“…Sven fil Roberti, Hugonis de Port, Josfridi de Magna Villa, Willielmi Caticet, Huberti de Port…” witnessed the charter dated to [1070/75] under which William I King of England donated Plumstead to St Augustine’s, Canterbury. Domesday Book records “Swein of Essex” holding Waresley in Huntingdonshire; numerous properties in Essex and Suffolk.
The name of Swein’s wife is not known. 1
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At the death of Robert, his son Sweyne assumed the affix "de Essex," and is so styled again and again in the Essex Domesday. Sweyne was a great landowner and according to Domesday held fifty-five lordships in Essex, apart from properties in Suffolk and Hants. He built the castle of Rayleigh, called in Domesday Riganea? and was succeeded by his son Robert de Essex who founded Prittlewell Priory, near Southend. 2
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