Sir Thomas Verdon of Clonmore

Thomas Verdon

• best known as Sir Thomas Verdon of Clonmore
• Birth: 1331 (attained majority in 1352)
• Death: before October 16, 1376 - of the parish of Clonmore, County Louth, Ireland
• Son of Nicholas de Verdon, Kt. and Matilda Bermingham
• Partner of (unknown mistress); son William Verdon
• Husband of Joan Hartort; daughters Matilda Verdon and Anna Verdon

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Biography

The legitimate male line of Nicholas de Verdon ended with his son Thomas Verdon, who died before October 16, 1376.

The Verdon inheritance

Extracted from < Sir John Cruys or Cruise (died 1407) > Wikipedia

In 1386 the < King's Escheator > was ordered to convey to Sir John Cruys and his wife Matilda Verdon the lands of < Clonmore (now Togher) > and < Mansfieldtown > in < County Louth >.[3]

Smith, Brendan, p. viii. “Louth and adjacent parts.” < GoogleBooks >

Matilda, whom Cruys married before 1375, was the daughter and co-heiress with her sister Anna Verdon, wife of John Bellew, of Bellewstown, of Sir Thomas Verdon of Clonmore (died 1375), head of the dominant Anglo-Norman family in County Louth, and his wife Joan Hartort. Matilda's first husband was Peter Howth.[1]

Her father, Sir Thomas Verdon of Clonmore, was a grand-nephew [sic: nephew] of Theobald de Verdun, 2nd Baron Verdun (died 1316).[1] Matilda's recovery of Clonmore was the result of a determined and lengthy legal struggle against her male cousins, whom her father had tried to make his heirs, ignoring the right of his daughters to inherit his lands.[1]

Those cousins were James Verdon and Richard Verdon, sons of Milo de Verdon. Matilda’s illegitimate half brother William Verdon acted as their attorney.

Based on Smith, Brendan. Crisis and Survival in Late Medieval Ireland: the English of Louth and their Neighbours 1330-1450 Oxford University Press (2013); p. 35 < GoogleBooks >; (document attached); p. 63 < GoogleBooks >

Thomas Verdon was the son and heir of Nicholas de Verdon, Kt. (died 1347), son of Theobald de Verdun, 1st Baron Verdun and Margery de Bohun; and of Nicholas’ wife, Matilda Bermingham (died 1372). “How Matilda Bermingham was related to John Bermingham, earl of Louth, is unclear. She was, of course, not his daughter, Matilda, who married Eustace le Poer in 1331.”

Thomas was raised in the household of Henry of Grosmont, 1st Duke of Lancaster, 4th Earl of Leicester and Lancaster, KG. His wardship had been granted to Lancaster’s sister, Maud of Lancaster, Countess of Ulster, who was the daughter in law of Elizabeth de Clare, 11th Lady of Clare, the widow of Thomas Verdon’s uncle, Theobald de Verdun, 2nd Lord of Verdun. He attained his majority sometime before April 1352, when he was granted his father’s lands (TNA E 101/242/13). His first recorded visit to Ireland came in 1355 (CPR 1354-8, 278), and appears to have divided his time between England and Ireland afterwards. In September 1358 he succeeded in regaining possession of the manor of Mansfieldstown. By 1359, however, Thomas had been outlawed in Ireland for failure to appear on a charge that his father owed William Epworth money. King Edward lll ordered the suspension of outlawry on condition that Thomas compensate William.

“Thomas’s Irish interests and revenues were limited on account of the longevity of his mother, who continued to reside in Louth after the death of her husband in 1347, and lived in Rathdrumin, which was part of the Verdon manor of Clonmore, until her death in 1372.”

”In July 1375, Thomas undertook to pay sums owed by [his cousins] Richard and James Verdon incurred during their custody of all his lands in Louth, but he was still in debt to the king when he died shortly before 14 February 1376.”

”As a deceased debtor, Thomas Verdon’s lands were seized by the crown, and their custody awarded to Richard Verdon on 16 October 1376. [88]”. He left a widow, Joan Hartort; an illegitimate son, William Verdon; two legitimate daughters, under age: Matilda and Anna Verdon. “He had made a determined effort in 1374 to ensure that his estate should not pass in the female line. But instead go to his cousins, Richard and James, the sons of Milo Verdon, and their male descendants. [90]”

”Thomas’ debts to the crown were finally pardoned in 1416, by which time Bartholomew Verdon [son of Richard] has regained possession of what remained of the family estates in Louth. He, like Thomas and his father Nicholas before him, was to have a sometimes difficult relationship with royal authority and with his neighbors in Louth.[92]”

• 88. CFR 1369-77, 366.
• 90. Detailed of the entails are to be found at COA Rep. Records of the Exchequer, 1-10 Richard Il, 524-6. The date of the entail is provided at COA Rep. Records of the Exchequer, 10-22 Richard ll, 301.
• 92. PKCI 196-9; Rotuli Selecti, 47.

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From Smith, Brendan. Page 18. < GoogleBooks >

From “A Calendar of Irish Chancery Letters c. 1244 - 1509” < Patent Roll 12 Richard II > 1321 Feb. 1389

The K. has learned by inquisition lately taken before Thomas Clifford, escheator, that Thomas Verdon kt was seised in his demesne as of fee of the manor of Clonmore, which he held of the K. in chief; and he gave that manor to John Cusak, rector of Rathdromnewe and his heirs forever, without licence. John returned the manor to Thomas [Verdon] and his heirs male, with remainder to James Verdon and his heirs male, and reversion to the right heirs of Thomas, forever. Thomas died without heirs male leaving Joan as a widow, who entered one third [of the manor] as her dower; and James [Verdon], who entered the remaining two thirds, died seised of the same, leaving Isabelle Gaydoun as his widow, who later married Thomas Talbot. Isabelle, widow of James, and Thomas Talbot (who married her), have showed the K. by petition that one third of the remaining two thirds of the manor ought to pertain to them as dower. PARDON to them of trespass committed in this part.

C: NAI, Lodge MS 1, p. 47; RCH; COA, PH 13203, p. 47.

Origins

Smith, Brendan. Crisis and Survival in Late Medieval Ireland: the English of Louth and their Neighbours 1330-1450 Oxford University Press 2013. Page 19. < GoogleBooks >

Family notes

The de Verdun family of England, Normandy & Ireland < link ><

Henry's brother was Sir George Frederic Verdon KCMG CB FRS of Queen Street Melbourne and Alton, Upper Macedon, Victoria, Australia, a well known Australian politician, diplomat and (later) banker. Their father Edward Verdon came from Dublin and was a descendant of Milo de Verdon, a younger brother of Theobald de Verdun, 2nd Lord of Verdun of Alton in Staffordshire. Milo was the founder of the “Verdons of Clonmore in Co. Louth,” who produced quite a few priests, both Catholic and Anglican.

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D'Alton, John. King James's Irish Army List. Privately Published Dublin 1860. “Sutherland’s Horse: Cornet William Verdon.” pp. 219–222. < Archive.Org >

CORNET WILLIAM VERDON. The subordinate rank of this officer here, evinces how much this once illustrious family had then declined from its early and influential character. … His namesake and descendant, John Verdon, (titularly) styled of Clonmore, was attainted in 1691, while the name of this William, who must have been of the family, does not appear in the Outlawries, nor does any other Verdon on this Army List.

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Changing control in Ireland

Smith, Brendan, p. viii. “Louth and adjacent parts.” < GoogleBooks >

From < Normans in Ireland > (English Wikipedia) From the 12th century onwards, a group of Normans invaded and settled in Gaelic Ireland. These settlers later became known as Norman Irish or Hiberno-Normans. They originated mainly among Cambro-Norman families in Wales and Anglo-Normans from England, who were loyal to the Kingdom of England, and the English state supported their claims to territory in the various realms then comprising Ireland.

Ireland in 1300 showing maximum extent of Hiberno-Norman control

Ireland in 1450 showing territories recognising Anglo-Norman sovereignty in blue and grey

References

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Cruys cites
   1. Smith, Brendan. Crisis and Survival in Late Medieval Ireland: the English of Louth and their Neighbours 1330-1450 Oxford University Press 2013. p. 63-65. < GoogleBooks >; (document attached)
   2. O'Kelly, Gerard Titania's Palace and the Mount Merrion Connection Dublin Historical Record 1998 Vol. 51 pp. 91–115. p. 91.
   3. D'Alton, John. King James's Irish Army List. Privately Published Dublin 1860. “Sutherland’s Horse: Cornet William Verdon.” pp. 219–222. < Archive.Org >… In 1310, this younger Theobald succeeded to the estates and honors of his father, then deceased. In three years after, he was appointed Lord Justice of Ireland, and died in 1314, leaving only female issue, "who," as Baron Finglas remarks in his Breviate, "being married to noblemen who dwelled still in Eng- land, and took such profits as they could get for a while, and sent small defence for their lands in Ire- land ; so as, within few years after, all their portions were lost except certain manors within the English Pale, which Thomas, Baron of Slane, and Sir Robert Hollywood, Sir John Cruise, and Sir John Bellew purchased in King Richard the Second's time ; and this hath been the decay of half of Meath, which did not obey the King's laws this hundred years and more.” The name of De Verdon continued however to be represented in Louth by the male descendants of other sons of the founder. At the Parliament of York, in 1319, the King granted to Nicholas de Ver- don, (who was one of the next heirs male of John, who first, as before mentioned, assumed the name,) the manor of Mandevilleston, County of Louth ; which had come to the Crown by the surrender of Ralph Pipard. …
2. Smith, Brendan. Crisis and Survival in Late Medieval Ireland: the English of Louth and their Neighbours 1330-1450 Oxford University Press 2013. p. 18. < GoogleBooks >; p. 35 < GoogleBooks >; p. 63-65. < GoogleBooks >; (document attached)
3. Otway-Ruthven, A. J. “The Partition of the De Verdon Lands in Ireland in 1332.” Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. Section C: Archaeology, Celtic Studies, History, Linguistics, Literature 66 (1967): 401–55. http://www.jstor.org/stable/25505141. Page 409.
4. “A Calendar of Irish Chancery Letters c. 1244 - 1509” < Patent Roll 12 Richard II > 1321 Feb. 1389
5. https://catalogue.nli.ie/Record/MS_UR_090407 National Library of Ireland, Dublin. Manuscripts Reading Room Call number Mss. 8509-8513 History of the Family of De Verdon, 1066-1936, in 4 Vols., Including Some Account of Their Association With County Louth, Compiled From Drawings and Records By Owen Verdon and Others, 1916 - 1936.
6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normans_in_Ireland
7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglo-Norman_invasion_of_Ireland The Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland took place during the late 12th century, when Anglo-Normans gradually conquered and acquired large swathes of land from the Irish, over which the kings of England then claimed sovereignty, all allegedly sanctioned by the Papal bull Laudabiliter.[1] At the time, Gaelic Ireland was made up of several kingdoms, with a High King claiming lordship over most of the other kings. The Norman invasion was a watershed in Ireland's history, marking the beginning of more than 800 years of direct English and, later, British, involvement in Ireland.
8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_rule_in_Ireland British rule in Ireland spanned several centuries and involved British control of parts, or entirety, of the island of Ireland. British involvement in Ireland began with the Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland in 1169. Most of Ireland gained independence from Great Britain following the Anglo-Irish War. … From the late 12th century, the Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland resulted in Anglo-Norman control of much of Ireland, over which the kings of England then claimed sovereignty.[2][3] By the late Late Middle Ages, Anglo-Norman control was limited to an area around Dublin known as the Pale.[4]
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/County_Louth County Louth is named after the village of Louth, which in turn is named after Lugh, a god of the ancient Irish. Historically, the placename has had various spellings; Lugmad, Lughmhaigh, and Lughmhadh (see Historic Names List, for full listing). Lú is the modern simplified spelling. The county is steeped in myth, legend and history, and is a setting in the Táin Bó Cúailnge epic. Later it saw the influence of the Vikings, as seen in the name of Carlingford Lough. … In the early 14th century Edward Bruce made claim to the High Kingship of Ireland and led an expeditionary force to Ireland. The Scottish army was repulsed from Drogheda but laid waste to much of the Anglo-Norman colony of Ireland including Ardee and Dundalk. Edward was crowned on the hill of Maledon near Dundalk on 2 May 1316. His army was finally defeated and Edward was killed in the Battle of Faughart near Dundalk, by a chiefly local force led by John de Bermingham. He was created 1st Earl of Louth and granted estates at Ardee on 12 May 1319 as a reward for his services to the Crown in defeating the Scots. De Bermingham was subsequently killed in the Braganstown massacre on 13 June 1329 along with some 200 members of his family and household, in a feud between the Anglo-Irish families of Louth.
10. Atlas and cyclopedia of Ireland. Part I: A comprehensive delineation of the thirty-two counties, with a, map of each. Part II: The general history. by Joyce, P. W. (Patrick Weston), 1827-1914; Sullivan, A. M. (Alexander Martin), 1830-1884. Story of Ireland; Nunan, P. D. Publication date 1905. Page 200. “Louth.” < Archive.Org >
11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Togher,_County_Louth Togher (Irish: An Tóchar, meaning 'causeway')[1] is a large parish in County Louth, Ireland. A rural parish in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Armagh,[2] Togher is situated approximately halfway between Drogheda and Dundalk. Togher lies on the east coast of County Louth and has approximately 5 miles (8 km) of coastline stretching from its border with Clogherhead Parish at the Skinore River in the south to Annagassan bridge in the north, where it adjoins the parish of Drumiskin.[citation needed] Its inland boundaries are the parishes of Kilsaran, Dunleer and Clogherhead.[citation needed] Togher is an amalgamation of six medieval parishes (Clonmore, Port, Dysart, Dunany, Salterstown and Drumcar),[3] and to the present day the ruins of these six parish churches stand within the parish of Togher. The leading Anglo-Norman family of Verdon were the main landowners here until the late fourteenth century, when their estates passed by inheritance to the Cruys or Cruise family from Dublin.
12. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mansfieldtown Mansfieldtown or Mansfieldstown (Irish: Baile Mhic Mháirtín) is a townland and a former Church of Ireland parish located between Castlebellingham and Tallanstown in County Louth, Ireland. It was called Mandelvelleston, Mandevilleston and many other names in historical documents. The name is derived from an Anglo-Norman family called Maundeville, which settled there soon after 1172.[1] After the Rebellion of 1641 Theobald Taaffe, Earl of Carlingford, acquired the greater part of the parish. The Plunkett family of Bawn, the Gernons in Wottonstown and Gilbertstown and the Clintons in Derrycamagh were dispossessed.[1]
    1. James Lesley: A History of Kilsaran Union of Parishes, County Louth. William Tempest, Dundalk, 1908