Theobald Granville

From The History of the Granville Family, Traced Back to Rollo, First Duke of Normandy, with Pedigrees, etc., by Roger Granville, M.A., Rector of Bideford (1895):

https://archive.org/stream/historyofgranvil00gran#page/52/mode/2up

Henry de Grenvile left a son and heir, Theobald, who was but four years old at the time of his father's death. During his minority he was ward to Sir John Carew, and on obtaining manhood was knighted. He married Joyce, daughter of Thomas Beaumont, Earl of Mellent.

As an instance of the open warfare which was often carried on in the fourteenth century between the secular and ecclesiastical authorities, and of the way in which weapons from the spiritual armoury were brought to bear upon the King's officers, may be mentioned the raid which young Sir Theobald made, as Sheriff of Devon, upon the manor of Tawton, near Barnstaple, in the summer of 1347. A suit had arisen upon some disputed presentation, and the court of King's Bench made an order against the Bishop of Exeter for a considerable sum of money. The Sheriff received the King's writ, in which he was directed to enforce execution upon the Bishop's goods and chattels. Accordingly, Sir Theobald, whom Bishop Grandisson designates in his "Register," vol. i. fol. 139, as " juvenis Miles sive Thiro status militaris," on the Saturday after the feast of St. Benedict (July), at the dawn of day, with Thomas de Merton, Richard Tyrel, John de Linscote, John Trenger, and a rabble composed of about 500 persons, proceeded with arms, oftensive and defensive, to the manor of Tawton, and to the glebe and Vicarage house, and forcing premises belonging to the Church, as also houses of free tenants there, " varia bona ecclesiastica sub protectione ecclesiastica ibidem existentia, ad valorem ducentarum marcarum et amplius, contra voluntatem dominorum hujusmodi locorum et eorum qui hujusmodi custodiis fuerant deputati, consumere, auferre et contrectare dampnabiliter pre- sumpserunt."

After severely beating and even murdering some of the tenants and residents of the place, these lawless invaders decamped hooting and shouting, and terrifying all the neighbourhood. In consequence of such notorious outrage, Bishop Grandisson directed the Priors of Pilton and Barnstaple to proceed to the Parish Church, as also to the conventual Church at Barnstaple, on the Sunday after the receipt of his mandate, and there, at solemn Mass, to publish the sentence of excommunication against the oftenders, with bells ringing, the cross erect, candles first lighted and then extinguished, every priest assisting in stole and surplice, and to perform the like ceremonies in the neighbouring churches on Sundays and Feasts, until they received his injunctions to the contrary. The whole of the proceedings was to be explained to the people in the vulgar tongue, and a certified return was to be forwarded to his lordship by the Feast of S. Bartholomew, 24th August. According to " The History of Crime in England," by L. Owen Pike (who gives as his authority the Controlment Koll m. 6 d. Devon), the Bishop and his subordinates were summoned to answer for this act of contempt, and did in the end so far obey the law as to appear in the King's Bench. But in the meanwhile, the whole county was thrown into a commotion, greater even than ordinary, by the scandal of open warfare between the secular and ecclesiastical authorities. How the civil power decided the transaction does not appear, but from fol. 144 of the Bishop's Register, it would seem to have determined the case against Sir Theobald. At any rate, on the 14th of the following January he, on his bended knees, made due submission to the Bishop "in aula manerii sui de Clmdleigh," in the presence of his sureties, .lohn de Ralegh and John de Dynham, Knights, and of Almaric Fitzwaryn, Sheriff of Devon, and succeeded in obtaining the benefit of absolution.

On the 5th September of the same year he was also guilty of flagrant outbreaks at Kilkhampton, but the determined spirit of the Bishop brought this wrong-headed young knight to his senses.

It was probably during his minority that the famous Long Bridge of Bideford was built. It is the largest in Devon, and consists of 24 arches of different sizes, the greatest width being the fourth from the west end, which is 26 ft. 8 in. wide, and the narrowest the sixth, which is only 11 ft. wide. The total length of the bridge is 677 ft. It is built of local stone with copings of freestone. The story of its foundation, as given by Prince, is well-known.

[It must not be supposed that there was no bridge previous to the one built in the time of Sir Theobald de Grenvile and Bishop Grandisson. Prince corrects Fuller for stating that Bishop Quivil (A.D. 1280-1291), was the furtherer of a bridge at Bideford, but probably Fuller was right, inasmuch as in the compotus of the executors of the will of Bishop Stapledon, who died in 1327, that Bishop (as above mentioned), is stated to have left 40 s. for the maintenance of Bideford Bridge. There was probably, therefore, an original bridge at this earlier period, which was perhaps destroyed by some flood, and a second and stronger bridge had to be built during the Episcopate of Bishop Grandioson, as recorded by Prince, of which Sir Theobald was "an especial furtherer and great benefactor." Doubtless, this new bridge suffered considerably later on, either from neglect or accident, for Bishop Stafford, on the 5th of December, 1396, granted an indulgence to all true penitents who should assist " ad constructionem seu reparacionem longi pontis de Bydeford,' and it seems as if an entirely new bridge was erected 41 years afterwards, since Bishop Lacy promulgated two more indulgences in 1437 and 1444, " ad novam constructionem suatentationem seu reparationem pontis de Bydeford." The last indulgence connected with the bridge was in the time of Bishop Arundell, 1503, for the necessary repairs of the bridge.]

In 17th Edward III. (1344), Sir Theobold, recovered in the King's Bench the advowson of Kilkhampton.

In 24th Edward III. (1351), being styled Theobaldus de Grenvile, miles, lord of Kilkhampton, he gave and granted to Richard de Piggiston and his heirs all his lands and tenements in Stowe in Kilkhampton, together with rents and services of Joane, late wife of Nicholas de Stowe ; dated at Stowe the Sunday after the Purification.

In 35th Edward III. (1362) he is styled lord of Bideford in two grants of lands in his manor of Bideford.

In 1st Richard II. (1377) he conveys to Robert Langdon, Agnes his wife, and John their son, two burgages in Bideford and suit to his Manor Court. This deed has a fair round seal with the three clarions or rests for arms, and another upon a knight's helmet for crest, circumscribed " SIGILLUM THEOB DE GREXVIL MIL." It is dated Bideford, Tuesday after Michaelmas Day, 1st Ric. II.

The date of his death is uncertain, but it was probably 1377. He left an only son, named after himself, who survived him only a few years, since John de Grenvile presented Robert Braybroke (who afterwards was consecrated Bishop of London) to the Rectory of Bideford on 26th July, 1381, and Thomas Gary to Kilkhampton on 8th September of the same year, being then described as son and heir of Sir Theobald de Grenvile, deceased.

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ID: I120119

• Name: Theobald GRANVILLE 1
• Sex: M
• Birth: ABT 1326 in Of, Kilkhampton, Cornwall, England
• Change Date: 14 JAN 2004
• Father: Henry GRENVILLE b: ABT 1294 in Of, Kilkhampton, Cornwall, England
• Mother: Ann VIVIAN b: ABT 1298 in Of, Kilkhampton, Cornwall, England
• Marriage 1 Joice BEAUMONT b: ABT 1347 in Of, Stow, Cornwall, England
  • Married: ABT 1367 in Of, Stow, Cornwall, England 1
• Children
  • 1. Theobald GRANVILLE b: ABT 1367 in Of, Stow, Cornwall, England

Sources:

• Title: GEDCOM File : 842428.ged
  • Note: ABBR GEDCOM File : 842428.ged
  • Text: 8 AUG 2000