• Born: Abt 1047, Avranches, Manche, Normandy, France
• Married: Before 1093
• Died: 27 Jul 1101, Chester, Cheshire, England

  Research Notes:

A manuscript relating to St Werburgh’s Chester records that “Hugo Lupus filius ducis Britannić et nepos Gulielmi magni ex sorore” transformed the foundation into a monastery. This suggests that the mother of Hugues may have been a uterine sister of King William, and therefore daughter of Herluin de Conteville..... Robert of Torigny's De Immutatione Ordinis Monachorum records that "Hugo vicecomitis Abrincatensis postea…comes Cestrensis" founded "abbatiam Sancti Severi in Constantinensi episcopatu".

The Brevis Relatio de Origine Willelmi Conquestoris records that "Hugone postea comite de Cestria" contributed 60 ships towards the invasion of England in 1066. Orderic Vitalis records that King William granted “Cestrensem consulatum” to “Hugonis de Abrincis filio Ricardi cognomento Goz” after Gerbod returned to Flanders, dated to 1071, whereby he is considered to have become Earl [of Chester]. Orderic Vitalis records that “Hugonis de Abrincis filio Ricardi cognomento Goz...cum Rodberto de Rodelento et Rodberto de Malopassu” [Robert de Rhuddlan and Robert de Malpas] shed “multum Guallorum sanguinem”.

He succeeded his father in [1082] as Vicomte d'Avranches. An undated charter records the grant of pasturage rights "ad castrum Claromontis, Credulii, Gornaci, Lusarchiarum" to Saint-Leu d’Esserant by "Hugo comes Cestrensis" and "Hugo Claromontensis et Margarita uxor eius", later confirmed by "Rainaldus comes" with the consent of "uxore eius Clementia et filiis eius Guidone et Rainaldo". Domesday Book records that “Earl Hugh” held Bickton in Fordinbridge Hundred in Hampshire; Drayton in Sutton Hundred and Buscot in Wyfold hundred in Berkshire; his land-holdings in Dorset; and in numerous other counties. Orderic Vitalis names “Hugonem comitem et Ricardum de Radveriis...Rodbertum de Molbraio” as the main supporters of “Henricus clito” who governed “Abrincas et Cćsarisburgum et Constantiam atque Guabreium” [Avranches, Cherbourg, Coutances, Gavray], dated to [1090]. Florence of Worcester records that, in 1098, he and Hugh de Montgommery Earl of Shrewsbury led troops into Anglesey where they mutilated or massacred many of the inhabitants of the island. "…Hugonis comitis…" subscribed a charter dated 14 Sep 1101 under which Henry I King of England donated property to Bath St Peter. He founded the abbeys of Saint-Sever in Normandy and St Werburg in Chester, becoming a monk at the latter four days before he died. Orderic Vitalis states that Hugues was "a slave to gluttony, he staggered under a mountain of fat" and was "given over to carnal lusts and had a numerous progeny of sons and daughters by his concubines".

The Annales Cestrienses record the death in 1101 of “Hugone comite Cestrensi”. The Annales Cambrić record the death in 1101 of "Hugo comes Crassus urbis Legionum". A manuscript narrating the descent of Hugh Earl of Chester to Alice Ctss of Lincoln records the death “VI Kal Aug” of “Hugo primus comes Cestrić”. ¹