Devorguilla de Abernethy

Devorguilla de ABERNETHY, daughter of Laurence de Abernethy, lay abbot of Abernethy and Devorguile (unknown) 1, 2 was born 1225 in Auchterarder, Perth, Scotland. She died after 3 Feb 1295.

Devorguilla married

1. David OLIFARD on 1243 in Lilford, Northamptonshire, England.
2. William de MONTFITCHET on 1249 in Auchterarder, Perth, Scotland.

Children

1. M i Sir William de MONTFITCHET was born 1250 and died before 28 Aug 1296.

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Notes

'Parishes: Lilford-with-Wigsthorpe', in A History of the County of Northampton: Volume 3, ed. William Page (London, 1930), pp. 227-231. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/northants/vol3/pp227-231 [accessed 16 December 2021].

… In 1242–3 the heir of Walter Oliphant (as though Walter were dead) is said to hold one fee in Lilford of the Earl of Albemarle of the Honour of Huntingdon. (fn. 17) This heir was apparently David Oliphant, one of the magnates of Scotland, who in 1244 was returned as holding one fee in Northamptonshire of William de Forz, Earl of Albemarle, and Christine his wife. (fn. 18) It would seem that this David was dead without issue before 1266 when Walter de Moray (Moravia), apparently one of his heirs, presented to the church of Lilford. (fn. 19) Divorgilla his widow, described as Lady of Lilford, held the manor of Lilford for life by gift of Walter de Moray, who reserved the advowson of the church. (fn. 20) Divorgilla Oliphant gave to Divorgilla daughter of Sir Walter Montfichet (Montefixo) all the lands in Armiston which she held by gift of Roger Wallenger, with remainders to Divorgilla Montfichet's brothers Laurence and John. (fn. 21) In 1287 William Montfichet, Lord of Kirgill (Kirkhill) in Scotland, and heir of the Lady Divorgilla Oliphant, Lady of Lilford, granted the lands he had received from her to Laurence son of Sir Walter de Montfichet, his kinsman, with reversion to John son of the said Laurence. (fn. 22) In 1296 Divorgilla claimed the advowson of the church of Lilford against William son of Walter de Moray, and the King presented because the lands of Scottish magnates had been taken into his hands. (fn. 23) However, in 1299, the presentation was quashed as having been made in error, the patronage belonging to William de Moray. (fn. 24)

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[1] VCH Cambridge, IX:195-199, concerning Oakington:

' It had been held in demesne since the early 12th century by the Olifards of Lilford (Northants.), (Footnote 17) including probably Hugh Olifard by 1130, (Footnote 18) William Olifard, a vassal of the king of Scots, c. 1155–70, (Footnote 19) and John Olifard , c. 1175– 80. (Footnote 20) It then passed to descendants of William's brother David (d. c. 1170), settled in Scotland, and was considered a dependency of Lilford. David's son Walter, lord before 1216, (Footnote 21) was succeeded by his son and namesake, who c. 1235 held 2½ hides at Oakington as 1 knight's fee, (Footnote 22) and died in 1242. His son and heir David, lord by 1244, (Footnote 23) died without issue, probably before 1250. Oakington remained for her life with his widow Dervorguilla, who occupied it until the 1290s. In 1279 the whole Olifard demesne, 1½ hides, was held under 'the lady of Lilford' in fee farm. (Footnote 24) The heir was Walter of Moray (d. 1284), son of David's sister, (Footnote 25) whose son William (d. s.p. 1300) conveyed his right in Oakington with Lilford between 1296 and 1299 to Anthony Bek, bishop of Durham, (Footnote 26) lord there c. 1302. (Footnote 27) '

Research Notes

SP Addition: the Ancestry of Margaret Danielston (conjectured)
John P. Ravilious GoogleBooks soc.Gen.medieval, 5 November, 2005

There is a charter (BM Add Ch 21505) of 1287, where William de Mufichet is noted as "William Lord of Kergill in Scotland, next heir to the lady Devorgoll, Lady of Lilleford in Co Northet". This Devorguilla was the widow of Sir David Olifard of Bothwell, son of the Justiciar and senior line of the Olifards. Lilleford is of course the origin of the name Olifard (that well-known Irish sept o'Lilfard). She is also mentioned in CDS Vol II (No 725): on 3rd February 1295/6, King Edward I instructs that Thomas de Milton, clerk, should be presented to the living, for reasons enclosed in an attached schedule, which I quote in full:

Dereveregulla widow of David Olifard holds the manor of Lilleford for life by lease from Walter de Moray, who reserved the advowsons of the church, which he, and his heir since his death, have given thrice without challenge. Now Dereveregulla has sued a writ of quare impedit against William de Moray, Walter's heir, unjustly, as if the advowsons belonged to the King, because the lands held by Scottish magnates in England have been taken in the King's hand.

I take it that Devorguilla was the last wife of Sir David Olifard, that the lands of Bothwell had descended to the Murrays through the accepted marriage of his daughter to Sir William Murray, pater, and that she had previously been married to a Mushet of Cargill, from whom the Drummonds descend. Her name would explain the use of Devorguilla in the Mushet family, if she were the mother of William de Mushet.

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The best probability I see here is that Dervorguilla, wife of (1) Sir David de Olifard and (2) Sir William de Montfichet, is that Dervorguilla was a member of the Abernethy family, and (if so) most likely a sister of Sir Hugh de Abernethy (d. bef 1293). This is based on chronology, proximity (Abernethy is located in between Auchterarder, 24 km WSW of Abernethy, and Cargill, 17 km N of Abernethy), and onomastics, due to the marriage of Dervorguilla, dau. of Uhtred of Galloway, to Laurence de Abernethy.

References

• https://freepages.rootsweb.com/~hwbradley/genealogy/aqwg2424.htm#49253 cites
  • 1. Ravilious, John, The Ancestry of Margaret Danielston, 20 November 2005., p. 2, soc.genealogy.medieval.
  • 2. Salzman, Louis Francis, The Victoria History of the County of Cambridge and the Isle of Ely (London: Oxford University Press, 1938-), 9:195-9, Family History Library, 942 H2vc.
• The Scots peerage : founded on Wood's ed. of Sir Robert Douglas's Peerage of Scotland; containing an historical and genealogical account of the nobility of that kingdom by Paul, James Balfour, Sir, 1846-1931 Publication date 1904-1914. Vol. 7. Page 396-398. Archive.Org Devorguilla de ABERNETHY is not listed.
• http://freepages.rootsweb.com/~mainegenie/genealogy/ABERNETH.htm Devorguilla de ABERNETHY is not listed.
• * http://www.goodmanoliphant.info/Oliphant/LILFORD%20HUXLOE%20HUNDRED... LILFORD — was located in Huxloe Hundred, Northamptonshire, England. The de OLIFARD (OLIPHANT) family resided there in the early 12th century. After 1141, some members of this family removed to Scotland and changed the name from de OLIFARD to OLIPHANT. Liford was deserted after 1700. No visible remains of the village exist today. The population of the village moved to nearby Wigsthorpe. The site of Lilford is thought to be covered by modern buildings or ornamental gardens.

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Birth surname has also been reported to be Munfichet.

alive in May 1300