Richard fitz Swain, of Swillington

I have met with nothing to show how the family of Swain fitz Ailric obtained lands at Swillington. But that they did so is clear, and that Richard fitz Swain held them at the time that the monks had this carucate is also clear. They probably obtained possession as early as the reign of either Henry I. or Stephen, which was the

(1) He gave from it the third part of a carucate at the foundation of St. Clement's Chapel {Yorkshire Archceological Journal, xiv, 157). (2) See No. 317 and No. 318.

260 THE CHARTULARY OF ST. JOHN.

period of which our local records have such scanty memorials. But so far as we are concerned, Richard son of Swain suddenly emerges, after the rebuilding of the monastery, and about 1160 or 1170, a man somewhat in years. His eldest brother, Adam, [SIC] had died childless in 1 158; his next, Henry, carried on the succession at Denby; and Richard emerges selling a meadow, called Wixstawer, in the manor of Swillington. 1 The purchaser was a young man who could have been hardly more than of age, one William, eldest son of Hervey, eldest son of Jordan, eldest son of the Ledstone Ailric

"I personally think that the scribe has assigned a Richard son of a Swain to be of the Alric / Swein line based on a few coincidences. There were many men called Swein in the area."

Genealogy

From https://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/enguntdk.htm#AmabelMWilliamNeville

FITZSWEIN

• 1. AILRIC . m ---. The name of Ailric’s wife is not known. Ailric & his wife had one child:
  • a) SWEIN . "Swanus filius Ailrich" donated land and "capellam de Calthorn" to "ecclesiam de Silkistuna" by undated charter[754]. m ---. The name of Swein’s wife is not known. Swein & his wife had three children:
    • i) ADAM FitzSwein (-1159). The 1130 Pipe Roll records "Adam fil Sueini" in Yorkshire, Northumberland[755]. "Adam filius Suwani" confirmed the donation to St Bees made by "Mahald uxor Godardi" by undated charter[756]. "Adam filius Suani" confirmed "ecclesiam de Silkistuna" to Pontefract by undated charter, dated to [1154], witnessed by "…Henrico fratre meo…"[757]. A charter of King Henry II records donations to York St Mary, including the donation of “heremum S. Andreæ” by “Adam filius Suani”[758]. "Adam filius Suani" confirmed the foundation of "sancte Marie Magdalene de Lunda" by undated charter, dated to [1158][759]. Military fee certifications in the Red Book of the Exchequer, in 1166, record that "hæredes Adæ filii Swein" held one knight’s fee "de feodo de Sciptone" in Yorkshire[760]. The Testa de Nevill includes a writ of King John dated 1212 which records that "Rogerus de Monte Begonis, Simon filius Walteri, Alexander de Nevill" held land which was from "Willelmi de Nevill" in Cumberland, which King Henry I had granted to "Ade filio Swein, antecessori predictorum"[761]. m ---. The name of Adam’s wife is not known. Adam & his wife had two children:
      • (a) AMABEL . Her parentage and first marriage are indicated by the undated charter under which [her husband] “Alexander de Creuequer” donated "molendinum meum de Culgait" to Wetherhal priory[762] and another undated charter [her supposed father] “Adam filius Suani” also donated "molendinum meum de Culgait" to Wetherhal[763]. The Testa de Nevill includes a writ of King John dated 1212 which records that "Rogerus de Monte Begonis, Simon filius Walteri, Alexander de Nevill" held land which was from "Willelmi de Nevill" in Cumberland, which King Henry I had granted to "Ade filio Swein, antecessori predictorum"[764]. m firstly [as his second wife,] ALEXANDER de Crèvecœur, son of RENAUD de Crèvecœur & his wife Matilda --- (-before 1204). m secondly WILLIAM de Neville, son of --- (-after 1212).
      • (b) MATILDA . The Testa de Nevill includes a writ of King John dated 1212 which records that "Rogerus de Monte Begonis, Simon filius Walteri, Alexander de Nevill" held land which was from "Willelmi de Nevill" in Cumberland, which King Henry I had granted to "Ade filio Swein, antecessori predictorum"[765]. m firstly ADAM de Montbegon, son of --- (-[1171]). “Adam de Mundegame” donated "molendinum de Culgaid" to Wetherhal priory by undated charter, witnessed by "…Symone de Cruaqr…"[766]. “Alexander de Creuequer” donated land "in Culgait" to Wetherhal priory by undated charter, witnessed by "Adam de Mortegeg, Warino, Symone de Creuequer…"[767]. "R[oberti]. de Monte Begonis" confirmed possessions of "ecclesiam de Silkestona" as donated by "A. filio Suani" by undated charter, dated to before 1197[768]. m secondly GERARD de Glanville, son of ---.
    • ii) HENRY FitzSwein (-after [1154]). "Adam filius Suani" confirmed "ecclesiam de Silkistuna" to Pontefract by undated charter, dated to [1154], witnessed by "…Henrico fratre meo…"[769]. “Adam filius Suani” donated "molendinum meum de Culgait" to Wetherhal by undated charter witnessed by "…Henrico fratre meo…"[770].
    • iii) RICHARD FitzSwein (-after [1180]). "Ricardus filius Swani" granted concessions to the monks of Pontefract relating to "prato de Wixstalker" to "ecclesiam de Silkistuna" by undated charter[771]. "Ricardus filius Swani" confirmed the grant of "pratum de Wixstalker in villa de Swinlingtona" to "Willelmo filio Hervei" by undated charter, dated to [1180][772].