How the Earls of Essex are relevant to Belchamp Walter

Earls of Essex

It is not surprising that Belchamp Walter has a historical connection to the Earls of Essex. This is no immediately obvious as the early history takes a little effort to determine. Apart from an account that there was an "very ancient monument" in the Chancel of the Church that no longer exists due to Victorian "renovations".

The Medieval history of the Village and the Manoral lands is recorded by Thomas Wrght in his History of Essex and the Duchess of Cleveland in her Battle Abbey Roll. Further additions are made here from various sources such as the description of listed buildings and from extracts taken from Inquistions Post-Mortem that are found referenced in geneoligical research.

Whereas Thomas Wright was writing his account in 1831/1836 I have not found many other complete works that mention the villages of the Belchamps.

This page is part of an on-going research project on the history of Belchamp Walter and the manor of Belchamp Walter. If you have found it making a web search looking for geneological or other information on the village then please bookmark this page and return often as I am likely to make regular updates. If you delve deeper into this website you will find many other pages similar to this one.

Alberic de Vere was the Demesne Lord appointed by William the Conqueror for the region called Thunderlow in the Domesday survey however the land was "assigned" to various other families during the time from Conquest to the late medievil period. There are references to Earls and Sheriffs of Essex and Hertfordshire. While these titles are not necassarily a direct indication that a person with that title lived in the region (in the way that the Duke of Edinburgh and the Prince of Wales are from such countries) the Earls of Oxford are widely known for connection to the area under the name of deVere and hence Castle Hedingham.

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What Thomas Wright says about the church:

" The church, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, is in good repair, and lofty, though not large; it is built partly of stone and partly of brick, has a handsome square tower, and there remains an arch on the north side of the nave, which was the entrance to a chapel called Botetourt's chapel.
There is an orchestra, with a fine-toned organ. This church, belonging originally to Alberic de Vere, was given by him to the priory of Earl's Colne, and this house appropriated to itself the great tithes, which, going to the crown on the general dissolution, left the living (which is a vicarage) very small; but it was augmented by William Raymond, Esq. and others, in 1727, who gave £100, and a house valued at £6 per annum, which insured the further augmentation of the living by a donation of £200 from Queen Anne's bounty. "

The Chancel is the oldest part of St. Mary's, probably the original Saxon Chapel.

" In the chancel there is a handsome monument of white and grey marble, ornamented with sculptures, erected to the memory of various individuals of the R_____ family, whose names are inscribed on a marble table, with their ages, and time of their decease. This family have a vault under the church. "

A very Ancient Monument

" There are also the remains of a very ancient monument, of elaborate workmanship, said to be erected to the memory of one of the earls of Essex, but the inscription has been entirely defaced. "

There is no evidence of the "very ancient" monument in the Church today. It is speculated that this was a "victim" of the "renovations" of J. M. St.Clere Raymond in 1859.

Thomas Wright wrote his account before these renovations and the monument may have been seen as being of little significance. This is similar to the attitude to the murals and the Botetourt Chapel. There is no mention of the memorial in the British History online "An Inventory of the Historical Monuments in Essex, Volume 1 - 1916".

The instalation of the stained-glass in the chapel opening is also testiment to the lack of respect for heritage. The placement of the tomb of Frederick Perry, who the was the husband of Emma Brereton Raymond, Md. 1858, the daughter of Samuel Millbank Raymond and Sarah Cooke, in the churchyard outside the chapel to the North.
Frederick Perry died in 1885

Lost Heritage

The marriage of Rohese de Vere and Geofrey de Mandeville seems to be a significant event in the history of Belchamp Walter that has not been fully recorded.

The removal of the Chantry to Sir John Botetourt (in 1574) and the defacement of the memorial, that is no longer in evidence in the chancel are examples of this.

I have multiple cross-references on these pages. Below is some text from Thomas Wright relating to Sir John Botetourt. This shows the connection to the Fitz Otho family, which links back to de Beauchamp.

What Thomas Wright says about the Botetourt family:

" In the time of King Henry the Second, one of the ancient family of Otto, or Othon, held this estate, which descended to his son William, whose son, Otho Fitz- William, was sheriff" of Essex and Hertfordshire for nine years successively. His wife and his son, William, in 1200, paid scutage for two knights' fees; and Otho, the son of William, or Fitz-William, held one carucate and half a knight's fee of the king, as of his honour of Boulogne, whose son, of the same name, held one knight's fee here, besides what he had in Gestingthorp and Gosfield. He was succeeded by Thomas, his brother's son, who was engraver for the king's mint, and died in 1274. (footnote)

By his wife Beatrix, second daughter and co-heiress of William de Beauchamp, he had a son, who died in 1282, without issue, and three daughters, Johanna, Maud and Beatrix. The eldest and youngest died unmarried, and Maud was married to Sir John de Botetourt, of Mendlesham, in Suffolk, in 1302. The family of Botetourt came from Normandy with the Conqueror, and were lords of Witley Castle, in Worcestershire. Sir John de Botetourt had summons to parliament from 1307 to 1323, and for his military achievements was rewarded and honoured by Edward the First.

1291, and attended that monarch in his wars and expeditions into France and Scotland; as he did also Edward the Second; and he was also admiral of their fleets.
He held, jointly with his wife Maud, this manor, and also the manors of Belchamp St. Ethelbert and Walter, and of Ovington, Gestingthorp, and Gosfield. He died in 1324, having had by his wife Maud, Fitz-Otho, Thomas, John, Otho, Robert, and Elizabeth, married to William Latimer.
Thomas, the eldest son, married Joan, one of the sisters and co-heiresses of John de Somery, baron of Dudley, who brought with her a large inheritance; but he died before his father: and Sir John, the second son, inherited the Essex estates, particularly this of Beauchamp Otton, with appertenances; two parts of which he devised to Adam St. Philebert, for his life, who outlived him several years, the latter dying in 1352, Sir John having died in 1339; and Margaret, his wife, died in 1376, having had this manor in dower.
Her son, John Botetourt, who died before her, had married Joan, daughter and co-heiress of John Gernon, of the noble family of the barons of Stansted Montfitchet, .................."

List of Earls of Essex - from the Wikipedia page

Earls of Essex, first creation (c. 1139)

Geoffrey de Mandeville, 1st Earl of Essex (died 1144)
Geoffrey de Mandeville, 2nd Earl of Essex (died 1166)
William de Mandeville, 3rd Earl of Essex (died 1189) (extinct)

Earls of Essex, second creation (1199)

Geoffrey Fitzpeter, 1st Earl of Essex (died 1213)
Geoffrey FitzGeoffrey de Mandeville, 2nd Earl of Essex (died 1216)
William FitzGeoffrey de Mandeville, 3rd Earl of Essex (died 1227) (extinct)

Earls of Essex, third creation (1239)

Humphrey de Bohun, 1st Earl of Essex (died 1275)
Humphrey de Bohun, 2nd Earl of Essex (died 1298)
Humphrey de Bohun, 3rd Earl of Essex (died 1322) - Also 4th Earl of Hertford - Was killed at Battle of Boroughbridge.
John de Bohun, 4th Earl of Essex (died 1336)
Humphrey de Bohun, 5th Earl of Essex (1309–1361)
Humphrey de Bohun, 6th Earl of Essex (1342–1373) (extinct)

Earls of Essex, fourth creation (1376)

Thomas of Woodstock, Earl of Essex (1355–1397) (forfeit)

Earls of Essex, fifth creation (1461)

Henry Bourchier, 1st Earl of Essex (died 1483)
Henry Bourchier, 2nd Earl of Essex (died 1540) (extinct)

Earls of Essex, sixth creation (1540)

Thomas Cromwell, Earl of Essex (1485–1540) (forfeit)

Earls of Essex, seventh creation (1543)

William Parr, 1st Marquess of Northampton (1513–1571) (forfeit 1553; restored 1559; extinct 1571)

Earls of Essex, eighth creation (1572)

Walter Devereux, 1st Earl of Essex (1541–1576)
Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex (1566–1601)
Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex (1591–1646) (extinct) - English Civil War - 1641-1651

Barons Capell of Hadham (1641) - Charles I

Arthur Capell, 1st Baron Capell of Hadham (1604–1649)
Arthur Capell, 2nd Baron Capell of Hadham (1631–1683) (created Earl of Essex in 1661)

Earls of Essex, ninth creation (1661)

Arthur Capell, 1st Earl of Essex (1631–1683)
Algernon Capell, 2nd Earl of Essex (1670–1710)
William Capell, 3rd Earl of Essex (1697–1743)
William Anne Capell, 4th Earl of Essex (1732–1799)
George Capel-Coningsby, 5th Earl of Essex (1757–1839)
Arthur Algernon Capell, 6th Earl of Essex (1803–1892)
- Arthur de Vere Capell, Viscount Malden (1826–1879) - Grandson of Arthur Capell, 1st Earl (9th creation) - marriage to a de Vere here???
George Devereux de Vere Capell, 7th Earl of Essex (1857–1916)
Algernon George de Vere Capell, 8th Earl of Essex (1884–1966)
Reginald George de Vere Capell, 9th Earl of Essex (1906–1981) (dormant 1981)
Robert Edward de Vere Capell, 10th Earl of Essex (1920–2005) (revived 1989) (Frederick) Paul de Vere Capell, 11th Earl of Essex (born 1944)

Earls of Essex

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