• Born: Bulmer, North Riding Yorkshire, England
• Died: Abt 1129

  Research Notes:

Documentation is sparse for the immediate post-Conquest period... [In] 1106, [there was] a royal inquest into 'the liberties and customs of the cathedral of York and dependent ministers'. Here 'the wisest Englishmen of that city' were 'to say the truth about those customs.'

One of the witnesses was 'Morcar son of Ligulf' and 'Ansketil de Bulmer, at that time reeve of the North Riding, was interpreter' (Osbert was Sheriff.)

'Doctor Williams comments 'Morcar son of Ligulf' is almost certainly ...a monk of Jarrow (and Uhtred, Ligulf's other recorded son, is probably the king's thegn who held land at Rudstone in the East Riding in 1086). It seems very likely that Ansketil was connected with Ligulf's family. She suggests, though, that because of age Ansketil was more likely to be 'son or son-in-law of Ligulf's son Uhtred'. Ansketil's role as interpreter further suggests his native English origins.

And in his book on Norman Yorkshire, Paul Dalton writes, 'Anschetill of Bulmer was almost certainly a native Anglo-Scandinavian landholder in Yorkshire who probably owed his elevation to his administrative skills and to the patronage of a lord willing to bring him to the attention of the king.'...

The Bulmers seem to have acquired Brancepeth, Durham, through Ansketil's marriage to the Lord of Brancepeth, Peter de Humez' daughter... As there was no Domesday survey for Durham we do not know if Ligulf had held Brancepeth; these marriages did take place to strengthen claims to territory as well as to extend holdings....

Ansketil de Bulmer...appears again in 1111 as 'Aschetil' in a 'Notification by Henry I' regarding forest livestock etc., presented to the King. Osbert, the Sheriff, is also named.

By 1114-1115 Ansketil was himself Sheriff and was required by King Henry 'To go into Northumberland with the men of Ranulf Bp [of Durham] and restore to him all the men who have fled from his land with their cattle...'

As Sheriff, Ansketil is documented on numerous occasions, from weighty affairs of state to more parochial issues...

Further... a 'Precept' from the King in 1122 required 'Anschetil the sheriff and all his reeves' to make sure St. Peter's of York's dean, etc, were given all due tithes, etc.

And what appears to be the last reference is in a 'Notification by Henry I' of about 1126-1129 confirming a gift of Robert Fossard 'in presence of his (Robert's) Dapifer', — high grade steward — 'Anschetill de Bulemer, and his other men'.

Finally, in about 1129, having lived an eventful, influential life through traumatic and revolutionary times, Anskitel died..., succeeded as Sheriff by his eldest son, Bertram... ³