Conquest to Botetourt (d. 1325).
I started the Medieval era of Belchamp Walters history with a page on Aubrey de Vere, not that I now believe that he was the owner/overseer of the area over the whole period, rather than he is the name that you will first come across if you do any precursory research.
The "goings-on" in the area are far more to do with the consequences of the period after the Conquest and the struggle for power the existed in the years following. William the Bastard, as an invader, had a tough enough time ruling the country and have battles with his eldest son. The passing of the reign to a successor was fraught with the death of his rightful heirs in hunting accidents and due to the loss of his favourite son in the White Ship Disaster. The outcome of which was an intriguing "battle" for power between his daughter, Empress Matilda and his nephew Stephen. The battles ensued in the Anarchy and many castles were built and pulled down!
The reasons for the sieges at Castle Hedingham and other castles meating their fate, such as Bedford castle, now become clearer. The de Beauchamps also come into the picture and they play an important role in the areas history. Walter de Beauchamp was one of Henry I's "New Men", being favoured for his stewardship of the forests so loved for hunting by the Normans. The de Beauchamp heritage is not well documented, even by the experts on Wikipedia, only that the family spilt into two factions. The de Beauchamps of Bedford subsequently married into the area through other local nobles such as the Ottos and Botetorts. There is even a story the John de Boutetourt was the illegitimate son of Edward I.
There are many names of families cited by Thomas Wright in his History and Topology of Essex. The 250 years from Norman invasion to the death of Sir John seem to be pretty typical of what was going on in the Nation at large. Much of what we see recorded as history revolves around the medievil royal court. The country was "managed" by Demesne Lords. Aubrey de Vere was the chief Demesne Lord and was "granted" many estates in the area.
Names: mentioned in Thomas Wright's Essex history
Some of these families as also mentioned by Historic England
in relation to Belchamp Manor
(as well as Thomas Wright)
- Aubrey de Vere - 1066 1086
- de Beauchamp - there has to be a missing link here
- Geofrey de Mandeville - 1st Earl of Essex - 1st husband of Roese deVere - 1100
- William Montchensy - or possibly William de Montecanyso of Edwardestone - 1340
- Simon de Pateshull - pre 1217
- Payne de Beauchamp, baron of Bedford - b. 1118
- Simon de Beauchamp, was steward of the household to King Stephen - son of Payne 1240??
- William de Beauchamp of Bedford - the medievil John Smith - 1250??
- Battle of Evesham 1265
- Roger de Mowbray 1218
- Baldwin Wake - about 1250
- John de Steyngreve - 1245-1295
- Thomas Fitz-Otho 1325
- Walter de Tay - post 1270 (1300)
- Sir John de Botetourt - I have a lot of work to do here - 1302
- John Gernon - The 1340's? - Swynbourne - Sir Robert and Joan (Botetourt)
What I am trying to do
Having created a series of pages relating to names found in various sources I am now trying to "knit" it all together.
The information that I could find online and that already existed was somewhat inadequate.