4O3 HISTORY and ANTIQUITIES of LEICESTERSHIRE. As Far As They
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4o3 HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES OF LEICESTERSHIRE. MLLIOIRS of the FAMILY of FERRARS, or de FERRARIIS, Earls of DERBY, 8tc. as far as they were connected with the Hundred of FRAMLAND. The fust of this family that settled in this realm was In Lombard-street, London, is a common ostery HENRY DE FKRPERS, son to Gualcheline de Ferrers, called Tbe George, of such a sign. This is said to have a Norman. Whether he accompanied duke William at belonged to Robert ear! Ferrers, and was his London his first entraure hither is hard to fay; for, it is evi- lodging in Lombard-street; and that, in the year dent, that Stutelburie (now called Tutbury), given him H75> a brother of the said carl, being then privily (inter alia) by the renowned conqueror, belonged to slain in the night, was there thrown into the street6. Hugh de Abrincis, a Norman also ; and therefore, if : To this Robert succeeded William earl Ferrers, his he came in af^rwards, it was certainly before the ge- son and heir; who, in 12 Henry II. upon collection neral survey of this realm, begun by that king about of an aid to the king, paid sixty-eight marks. He also thefourteemh year of his reign ; he being then one confirmed all those grants to the monks of Tutbury, of the commissioners appointed for that great service '. which had been made by Robert his father and Robert Thar he was a person of much eminence both for his grandfather ; and farther gave unto them one ox- his knowledge and integrity, there is no doubt; other- gang of land in Merston, upon the day that he caused wise, it is nor likely he should have been trusted in so the body of Henry de Ferrers his ancestor to be re- high and weighty an employment: neither of less moved into the church of Tutbury, on the right hand power and wealth, as may be seen by the lands he then of the high altar. Moreover, he gave to the Knights possessed ; which were, twenty lordships in Berkfhire; Hospitalers the churches of Torrok and Stetbing in in Wiltstiire three; in Effex five; in Oxfordshire fe- Essex, with divers lands in Passenharn. This William ven; in Warwickshire fix ; in Lincolnshire two; in married Margaret, daughter and heir to William Pe- Buckinghamstiire two ; in Gloucestershire one; in verel of Nottingham; and left iffue by her two sons, Herefordshire two; in Flintshire three; in Notting- Robert and Walcheline. hamfhire three; in Leicestershire thirty-five; in Derby- Robert took to wife Sibilla, the daughter of William shire an hundred and fourteen; and in Staffordshire de Braose, of Brecknock; and, for the health of her fcven, besides the castle and borough of Tutbury; soul, as also of the foul of Berta her mother, daughter one of which seven was Chebfey, whereunto that part to Milo ear] of Hereford, gave to the monks of Dore, of Stafford appertained, wherein the king appointed a in Herefordshire, all Oxmeode. He also founded a castle to be built, instead of that which was then de- priory at Woodham, commonly called Woodham molifhed. Near unto which castle of Tutbury he Ferrers, in Essex. founded a good monastery for Cluniac Monks, and By Sibilla he left issue William \ his son and heir; amply endowed it with lands and revenues; Berta his and two daughters; Milisent, the wife of Roger lord wife first giving the whole town of Dubbridge, and Mortimer, of Wigmore; and Agatha, who, being afterwards the manor of Estanfort, thereto. He like- a concubine to king John, had by him a daughter, wife gave to the monks of Abendon, in Berkshire, called Joan, married to Lewellin prince of Wales. the tithes of Laking. Which William carl Ferrers not only confirmed to To this Henry succeeded his son Robert*. He the monks of Gerondon the inclosed grounds to Heth- commanded the Derbyshire men in the famous battle cote, with pasturage for an hundred sheep there, which of the Standard ; and, for his good service on that oc- his father had given to them; but added another piece casion, was advanced to the earldom of Derby; but of inclosure adjoining thereto, with pasturing for two died the year following, 1139 ; hundred sheep more, at sixscore the hundred; as also Leaving Robert his son and heir; who styled him- for fivekine, one bull, and fix oxen s: and in 1 Ric. I. felf " Robertus Comes Junior de Ferrariis;" and gave to the monks of St. Dennis in France, for the likewise " Comes Junior de Nottingham." health of his foul and the soul of Sibil his wife, one Which Robert, in 1141, (6 Steph.) gave to the wax-taper yearly, price thirteen pence; as also a stag monks of Tutbury all his tithes in Newborough. and a boar in their proper seasons, to be sent annually He likewise gave the church of Bredon, co. Leic. thither at the feast of St. Dennis by the messengers of with the tithes of his tenants in Tonge, Anderfkirk 3, him the said earl and his heirs: and likewise to the and Wivelstone, as also the chapels of Worthington monks of Lenton all his right to the church of Wood- and Staunton, with the tithes of Newbold and Dithes- ham in Essex ; which he specially gave for the health worth, of his fee, unto the canons of Nostel in York- of the souls of those who were with him at the burning ihire; which church of Bredon became thenceforth a of Nottingham, at the time, as it seems, when his father cell to that house4. Moreover, he founded the priory made such spoil there, as is before expressed. of Derby, afterwards translated to Derley, in that He also gave to those monks of Lenton the tithes county, for canons of St. Austin's order 5 as also the of all his ailarts in the forest of High Peak. abbey of Merevale, co. Warwick, for Cistercian But this William was ousted of those his earldoms monks, which he endowed with great possessions, and of Nottingham and Derby by king Richard I. in the "wherein he was buried, being wrapped up in an ox-hide, first year of his reign, as it seems; for, upon that He likewise confirmed to the monks of Gerendon, king's first arrival in England, after king Henry the co. Leicester, the lordship of Hethcot, given to them Second's death, it appears, that he bestowed those by his ancestorss; and bestowed on them one messuage, earldoms, with divers others, upon John earl of Mor- with twenty acres and an half of land, lying in New- taigne, his own brother. Howbeit, long it was not Bigging, Wolstancote, and Hertingdon ; with the that he continued so dispossessed ; for, he attended that moiety of a meadow, called Over-Meadow, in Lee; king in his Holy Land; and there departed this life another in Bradbourne, called Heye ; and another, at the siege of Aeon, 1190, leaving issue William9 his called Swetedoles : also six acres of land in Penewyk; son and heir; who in 3 Ric. I. paying one hundred and four oxgangs in Newbold, with certain tofts and pounds for his relief, had livery of his lands. crofts there: and, with William his son, gave Newton At the coronation also of king John, in the church •and Cottes ro the monks of Cumbermere in Cheshire, of St. Peter at Westminster, on Ascension-day, he was * See the Dissertation on Domesday Book, p. xxxiv. * Arms : Six horseshoes Sable, pierced Or ; 3.2. 1; fee plate LXXIII. fig. 4. * " This was formerly a village ; and seems by its name (being antiently written Andreikirkton, Andrefkirk, and Andreschirch) to have been a church-town. At the time of the general survey, it was included in Tunge; and, with that, was by the Con- queror given to Henry de Ferrariis, whose grandson, Robert earl of Nottingham, granted the tithes here to the priory of Bre- iion at its foundation. William Ferrers earl of Derby gave theni five virgates of land here. After which, they obtained divers others here from Robert de Tattefliall and Isolda Pantulf; and, having purchased and procured most of the rest from William de Bredon, Thomas Bany, John Passevaunt, and other inferior freeholders, they depopulated the village, and converted it into demesne ; so that for many ages the very name as well as site of it is lost in oblivion." MS. Dugdale. * See the History of Bredon priory. ' See the History of Gerendon abbey. 6 Stowe, London, p. 83, 7 Arms: Vaire, Or and Gules; on a border Azure, eight horseshoes Argent; fig. 5. ' See the History of Gerendon abbey. 9 Arms: Vaire, Or and Gules; fig. 6. present:.