed by Robert's brother Hamon.
Another manor given to Robert in reward for his loyalty was that of Wililey or Willey, in Salop; the previous owner, Andrew de Wililey, had fallen at the battle of Evesham, and Robert le Strange acquired the manor on the terms of the Dictum de Kenilworth; he appears to have held it for about ten years before it was redeemed by Burga, daughter and heiress of Andrew, and wife of William de Stapleton, whose claim to it, mentioned in the Coram Rege Rolls for 1275, must have been successful, as, after Robert's death in the following year, the Sheriff ordered to cause an extent to be made of the lands in Wililey, late of Andrew de Wililey, who was slain fighting against Henry III, which lands Robert le Strange held of the gift of that king on the terms of the Dictum de Kenilworth, and which lands were in the King's hands on account of Robert's debts; the Sheriff was directed to deliver to William de Stapleton, whose son had taken to wife the daughter and heir of the said Andrew, the said lands to be tilled and sown during the King's pleasure, the Sheriff answering yearly for the said extent. On January 18, 1278, the Sheriff was ordered to deliver these lands to Philip and Burga.
On his return from the Crusade Robert took measures to obtain seisin of the manors which he had acquired from his brother Hamon. The deed...by which the latter made over to him the Hampshire manor of Chawton is undated, but an entry in the 'Calendarium Genealogicum' shows that Robert was enfeoffed therein in the Holy Land. Wrockwardine had been made over before the brothers started for Palestine; but after Hamon's death in 1274 the Sheriff took possession of it on the ground that it had been alienated without licence; it was held for the King for about two years, but on May 23, 1275, John le Strange (IV) of Knockin quitclaimed any right that he had in the manor to his brother Robert; on June 10 following the Sheriff of Salop was ordered to deliver it to Robert, to be held by him in chief by the service of a twentieth part of a knight's fee, and at the farm due at the Exchequer, he having done homage for it....
Robert le Strange at his death left three sons, John, Fulk, and Robert, all of them under age, in consequence of which the escheator took possession of his lands in the King's name, regardless of the fact that the two younger sons had been enfeoffed during their father's lifetime in certain of his manors. John, the eldest son, inherited Wrockwardine, but the custody of that manor was committed by the King to Anian, Bishop of St. Asaph, at an annual fee-farm rent of £8, until John should be of full age.... 1
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Inquisition Post Mortem
157. Robert le Estraunge alias Extraneus.
Writ of extent, 10 Sept. 4 Edw. I. [1276]
Writ (of certiorari), on the complaint of Fulk son of the said Robert that the escheator had taken the manor of Sutton Madok, whereof the said Robert had enfeoffed him, into the king's hand, 13 Sept. 4 Edw. I.
Salop. Inq. Friday before St. Michael, 4 Edw. I.
Sutton Madok. The said Robert, before he took his journey towards the Holy Land, enfeoffed the said Fulk of the manor, to him and his heirs forever, and he was in seisin thereof until the escheator took the manor into the king's hand after the decease of the said Robert, who had no seisin there after the said demise.
C. Edw. I. File 12. (4.)
Research Notes: