Sir Ralph de Berners

Sir William Berners held lands in Islington before 1220, when his widow Beatrice claimed from William's son Sir Ralph Berners, of Berners Roding (Essex), a third of her husband's free lands in Islington, and Sir Ralph was summoned to acquit the service which William had owed the bishop for a free tenement there. It was probably his son Sir Ralph who held 1/2 knight's fee in Islington in 1242-3.

Islington: Manors, A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 8, Islington and Stoke Newington Parishes (1985)

A William son of Geoffrey was holding land in Roding in 1240, but before this, in 1220, the manor of Berwick was in the hands of the Berners family, from which it took the second part of its name. In that year Beatrice widow of William de Berners was granted dower by Ralph de Berners in Berwick and elsewhere. In 1166 an earlier Ralph de Berners had held 4 knights' fees of the Earl of Essex, and also ½ fee of Henry Fitz Gerold as of the fees of Eudo dapifer. The successor of the first Ralph was apparently William de Berners. (The tenancy in demesne is thus doubtful up to 1220. It may have passed from Fulk dapifer to Adam son of Fulk, to Geoffrey son of Adam, and William son of Geoffrey or it may have been acquired by Ralph de Berners in the middle of the 12th century.

Abbess Roding: Manors, A History of the County of Essex: Volume 4, Ongar Hundred. Originally published by Victoria County History, London, 1956

Beatrice, widow of William de Berners, and Ralph de Berners. A third part of the manors of Roinger, Berneston, and Berewic, dower of the said Beatrice, in Ysendon and Ykelingeham. (Remainders).—Herts, Essex, Middlesex, and Suffolk.—Anno 4.

Fines for divers and other counties: Henry III, A Calendar To the Feet of Fines For London and Middlesex: Volume 1, Richard I - Richard III. Originally published by Hardy & Page, London, 1892