Walcheline de Ferrers, of Derby, Lord of Egginton, Founder of the Derby School

Note from Pam Wilson (Curator) Oct 2010

There were indeed at least *three* distinct Walkelins in the Ferrers family, as Wikipedia explains in a disambiguation page. Walkelin de Ferrers may refer to:

• Walkeline or Gaucheline de Ferrières (d.c. 1040), 11th century Seigneur of Ferrières-Saint-Hilaire and father of Henry de Ferrers and forefather of the Ferrers family of England:http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/ENGLISHNOBILITYMEDIEVAL3D-K.htm Ch. 7 Ferrers
• Walchelin de Ferriers, 12th century lord of Oakham Castle http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walchelin_de_Ferriers
• Walkelin de Ferrers de Derby, 12th century lord of Egginton, Derbyshire: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walkelin_de_Derby

The problem is that I don't find him listed in FMG—though there is a wonderful profile of Walkelin of Derby, married to Goda de Toeni, in Wikipedia.

On the soc.gen.medieval message board, I found a discussion about him. Peter Stewart, one of the regular medievalists in that group, stated: "Goda de Tosny married Walchelin, seigneur of Ferrières-Saint-Hilaire & lord of Oakham (died in or after 1189). ... I don't think she is recorded to have had any other husband. Her father Robert is conjectured to have been a son of Raoul V, seigneur of Tosny (died 1162) by Margaret de Beaumont whose father was a first cousin of Robert de Neufbourg. The latter's wife Godeheut is said to have been a daughter of Raoul IV of Tosny (died 1126) by Alice of Northumberland."

He followed up with a later note:
"As for ... Walkelin, "in or after 1189" was not exactly right; he was on crusade at the same time as his brother William, having arrived in Palestine in July 1190, and he was still living on 7 September 1191. As far as I know he was not recorded again after that date."

So, Stewart seems to conflate the latter two Walkelins listed above.

The research in Wikipedia on The Derby School seems compelling, [but it's not accurate regarding key relationships].

Previous Comment from a Subscriber

Walcheline (Walkelin) de Ferrers or Ferrieres, of Derby, Lord of Egginton NOT the same as William de Ferrers,
son of Robert de Ferrers 2nd Lord of Derby
married to Goda de Tosny (Tony)

from Wikipedia: "Walkelin de Derby"

Walkelin de Derby (c. 1135 – 1190), also known as Walkelin de Ferrieres, anglicized as Walkelin de Ferrers, was a Norman lord of Egginton in the English county of Derbyshire. He was the last moneyer of the Derby Mint [citation needed] and the principal founder of Derby School.

Life Walkelin is believed to have been born in about 1135, the son of Robert de Ferrers, 2nd Earl of Derby and his wife, Margaret Peverel. In 1162, he married Goda de Toeni (born about 1141), the daughter and heiress of Robert de Toeni of Eggington in Derbyshire, and settled in the county. They had at least two children, Margery (born about 1165) and Isabel (born about 1172). According to some reports, Walkelin died in 1190 at the Siege of Acre, Jerusalem. Others place his death at Oakham Castle in Rutland, although this probably refers to his second cousin, Walkelin de Ferrers, the lord of Oakham.

Derby School
The ancient Derby School may have been first established by William de Barbâ Aprilis and Walter Durdant, Bishop of Lichfield, in the reign of Henry II. It was re-founded in the second half of the 12th century by Walkelin and his wife, Goda, who gave their own house to be used for the school[1]. However, there is no firm information on where the house was.[2]

Magna Britannia says of Derby School
Whilst Richard Peche, who succeeded Walter Durdant in 1162, was Bishop of Lichfield, Walkelin de Derby and Goda his wife gave the mansion in which they dwelt, and which Walkelin had purchased of William Alsin, to the canons of Derley, on condition that the hall should be for ever used as a school-room, and the chambers for the dwelling of the master and clerks.[4].

References

1. Bishop Durdent and the foundation of Derby School (Derbyshire Archaeological Journal, vol. 33, 1911) by Benjamin Tacchella
2. A History of Derbyshire (1999) by Gladwyn Turbutt
3. Magna Britannia (volume 5, 1817) by Daniel and Samuel Lysons
4. Derby School at British History.ac.uk

• The Derby School Register, 1570-1901, ed. Benjamin Tacchella (London, 1902)
• Grammar school education in Derby: its early history to 1662 (in Derbyshire Miscellany, vol. 15, Part 1, 1998) by Richard Clark

William I, 3rd Earl of Derby.

• He first married Goda de Tosny, daughter of Robert de Tosny, in circa 1162. He next married our ancestor Sybil de Braose before 1168 in Sussex.
• He went on the Third Crusade and he died in the Holy Land.
• William was our ancestor through two distinct descent lines--one through his son William and the other through his daughter Isabel, each of whom was independently our ancestor.

See "My Lines" ( http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cousin/html/p378.htm#i6753 ); from Compiler: R. B. Stewart, Evans, GA

Wikipedia "Walchline de Ferriers"

Walchelin de Ferrieres (or Walkelin de Ferrers) (died 1201) was a Norman baron and principal captain of Richard I of England. The Ferriers family hailed from the southern marches of Normandy and had previously protected the duchy from the hostility of the counts of Maine and Anjou. With the union of the domains of Anjou and Normandy in 1144, and the investment of Geoffrey V Plantagenet as duke of Normandy, most of this land lost its strategic importance. Walchelin was the son of Henry de Ferrieres, a nephew of Robert de Ferrers, 1st Earl of Derby. Like his father, Walchelin held the castles of Ferrières-Saint-Hilaire and Chambray for the service of 5 knights. He had 42 and 3/4 in his service, enfeoffed in his lands. In England, Walchelin held the manors of Oakham in Rutland and Lechlade in Gloucestershire. He is known to have held this land since at least 1172. During the Third Crusade, he and his son and heir, Henry, served in the force of Richard I of England. A John de Ferrieres, believed to be a nephew, was also present. Walchelin had stayed with the King in Sicily. It is apparent that Walchelin was close in the counsel of the king. He and his knights arrived at Saint-Jean d'Acre sometime in April or June 1191. Some months previously, a distant relative, William de Ferrers, 3rd Earl of Derby had been killed at the siege. After the conclusion of the siege, Richard of England and Hugh III of Burgundy marched their forces south to the city of Jaffa. Along the road, several skirmishes broke out between the marching crusaders and the Saracen army marching parallel under Saladin. On 7 September 1191, the great battle of Arsuf was fought. Richard had made Walchelin a commander of one of the elite bodies of knights according to the chronicle attributed to Geoffrey de Vinsauf. Later, in 1194, Richard was imprisoned in Germany. Walchelin brought the treasure of Normandy to Speyer and gave himself as a hostage (along with many others) to the Western Emperor Henry VI. He was freed from captivity around 1197. His sons Henry and Hugh managed his estates during the years he spent in prison. Sometime prior to his death, the younger son, Hugh was granted lordship of the manor of Lechlade. Walchelin died in 1201 and was succeeded by his son, Henry. Henry sided with John of England over King Philip II of France until December 1203 when John left Normandy, never to return. At this point, Henry did Philip homage for his Norman lands. Hugh had left England and the care of Lechlade and Oakham went to their sister, Isabella, who was married to Roger de Mortimer of Wigmore. After her death, the land was escheated to the crown as Terra Normanorum.

Iffy Relationships

Please consider well the FMG webpage updated 9 March 2022:

ROBERT de Ferrers , son of HENRI Seigneur de Ferrières et de Chambrais & his wife Bertha --- (?—1139). * “Henricus de Ferrariis” founded a church “apud castellum meum Tuttesbury”, for the souls of “…uxoris mee Berte et filiorum meorum Engenulphi W, Roberti ac filiarum mearum…”[314].

• He succeeded his father in 1101 in the greater part of his English possessions.
• “Robertus comes de Ferrariis” donated property to Tutbury Priory by undated charter after succeeding “in hereditatem bonæ memoriæ Henrici patris mei”[315].
• The 1130 Pipe Roll records "Robt de Ferrar" in Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire in respect of "Werchesworda" and in Staffordshire[316].
• He was created Earl of Derby by King Stephen: Richard Prior of Hexham’s De Gestis Regis Stephani et de Bello Standardii records that King Stephen created "Robertum de Ferrers" as "in Derbiensi-scyra [comes]" after the battle of the Standard in Aug 1138[317].

m HAWISE, daughter of ---.

• “Robertus junior comes de Notingham” donated property to Tutbury Priory by charter dated 1141 which names “Hauwisiæ matris meæ”[318].
• The Complete Peerage identifies her as Hawise de Vitré, daughter of André [I] Seigneur de Vitré & his wife Agnès de Mortain, but cites no supporting evidence[319].
• Europäische Stammtafeln[320] identifies her as Hawise de Laval, daughter of Guy [II] Seigneur de Laval & his [third] wife Cecilia ---, although the primary source on which this is based has not been identified.
• According to Domesday Descendants[321] , "there is no convincing evidence as to her identity".

Earl Robert & his wife had two children:

2. ISABEL de Ferrers. Her parentage and marriage are recorded in Domesday Descendants[349]. m ROBERT [I] de Cauz, son of --- (?—after 1130).

1. ROBERT (?—before 1160; bur Merevale Abbey). “Robertus comes junior de Ferariis” confirmed donations to Tutbury by “avus meus Henricus … Egenulfus patruus meus … Robertus pater meus”, naming “Nigellus de Albiniaco et Amicia filia avi mei”[322].
He succeeded his father in 1139 as Earl [of Derby].
[Earl of Nottingham]: “Robertus junior comes de Notingham” donated property to Tutbury Priory by charter dated 1141 which names “Hauwisiæ matris meæ”[323].
He founded the abbey of Merevale, Warwickshire, where he was buried[324].
m[arried] (before 1139) MARGARET, daughter of [WILLIAM Peveril of Nottingham & his first wife Oddona ---] ([1123/26]—?)].

• “Robertus comes de Ferrariis” granted property “in Stebbingis … per Margaretam comitissam uxorem meam” to Morice FitzGeoffrey by charter dated “VI Kal Oct IV anno imperii Regis Stephani” (1139)[325].
• Her parentage is suggested by the charter of John King of England which names “Willelmo de Ferrariis comiti” as heir to territories of “Willelmi Peverell”[326]. If this parentage is correct, Margaret is unlikely to have been born outside the narrow date range estimated above, which would also indicate that her marriage took place only
• shortly before the date of this charter.

Earl Robert & his wife had [three] children:

• 3. [ISOLDE de Ferrers (?—after 1185). The Rotuli de Dominabus of 1185 records property “in Bernewelle…de feodo comitis” held by “Ysowda, que fuit uxor Stephani de Bello-Campo, et filia comitis de Ferrariis”, adding that she has “i filium et v filias”[348]. It is assumed that Isolde was the daughter of Robert Earl of Derby (died before 1160) but it is not impossible that she was the daughter of Robert’s father. m as his second wife, STEPHEN de Beauchamp, son of RICHARD de Beauchamp & his wife --- (?—before 1185).]
• 2. MATILDA de Ferrers. The primary source which confirms her parentage and marriage has not been identified. Hagger discusses the circumstances in which this marriage was agreed[347]. m BERTRAM [IV] de Verdun, son of NORMAN de Verdun & his wife Lesceline de Clinton (?—[1191]

1. WILLIAM [Ferrers] (?—killed in battle Acre 1190 before 21 Oct).

• “Willielmus comes de Ferrariis” donated property to Tutbury Priory, for the soul of “uxoris meæ Sibillæ et liberorum meorum”, by charter which names “antecessores mei … Henricus de Ferrariis et Engenulphus et Robertus avus meus et Robertus comes pater meus”[327].
• He succeeded his father [before 1160) as Earl [of Derby].
• Robertus [mistake for Willielmus] comes de Ferrariis donated property to Dore Abbey, for the souls of “Sibilla de Braosa, uxoris meæ matris W. filii mei et sua, et … Bertæ (fuit filia Milonis comitis Herefordiæ) matris uxoris meæ”, by undated charter[328].
• He participated in the Third Crusade and died during the siege of Acre[329]. The Annals of Margan record the death in 1190 of “Willelmus comes Ferrariis”[330].
• Matthew Paris records the death at Acre in 1191 of "comes de Ferariis"[331].
• A letter dated 21 Oct 1190, recording the arrival of the archbishop of Canterbury at Tyre, names “...comes de Ferreres...” among those who had died [in Palestine][332].

m[arried] [as her first husband,] SIBYL de Briouse, daughter of WILLIAM [II] de Briouse Lord of Bramber & his wife Bertha of Hereford (?—after 5 Feb 1228).

• “Willielmus comes de Ferrariis” donated property to Tutbury Priory, for the soul of “uxoris meæ Sibillæ et liberorum meorum”, by charter which names “antecessores mei … Henricus de Ferrariis et Engenulphus et Robertus avus meus et Robertus comes pater meus”[333].
• “Robertus [mistake for Willielmus] comes de Ferrariis” donated property to Dore Abbey, for the souls of “Sibilla de Braosa, uxoris meæ matris W. filii mei et sua, et … Bertæ (fuit filia Milonis comitis Herefordiæ) matris uxoris meæ”, by undated charter[334].
• The Complete Peerage states that this charter is considered to be a fabrication, and that there is no other proof of the parentage of William’s wife[335].
• However, another document indicates Sibyl’s parentage: a charter of John King of England relating to Briouse properties, dated 1212, recites the history of the king’s turbulent relationship with the family and includes a record that “Willielmus de Breosa ... Matildis de Heya uxor sua et W. comes de Ferar. nepos suus et Adam de Porter qui sororem suam habuit in uxorem” petitioned the king (presumably in [1209/10])[336].
• While confirming that the mother of William de Ferrers Earl of Derby was the sister of William [III] de Briouse, this document does not state that she was the same daughter of William [II] de Briouse who married Adam de Port. Confirmation of this fact awaits the emergence of a primary source which records that Adam’s second wife was named Sibyl. [Sibyl may have married secondly as his second wife, Adam de Port.]

Earl William & his wife had [four] children:

• i) WILLIAM (?—-22 Sep 1247). “Willielmus comes de Ferrariis, filius Willielmi comitis de Ferrariis” donated property to Tutbury Priory, for the soul of “Agnetis uxoris meæ”, by undated charter[337]. He succeeded his father in 1190 as Earl of Derby. - See Below
• ii) [MILLICENT. A manuscript narrating the foundation of Wigmore Abbey records that “Milesaunt filia --- comitis Derbeyæ” was the first wife of “domini Rogeri”[338]. This has not been corroborated from other primary sources, but, if it is correct, her father must have been William 3rd Earl of Derby. m as his first wife, ROGER [III] de Mortimer, son of HUGH [II] de Mortimer & his wife Matilda de Rumilly (-before 19 Aug 1214, bur Wigmore).]
• iii) PETRONILLA de Ferrers (-after her husband, bur Stone). "---" [name omitted] made a fine "de voluntate et assensu Milisente q fuit ux Hervei Bagot", the order specifying that "ipsa Milisenta" donated "in vita sua tercia parte toci terre sue … cum Petronilla sorore com de Ferrar" whom "Herveus de Stafford" married, dated 1214[339]. m (1214 or before) HERVEY Bagot of Stafford, son of HERVEY Bagot & his wife Millicent de Stafford (?—[Nov 1236/12 May 1237]; buried Stone).
• iv) [ROBERT de Ferrers (?—4 Dec 1225). A writ ordered pardon of a fine that "Robert de Ferrers had made…with the king’s father" for marrying "Joan daughter of William of Buckland", dated 9 May 1221[340]. The Annals of Dunstable record that “Robertus de Ferrariis” died in 1225[341]. His precise relationship with the family of the Earls of Derby has not been ascertained. However, from a chronological point of view it is possible that he was the son of Earl William. m as her first husband, JOANNA de Bocland, daughter of WILLIAM de Bocland & his wife Matilda de Say (?—before 16 Nov 1251). "Robertus de Ferrariis" paid a fine for marrying "Johanna filia Willelmi de Boclaund cum terris…que fuerunt eiusdem Willelmi", with saving for "matri ipsius Johanne q fuit ux predicti Willelmi … dote et maritagio suo", dated [Apr] 1216[342]. Bracton lists a claim by "Willelmus de Aurenches et Matillis uxor eius, Johannes de Bouilla et Hauissia uxor eius" against "Robertum de Ferrariis et Johannam uxorem eius", dated 1218, for "hereditate Willelmi de Boclonde patris earum", noting that "Matillis et Cecilia [error for Hawisia] sunt sorores sororis [error for uxoris] sue [=predicti Willelmi]"[343]. A writ ordered pardon of a fine that "Robert de Ferrers had made…with the king’s father" for marrying "Joan daughter of William of Buckland", dated 9 May 1221[344]. She married secondly Simon d’Avranches. A table in The Complete Peerage shows that she married secondly Geoffrey d’Avranches[345]. This is incorrect, her actual second husband being Geoffrey’s brother Simon d’Avranches, as shown by documents shown in Avranches chapter of the document UNTITLED ENGLISH NOBILITY. A writ dated 16 Nov "37 Hen III", after the death of "Joan de Ferres alias de Ferrers", names as her heir "John de Everenges alias de Averenges her son aged 23"[346].]

WILLIAM de Ferrers, son of WILLIAM de Ferrers Earl of Derby & his wife Sibyl de Briouse (?—22 Sep 1247).

• “Willielmus comes de Ferrariis, filius Willielmi comitis de Ferrariis” donated property to Tutbury Priory, for the soul of “Agnetis uxoris meæ”, by undated charter[350]. He succeeded his father in 1190 as Earl of Derby.
• “Willielmus de Ferrariis comes Derbiæ” confirmed donations to Derley Priory, for the soul of “uxoris meæ Agnetis”, by undated charter[351].
• The Annales Londonienses record the death in 1246 of "Willelmus comes de Ferreres"[352].
• The Annals of Burton record the death “X Kal Oct” in 1247 of “Willelmus de Ferrariis…comes Derbeiæ”[353].

m (1192) AGNES [Alice] of Chester, daughter of HUGH Earl of Chester & his wife Bertrade de Montfort (?—2 Nov 1247).

• The Annales Londonienses record that "Ranulphus comes Cestriæ" had four sisters, of whom "tertia…Agnes" married "comiti de Ferrariis, id est Derby, Willelmo seniori"[354].
• “Willielmus comes de Ferrariis, filius Willielmi comitis de Ferrariis” donated property to Tutbury Priory, for the soul of “Agnetis uxoris meæ”, by undated charter[355].
• Lady of Chartley, Staffordshire, and Bugbrooke, Northamptonshire, following her brother's death in 1232[356].
• “Willielmus de Ferrariis comes Derbiæ” confirmed donations to Derley Priory, for the soul of “uxoris meæ Agnetis”, by undated charter[357].
• The Annals of Burton record the death “X Kal Oct” in 1247 of “Willelmus de Ferrariis…comes Derbeiæ” and “IV Non Nov” of “Agnes comitissa uxor eius”[358].