Margaret de Say of Richard's Castle, Baroness of Burford

from fmgMedlands

a) MARGERY de Say ([1190/96]-1230). The primary source which confirms her first marriage has not yet been identified. Military fee certifications in the Red Book of the Exchequer, in 1166 (but added later), record that "Robertus de Mortuo mari" held 23 knights’ fees "in honore Castelli Ricardi" with "filia Hugonis de Say hærede Osberti filii Hugonis" in Herefordshire[497]. The sheriff of Essex was ordered to cause "Margaret de Say, who was the wife of Robert de Mortimer" to have "the rightful dower of the lands formerly of Robert her former husband", dated to [Jul] 1219[498]. "Margareta de Say filia Hugonis de Sai, quondam uxor Roberti de Mortuomari" quitclaimed to the monks of Worcester Cathedral priory certain services due to her from their manor of Boraston by charter dated 1219[499]. Henry III King of England consented to the marriage of "Margaretam que fuit uxor Roberti de Mortuo Mari" and "Willelmus de Stutevill" dated 23 Nov 1219[500]. "William de Stuteville" paid a fine to marry "Margaret who was the wife of Robert de Mortimer", dated to [Nov] 1219[501]. The Annals of Worcester record the death in 1230 of “Margerie de Say”[502]. Inquisitiones dated 20 May 1259 record that "William de Scoteville" held the manors of Wychbold and Cotheridge in Worcestershire from "Margery his wife" and name "Sir Hugh de Mortuo Mari son of the said Margery" as her next heir and of full age[503]. m firstly (1197 or after) HUGH de Ferrers of Lechlade, son of WALKELIN de Ferrers & his wife --- (-1204). m secondly ([6 May 1209/Jun 1211]) ROBERT de Mortimer, son of ROGER [III] de Mortimer & his [second] wife Isabel de Ferrers (-before [Jul] 1219). m thirdly (Royal licence 23 Nov 1219) WILLIAM de Stuteville, son of WILLIAM de Stuteville & his wife --- (-before 20 May 1259).

———————————

From http://www.rpi.edu/~holmes/Hobbies/Genealogy/ps25/ps25_451.htm

Cokayne, G.E. "Mortimer of Richard's Castle" in "The

Complete Peerage" Vol. IX, pp.258-261.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

MARGARET DE SAY, BARONESS OF BURFORD

IN 1197 Margaret Say married Hugh Ferrers AND TOOK THE BARONY OF BURFORD TO HIM IN MARRIAGE. Hugh was the son of Walkelin Ferrers of Oakham, in Rutland, and his sister, Isabella (d. 1253) was married to Margarets Say's neighbor, Roger Mortimer of Wigmore (d. 1214). However, his career as Lord of Burford proved short lived and he died probably in 1204, leaving Margaret as the widowed baroness of Richard's Castle and Burford.

Any such independence she did have was soon removed when King John granted her lands to the custody of Earl Thomas Galway of Athol, a commission he held until 30 June 1207, when King John ordered Thomas to surrender the castles of Stapleton and Richard's Castle back to the hands of royal bailiffs. Thomas was later disgraced.

In June 1211 Robert Mortimer of Essex married the widowed Margaret Say and consequently held Richard's Castle for the rest of his life in right of his wife, although he only seems to have managed to acquire 5 1/2 fees of the barony initially. Robert Mortimer died in the summer of 1219, around the same time as he was presented by Margaret Say with a son and heir, Hugh Mortimer (d. 1275).

On 23 November 1219 Margaret married her third and final husband, William Stuteville, who was to hold Richard's Castle and Burford until his death in 1259, much to the eventual chagrin of Margaret's son and heir, Hugh Mortimer. William Stuteville's career as Lord of Burford does not seem to have been very eventful, and we can expect that little capital was expended on the borough or castle, as it was to be held only for William's lifetime and was repeatedly claimed by William's son-in-law, Hugh Mortimer. By holding the castles of Richard's Castle, Stapleton, and mayber Bleddfa, William Stuteville was a marcher baron and, as such, it is no surprise to find Robert Bund receiving 6d from the king on 1 October 1226 for going to visit Hugh Mortimer (of Wigmore) and William Stuteville.

At Easter 1242, Hugh, the son of Robert Mortimer, launched a determined attempt to gain his mother's lands, probably on the occasion of her death. The attempt failed, but in 1243 Hugh was granted his mother's hereditary lands of Homme (Hamme) and Clifton on Teme in Worcestershire and Cascob (Cascope) in Radnorshire as a settlement by his father-in-law. It is interesting that no castle was mentioned at Homme and it may be presumed that the old motte of Richard Fitz Scrope set in the now peaceful Worcestershire had long been derelict. The same is probably also true of Tenbury, or Burford motte, the town of Tenbury Wells offering far better accommodation to the Lord of Burford than an ancient and obsolete castle.

William Stuteville died before 20 May 1259 when Sir Hugh Mortimer, aged 40, inherited Richard's Castle and the BURFORD BARONY.

www.castles99.ukpring.com/Essays/richards.html

References

• Proceedings of the Somersetshire Archaeological and Natural History Society. By Somersetshire Archaeological and Natural History Society. Page 208-209. < GoogleBooks >