William Fitz Richard of Cardinham

William FitzRichard, Lord of Cardinham was a significant landowner in Cornwall having held 71 knights fees.

William FitzRichard and Anor had a son, his successor, Robert fitz William. Their daughter was Mabel (Beatrice), who married REYNOLD de DUNSTANVILLE, Earl of Cornwall (d. 1 July 1175 Chertsey, Surrey). Another son, Baldwin, became the Prior of Tywardreth.

Biography

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/FitzRichard-78

He appears already as lord of Cardinham in 1110.[1]

In 1123, in the company of other prominent west country landholders, he witnessed Henry I's charter in favour of Exeter Cathedral.[2]

At the beginning of Stephen's reign (according to the author of the Gesta Stephani), he swore allegiance to the new king and in return, as the most influential landholder in Cornwall, was given custody of the royal castle of Launceston and a general responsibility for administering the county.

However, in 1140, following the Angevin invasion of England, he broke faith with the king and admitted into the castle Reginald (d. 1175), one of Henry I's illegitimate sons and a leading partisan of the Empress Matilda. He also gave him his daughter in marriage and effectively handed over control of the county to him. Although King Stephen attempted to reverse this arrangement, Reginald's creation as earl of Cornwall later in the year confirmed his ascendancy in the county. William fitz Richard became his vassal, thereafter holding his fief of the earl for the service of fifty-one knights. On his granting of land at Goodmansleigh, Devon, to Launceston Priory, William duly described Earl Reginald as his lord and friend. He also made grants to his father's foundation at Tywardreath.

Keats-Rohan's entry for him notes:[3]

By his first wife Anor he was father of his successor Robert fitz William and Mabel, wife of Earl Rainald of Cornwall (Mon. Exon. 39; Cart Launceston 252). His son probably succeeded him by c.1140.

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Notes

http://www.oldcornwall.net/download/i/mark_dl/u/4011819032/46369917...

William fitz Richard died at or before 1149 and was succeeded by his son Robert fitz William.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reginald_de_Dunstanville,_1st_Earl_of...

Reginald married Mabel FitzRichard, daughter of William FitzRichard, a substantial landholder in Cornwall, by whom he had the following progeny ...

https://www.aaprideaux.com/general/baldwin-de-pridias-lord-of-pride...

The Cardinhams and Turstins built their stronghold at Lostwithiel and called it Restormel Castle. Amongst other castles being built was Tintagel, the fabled castle of King Arthur. This was begun around 1140 by Reginald Earl of Cornwall, one of Henry I illegitimate sons and another half brother of Matilda. Reginald married the daughter of William Fitz Richard the new Lord of Cardinham, This William was the son of Richard Fitz Torold, the steward around Tywardreath.

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http://www.oldcornwall.net/download/i/mark_dl/u/4011819032/46369917...

1120 - Last likely date of death of Richard fitz Turold, who was succeeded by his son, William fitz Richard. There is no extant charter relating to St Sergius or Tywardreath from his lifetime but a charter made by his grandson Robert ‘III’ [Orme%E2%80%99s usage] suggests he did make one and that a community existed at Tywardreath. See 1200.

William fitz Richard died at or before 1149 and was succeeded by his son Robert fitz William. Between 1149-1175 Robert fitz William witnessed a charter in which Jordan of Otham granted the priory property ‘in return for burial there with his ancestors.’ Suggests existence of priory well before mid-12th century.

“ 12th Century Cornwall: Penhallam Manor and the Origins of the Cardinham Family“ 24/6/2015

Richard Fitz Turold son William received from his father the manor of Penhallam along with twenty seven other manors that made up the great Honour of Cardinham. Richard’s greatest achievement was the amassing of power and lands and William’s was getting his family through the doors into the royal court, albeit by the back door. William married his daughter to Reginald, Earl of Cornwall who was son of Henry I and his mistress Sibyl Corbett. By 1166 the manor had passed to Robert fitz William who held a vast amount of land in his own right, the manor of Bodardle and parts of the manor of Restomal all of which were the lands of the above named Tursin whose family had become extinct on the death of Walter Hay, who was Roberts brother in law. On his death Robert held these lands through that of his wife. It is more than likely that Robert built the stone keep at Restormal Castle.

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardinham

Richard Fitz Turold (Thorold) was an Anglo-Norman landowner of the eleventh century, mentioned in the Domesday Survey. He had a castle at Cardinham,[4] where he was a major tenant and steward of Robert of Mortain. The holding included the manor of Penhallam.[5] His son was William Fitz Richard of Cardinham. Restormel Castle belonged to the Cardinhams in the 12th century, until Andrew de Cardinham's daughter married Thomas de Tracey. Cardinham Castle remained in the family (succeeded by the Dinhams) until the 14th century and later became a ruin.[6] The manor of Cardinham is one of the few where the custom of Free Bench is recorded: by this a widow could retain tenure of the land until she remarried.

Family

• Not a known father of Maud de Vernon

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http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/enguntdk.htm#BeatriceFitzWilliamMRe...

A. DESCENDANTS of RICHARD FITZTUROLD

• 1. RICHARD FitzTurold (-after 1103). "…Richard fitz Turolf…" witnessed the charter dated to [1103/04] under which King Henry I confirmed property to Saint-Martin de Marmoutier, Tours[785]. m ---. Richard & his wife had one child:
  • a) WILLIAM FitzRichard (-after 1136). Lord of Cardinham, Cornwall. "…William fitz Richard…" witnessed the charter dated to [15 Apr 1123] under which King Henry I restored churches in Cornwall and Devon to Exeter Cathedral[786]. The 1130 Pipe Roll records "Wills fil Ric" returning in Devonshire for "uxore Fulbti de Doura cum dote et maritagio suo"[787]. The relationship between William FitzRichard and the family of Fulbert of Dover has not been traced. "…[W]illelmus filius Ri[cardi]" witnessed the charter dated [Apr/21 Nov] 1136 under which King Stephen confirmed churches to Exeter Cathedral[788]. m ---. William & his wife had [three] children:
    • i) [ROBERT FitzWilliam (-after 1169). A charter of King Henry III, dated 6 May 1235, records donations to Tywardreth Priory, Cornwall by “Robertus filius Willielmi et Agnes uxor…et Robertus meus filius” dated 1169 which names Robert as "fratre Baldewyno existente priore apud Tiwardrait"[789].] m AGNES, daughter of --- (-after 1169). A charter of King Henry III, dated 6 May 1235, records donations to Tywardreth Priory, Cornwall by “Robertus filius Willielmi et Agnes uxor…et Robertus meus filius” dated 1169 which names Robert as "fratre Baldewyno existente priore apud Tiwardrait"[790]. Robert & his wife had one child:
      • (a) ROBERT . A charter of King Henry III, dated 6 May 1235, records donations to Tywardreth Priory, Cornwall by “Robertus filius Willielmi et Agnes uxor…et Robertus meus filius” dated 1169 which names Robert as "fratre Baldewyno existente priore apud Tiwardrait"[791].
    • ii) [BALDWIN (-after 1169). Prior of Tywardreth. A charter of King Henry III, dated 6 May 1235, records donations to Tywardreth Priory, Cornwall by “Robertus filius Willielmi et Agnes uxor…et Robertus meus filius” dated 1169 which names Robert as "fratre Baldewyno existente priore apud Tiwardrait"[792].]
    • iii) BEATRICE FitzWilliam . The Gesta Stephani Regis records that "Willelmus filius Ricardi…[in] comitatus Cornubiensis" rebelled against King Stephen and married "filiam suam" to "Reinaldo filio regis Henrici", dated to [1140/42][793]. The primary source which confirms her name has not yet been identified. She is called Mabilia in Domesday Descendants[794]. m ([1141]%29 RENAUD [de Dunstanville], illegitimate son of HENRY I King of England & his mistress Sibyl Corbet ([1110/15]-Chertsey, Surrey 1 Jul 1175, bur Reading Abbey). He was created Earl of Cornwall in [Apr 1141] by his half-sister Empress Matilda.
• 2. GILBERT FitzTurold . King Henry I refers to land "in Compton Greenfield which Gilbert fitz Turold held" in a charter dated to [1111 before 2 Apr][795].

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Origins

• Not the son of Richard FitzRichard de Clare, Abbot of Ely & Emma de Beauchamp

References

• http://www.tim.ukpub.net/pl_tree/wc17/wc17_173.html cites
  • 62. TCP, “Complete Peerage,” G E C et al, St Catharine press, London, 1910 on. Cornwall article, Vol III, p. 429
  • 118. “II: Domesday Descendants,” K S B Keats-Rohan, Boydell Press, 2002.
• https://www.mathematical.com/fitzrichardwilliam1084.html
• https://sites.rootsweb.com/~mainegenie/FITZRICH.htm
• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/91309957/william-fitz_richard
• https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/FitzRichard-78 cites
• Itinerary of Henry I p.56 no.257 Archive.Org
• Regesta regum Anglo-Normannorum, 1066-1154 p.185 charter 1391
• Keats-Rohan, "Filius Ricardi de Cardinham, Willelm" in Domesday Descendants, p.948
• Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
• Phillips, Weber, Kirk and Staggs Families of the Pacific Northwest, by Jim Weber, rootsweb.com
• http://www.thepeerage.com/p10673.htm#i106727 cites
  • Alison Weir, Britain's Royal Families: The Complete Genealogy (London, U.K.: The Bodley Head, 1999), page 48. Hereinafter cited as Britain's Royal Families.
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William%2C_Count_of_Mortain
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Tinchebray
• Daniel Lysons and Samuel Lysons, 'General history: Extinct peers and baronial families', in Magna Britannia: Volume 3, Cornwall (London, 1814), pp. lxxviii-lxxxix. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/magna-britannia/vol3/lxxviii-lxxxix [accessed 6 May 2021].
• William Fitz Richard, possibly son and heir, mentioned in deeds in 1110 and 1130, date of death unknown. It has been suggested that William's daughter and heiress became the wife of Reginald, Earl of Cornwall.
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feudal_barony_of_Cardinham
• Sanders, p.110
• From: PRIDEAUX, A WEST COUNTRY CLAN by R.M. Prideaux 1988 and Davis/Pope/Giacometti/Pangelina Family Tree Ancestry.com (Owner: patricia 9590) William FITZ RICHARD Lord of Cardinham Born: Abt 1085, Cardinham, Bodmin, Cornwall Died: After 1130 Marriage Information: William married Miss DE MORTAIGNE, daughter of Cte Robert DE MORTAIGNE Earl of Cornwall and Almodis. (Miss DE MORTAIGNE was born about 1086 in Cardinan, Cornwall.)
• https://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/enguntdk.htm#_Toc21080984
• https://thehistoryjar.com/2021/03/26/the-earl-of-cornwall/ He was born circa 1110 , so after Henry vowed to give up mistresses when he married Edith/Matilda of Scotland. The Earl of Cornwall. Reginald de Dunstanville, or Reginald FitzHenry, or Rainald rather than Reginald, was one of Henry I’s illegitimate sons by Sybilla Corbet. ... His path followed that of many illegitimate children of the monarchy – his title and wealth came through a marriage arranged to an heiress in this case Beatrice FitzRichard the daughter of an important Cornish landowner. Reginald became Lord of Cardinham through the marriage. Having said that most sources indicate that the marriage took place in 1140 – five years after the death of Henry I. ...
• https://www.slideshare.net/JonathanCaddy/an-examination-into-the-po... Reginald Earl of Cornwall was one of the most powerful earls during the reigns of Stephen and Henry ll ...
• https://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=8437
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stone_crosses_in_Cornwall Two freestanding Celtic crosses of stone (illustrated Fig. h4, h5 & h5a), bearing inscriptions in Latin have been found in Cardinham; both had been embedded in the walls of the fifteenth-century church and were moved after their discovery to the churchyard. One has been dated to the fifth to eighth centuries, the other to the tenth or eleventh centuries:[188] Arthur Langdon (1896) also records five other stone crosses in the parish.[189]