Hugh FitzBaldric, Saxon Thane of Cowsby

There are many discussions of Hugh FitzBaldric and his extensive landholdings in Conquest, Anarchy and Lordship: Yorkshire, 1066-1154 By Paul Dalton (available online through Googlebooks).

John Marwood, History of Gilling, Chapter 8: After the Saxons: The Ettons of Gilling

http://www.apl385.com/gilling/history/gilling.htm

When the land of the Saxon earls was confiscated [by the Normans] after the Conquest it would appear that Orm’s property was acquired by, or granted to, Ralph de Mortimer; and Barch’s by Hugh FitzBaldric.

... let us follow what is known about Barch’s portion. As we have already seen, it was granted to Hugh FitzBaldric (i.e. Hugh the son of Baldric). It is not known which Norman family he came from, if indeed he was Norman. It has been stated that he was a German archer in the service of William the Conqueror. However, before 1067 he “witnessed a charter of Gerald, granting the Nuns of St. Amand in Rouen the church of his fief of Roumare”. Immediately after the capture of York by William in September 1069, Hugh FitzBaldric appears to have been made Sheriff of the County of York by the King. He fell into trouble by supporting Robert Duke of Normandy against William and presumably lost his lands. However, nothing more is heard of him.

... In 1284/5 ... the land of Hugh Fitzbaldric, assessed at 2½ carucates, became part of the fee of [Roger de] Mowbray.

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A charter of King Henry II records donations to York St Mary, including the donation of land in Hotona…in Normanby…et in Kyrkeby-Misperton by Hugo Baldrici filius. The Liber Vitæ of Thorney abbey lists Hugo fil[ius] Baldri, Fulco f[rate]r Alein, Roger f[rate]r eius, Ricard avuncl ei[us].

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"Of [Robert de Stuteville's] holdings in Yorkshire a large proportion had been held by Hugh son of Baldric in 1086. In his introduction to the Yorkshire Domesday Farrer collected the available details which concern Hugh son of Baldric, and showed that he was of Norman origin. Described as Hugh son of Baldric, sheriff of York, he gave the tithe of Stratfield, Hampshire and Shaw, Berkshire, to the abbey of Préaux, dio. Lisieux, his gift being confirmed by William I, c. 1080; and he is mentioned in charters of Gerold miles Christi to the abbey of St. Amand, Rouen, in one as a witness and in the other as apparently possessing an interest in one of Gerold's benefactions. The name Baldric was not uncommon in Normandy in the eleventh century; and there are several mentions of the name in Olderic....

In England Hugh son of Baldric was an important tenant-in-chief in Yorkshire, and to a smaller extent in Lincolnshire; he also held two manors in Nottinghamshire, single holdings in Wiltshire and Berkshire, and interests in four holdings in Hampshire....

Farrer has given evidence on which he based his suggestion that Hugh son of Baldric died shortly after the completion of the Survey... The Survey shows that he had then two sons-in-law one, named Walter, who was his tenant at Marden, Wiltshire, and the other, Guy [de Craon], who held of him a manor of 3 bovates in Sloothby, and a manor of a carucate in Claxby St. Andrew, with soke amounting to 8 carucates 1 bovate in six places named, all in the wapentake of Calcewath, co. Lincoln. That makes a total of 9½ carucates; and it is recorded in the Lindsey survey that Alan de Craon held as a tenant-in-chief 10 carucates in that wapentake. Later evidence shows that places in Lincolnshire held by the Craon family in chief correspond with those held by Guy de Craon of Hugh son of Baldric in 1086. But there is no evidence that Alan de Craon held any other of Hugh's possessions in Lincolnshire; and certainly none of Hugh's holdings in Yorkshire passed to the Craon family. Moreover, in South Warnborough, Hampshire, where Alan de Craon made a gift to Frieston priory, co. Lincoln, the interest in 1086 had been held of Hugh by Guy [de Craon] with Hugh's daughter. It can be deduced, therefore, that none of Hugh's holdings passed to his issue except those which, in his lifetime, had formed the maritagium of one or other of his two daughters....

In Yorkshire Hugh son of Baldric held about 50 manors with many berewicks and sokeland, assessed at approximately 410 carucates. The greater part of these holdings passed, presumably by royal grant, to Robert de Stuteville I...."

'The estates of Hugh son of Baldric, Dom

Note 'The estates of Hugh son of Baldric, Domesday lord of Cottingham, weredivided after his death and the bulk of his lands in Yorkshire passedto Robert I de Stuteville.' Ivor JohnSanders, English Baronies: AStudy of Their Origins and Descent 1086-1327 (Oxford: Clarendon Press,1960), p. 37. Slingsby (probably the village of Ezzlinc, after the first Danishsettler).entries in Domesday :

(1) 'Manor.' - 'In Hovingham, Orm had 8 carucates of land to be taxed.There is land to 4 ploughs. Hugh, son of Baldric, has them now, 2ploughs and 10 villeins having 4 ploughs. There is a church and apriest.' (2) The land of Slingsby was held by two Norman lords, Earl Morton,and Hugh, son of Baldric; the former having '14 carucates of land tobe taxed,' and the latter 'a Berewick' or detached portion of hisHovingham Manor.'

'The Normans When the land of the Saxon earls was confiscated after the Conquest itwould appear that Orm’s property was acquired by, or granted to, Ralphde Mortimer; and Barch’s by Hugh FitzBaldric. Let us first deal with Ralph de Mortimer. He was the only son ofRoger, who derived his surname from Mortemer en Lions in the Pays deCaux, between Neufchatel and Aumale in France. Ralph de Mortimer diedin his castle of St. Victor-en-Caux on 5 August 1100 (or 1104) and wasburied in the Abbey church there. He left two sons, Hugh and William;and a daughter, Hawise, who became the wife of Stephen, Earl ofAlbemarle and Holderness. Hugh’s descendants became the Earls ofMarch; William died childless. The family seems to have no recordedconnection with Gilling, except for a later reference (in the 12thcentury) when Peter de Ros, who was linked with the Mortimers bymarriage, gave two carucates of land to St. Mary’s Abbey, York. It islikely that this land so granted was Orm’s, which had probably comeinto the Ros family by marriage. The Ros family also had land of Ralphde Mortimer’s in Whenmore. In the 12th century the land was in thepossession of the Mowbrays and the Stutevilles. Before we follow the fortunes of Orm’s land let us follow what isknown about Barch’s portion. As we have already seen, it was grantedto Hugh FitzBaldric (i.e. Hugh the son of Baldric). It is not knownwhich Norman family he came from, if indeed he was Norman. It has beenstated that he was a German archer in the service of William theConqueror. However, before 1067 he “witnessed a charter of Gerald,granting the Nuns of St. Amand in Rouen the church of his fief ofRoumare”. Immediately after the capture of York by William inSeptember 1069, Hugh FitzBaldric appears to have been made Sheriff ofthe County of York by the King. He fell into trouble by supportingRobert Duke of Normandy against William and presumably lost his lands.However, nothing more is heard of him.' John Marwood’s History ofGilling, Chapter 8: After the Saxons: The Ettons of Gilling.http://www.apl385.com/gilling/history/gilling.htm (accessed 8/14/08). 'The Domesday Book (fo. 298b) makes reference to a York church,dedicated to St Andrew, which is said to have been purchased by HughFitzBaldric (Burton 1996, 49). Although the Victoria County Historyassociates this foundation with that of St Andrew, Ketmongergate, itis accepted that this is more likely to be on Fishergate..' Historical& Archaeological Background: Medieval, St Andrew's Church, Fishergatewww.archaeologicalplanningconsultancy.co.uk/mono/001/backgrnd_med.html(accessed 8/14/08). 'Welbeck Abbey was the principal abbey of the Premonstratensian orderin England and later the principal residence of the Dukes of Portland...The Abbey's estate was first mentioned in the Domesday Book</wiki/Domesday_Book>, where it is recorded as belonging to one HughFitzBaldric.' http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welbeck_Abbey (accessed8/14/08). 'Shaw Essages: Hugh FitzBaldric. Mill.' [Suburb of Newbury; ShawHouse; Shaw Farm]..' The Domesday Book Online - Berkshire N-Zhttp://www.domesdaybook.co.uk/berkshire3.html (accessed 8/14/08). 'Welbeck contains 2,283A. 3R. 3P. of land, and anciently formed partof the Manor of Cuckney, which was held by Sweyn, a Saxon. After theConquest it was given in fee to Hugh FitzBaldric, under whom, at thetime of the Domesday survey, it was held by Richard, son of Joceus leFlemangh, with the exception of two carucates, which Gamelbere, an oldSaxon knight, was allowed to retain.' Nottinghamshire History andArchaeology, Welbeck and its Park (1)http://www.nottshistory.org.uk/white1875/welbeckp1.htm (accessed8/14/08). 'Here is a full list of Sheriffs from the Norman Conquest to EdwardIII: 1068 William Peveril 1069 Hugh fitz Baldric...' Nottinghamand Derbyshire Sheriffs,http://www.robinhoodloxley.net/mycustompage0035.htm (accessed8/14/08).

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Sanders writes: "The estates of Hugh son of Baldric, Domesday lord of Cottingham, were divided after his death and the bulk of his lands in Yorkshire passed to Robert I de Stuteville."

Added by; HRH Prince Kieren de Muire Von Drakenberg

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• Reference: WikiTree Genealogy - SmartCopy: Jan 4 2016, 9:32:20 UTC