William Devereux (1219–1265) was an important Marcher Lord who held Lyonshall Castle controlling a strategically vital approach to the border of Wales. The castle's significance was heightened by the rebellion of Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, Prince of Wales. With strong family ties to the politically powerful families of Cantilupe and Giffard, his support was strongly sought after by Henry III and Simon de Montfort throughout the Second Barons' War.
Contents
Life
Birth and Ancestry
William Devereux was born in 1219, the son of Stephen Devereux and Isabel de Cantilupe. She was the daughter of William de Cantilupe (died 1239) and Mazilia Braci. His father had risen to be a powerful member of the inner circle of William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke, which led to a prominent role during the regency of Henry III. The Devereux family had been prominent along the Welsh Marches since the conquest, and William was a descendant of the Domesday land holder, William Devereux. The coat of arms for Devereux portrayed on his mother's grant in 1242 was 'a fess and in chief three torteauxes.' His coat of arms was described as "argent, fess and three roundels in chief gules" or "gules od un fesse d'argent ove turteaus d'argent en le chief."
Early life
At his father's death, William was only 8 years old, and came under the sway of his maternal relatives including William de Cantelupe (died 1254), Lord of Abergavenny; Walter de Cantilupe, Bishop of Worcester; and Thomas de Cantilupe, Bishop of Hereford. His interests on the Welsh Marches were further guarded by his paternal uncles: John Devereux of Bodenham and Decies and Nicholas Devereux of Chanston. The close relationship of the Cantelupe family with Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester would later influence Devereux's decisions during the Second Barons' War.
William Devereux's lands were taken into the King's hands on 17 March 1228 (excluding the dower of his mother, Isabel) and initially placed under the control of Gilbert de Lacy, Lord of Weobley. De Lacy was summoned to mediate a dispute in 1229 over rent due the Prior of Leonard in Pyon (Wormsley) from the lands granted them by William's father, Stephen. When Gilbert de Lacy died about 1230, Devereux's estates were placed under the direct guardianship of Gilbert's father, Walter de Lacy, Lord of Meath.
Gilbert de Lacy also was involved in an ongoing dispute that began in 1221 with the Abbot of Saint Peter's in Gloucester over the appointment of a priest for the Church of Stoke Lacy. Following his father's death, William Devereux became embroiled in this controversy, and ultimately yielded the right to the Abbots in 1261 (45 Henry III). This would later be confirmed by his son, William Devereux, Baron Devereux of Lyonshall, after his death.
His lands at Lower Hayton were held from him by Giles de Clifford, and Giles was in the service of Richard Marshal, 3rd Earl of Pembroke. Following Marshal's death at the Battle of the Curragh in 1234 the King had Lower Hayton seized by the sheriff of Salop, and it was not returned to William Devereux's control until he came of age in 1240.
Principal landholdings
As William Devereux came of age he directed his efforts at re-establishing control over his father's estates and his position as a powerful Marcher Lord. The Testa de Nevill showed him holding at least four and a half fees in Herefordshire, and a half fee at Lower Hayton, county Shropshire. The center of his lordship was his castle at Lyonshall in Herefordshire. He possessed the manors of Ballingham, Frome Haymond (Halmond), Holme Lacy, Luntley, Lawton, Stoke Lacy, La Fenne (Bodenham), and Whitchurch maund in Herefordshire; Oxenhall and Guleing in Gloucestershire; Cheddrehole in Somersetshire; Lower Hayton in Shropshire; and Trumpeton (Trumpington) in Cambridgeshire. He held additional lands at Cattelegh (Cattelee), Clehonger, Heregast (Hergest Ridge), and Staunton-on Wye in Herefordshire; and Stanton in Worcestershire.
In 1237 William Devereux released the wardship and marriage of Robert de Barewe to Alice de Mynors. A proclamation was made about 29 Sep 1244 following the death of Robert de la Berwe that any Jew who had claim to the estate needed to come forward before 28 Nov 1244. On that day the sheriff indicated claims only from Sampson, son of Moses, and Meyr le Petiti. They were instructed to appear on 29 Jan 1245 to account with William Devereux, guardian of Robert's lands. On 20 April 1248 Richard of Juveny, steward of Richard de la Bere, submitted to the king's court a request to recover the lands of Richard de la Bere which are in the kings hands following a default on a plea of warranty against William Devereux.
William Devereux brought an assize de morte d’ancestor in 1238 against Walter de la Hide for back rent in Hyde (part of Putley), Hereford. He withdrew his claim following the gift of a sparrowhawk.
About 1240 William was mentioned in Walter de Lacy's charter describing the grant of L30 rent in Holme Lacy (Herefordshire) and the village of Hay (Ireland) to Simon de Clifford for the manor of Yarkhill (Herefordshire). Devereux also witnessed the grant of Katherine, daughter of Walter Lacy of Land in Cofham to Acornbury Priory. During Easter 1244 Margery, widow of Walter de Lacy, sued William Devereux for one third of 2 mills in Hereford, which she claimed as part of her dower.
He confirmed in 1240 his father, Stephen's grant to Wormsley Priory that had required mediation by Gilbert de Lacy in 1229. In 1241 William forgave 10 marks of rent owed by Wormsley for the use of Holme Lacy in exchange for the blessings of the church for him and his heirs. There would be further disagreement in 1242 over a pond and alder grove in Hereford with Thomas de Fauconburg, Canon of Hereford, that had been disputed by his father, Stephen Devereux, in 1221; and estover in his woods of Lyonshall in 1243. The dispute was finally settled in 1248. In a final concord William conceded 2 acres of woods in Kingswood in frank almoin; common pasture in his warrens at Lyonshall and his fields; and two mills in Lyonshall, for which he also granted wood for their construction and rights of ingress and egress, along with the suit his men owed to the mills. He also remitted and quitclaimed 6 shillings rent, which he drew from the prior, and gave the prior 2 marks. In return, the Prior remitted and quitclaimed any other rights of estover he might have in William's woods; agreed to move a certain mill to a new location and quitclaim it to William; as well as renouncing some ways and paths and right of pannage for fifty pigs, all in the wood of ‘Kerdeslg’ (Eardsly?). On 24 June 1249 the church of Hereford confirmed their acceptance of the concord. On 14 April 1256 William Devereux again confirmed the charters and grants of his father, Stephen Devereux, to the church of Saint Leonard of Wormsley (de Pyon). This was witnessed by his cousin, Walter Devereux.
Career
Following the death of Llywelyn the Great on 11 April 1240, he was succeeded by his son, Dafydd ap Llywelyn. Henry III called the Welsh and Marcher Lords including William Devereux to gather at Gloucester on 15 May 1240. The Welsh continued to resist, and the king invaded Gwynedd forcing Dafydd to sign the Treaty of Gwerneigron on 29 August 1241.
In late 1244, following the death of Gruffydd ap Llywelyn Fawr on 1 March 1244 at the Tower of London, the king granted estates in Powys to Gruffydd ap Gwenwynwyn triggering a revolt in Wales requiring the king to send an army, which included Devereux. The English army defeated the Welsh at the Battle of Montgomery in late February 1245. On 6 September 1245 the king gave William Devereux 10 oaks from the Haye in Hereford for his use as reward for his faithful service.
Dafydd died on 25 February 1246, and was succeeded by Llywelyn ap Gruffudd. In 1247 Henry III intervened again and came to terms with the Welsh with the Treaty of Woodstock.
William Devereux accompanied King Henry III on his expedition to suppress a rebellion in Gascony. The king arrived in August 1253, and remained there until a treaty was signed with Alphonso X in April 1254. On 2 October 1254 the King ordered that William Devereux was to receive the equivalent of 100 shillings sterling in cloth or other goods as payment towards wages earned by his service.
On 24 July 1256 William Devereux was summoned to serve on a jury. The itinerant justices of Somerset were investigating the accusation by William fitzGeoffrey and Roger fitzWilliam that Alexander de Montfort had a role in the death of William Wympel. Due to his involvement with the trial he was granted quittance of the common summons in the county of Lincoln on 12 August 1256.
In February 1257 Llewelyn invaded South Wales. On 10 May 1257 a council was ordered to aid Sir John de Grey who had been appointed by Prince Edward to defend the Welsh Marches between county Cheshire and South Wales. The council was to include the marcher lords Humphrey (IV) de Bohun, earl of Hereford and Essex; Humphrey (V) de Bohun the Younger; Reginald FitzPiers; Roger Mortimer (1st Baron Mortimer); William Devereux; Walter de Clifford; William de Stuteville; Gruffydd ap Gwenwynwyn (Lord of Powys Wenwynwyn), Thomas Corbet (Baron of Caus); John l’Estrange (of Ellesmere and Knockin); John fitzAlan (Lord of Clun and Oswestry); Fulk (IV) fitzWarin; Gruffydd ap Madog (Lord of Dinas Bran); and Ralph le Botiller. In June an English army was wiped out at the Battle of Cadfan. In August Henry III raised a new army at Chester and invaded North Wales, but withdrew in September. For his quick response to the general summons, Devereux was released from 40 shillings that he had been fined by justices sitting in county Norfolk on 27 October 1257. Henry III, unable to campaign further that season, released his army for the winter, and sent Roger Clifford to stock the castle at Carmarthen. On 14 March 1258 orders were given to William Devereux and the other lords to gather again on 16 June at Chester with horse and arms. Llywelin advanced into South Wales and on his return desolated the lands of Gruffydd ap Madog at Bromfield.
Marriage
He first married a daughter of Hugh Bigod, 3rd Earl of Norfolk, and Maud Marshal about 1240, and they had children:
Margery Devereux(~1242 to aft 1306)
William Devereux, Baron Devereux of Lyonshall (~1244) his heir
Simon Devereux of Staunton on Wye
Roger Devereux of Bishopstone (Hereford).
William Devereux's first wife died about 1254, and he married a second time about 1258 to Maud de Giffard as her second husband. She was the daughter of Hugh de Giffard and Sibyl de Cormeilles. Maud de Giffard's brothers were the politically powerful Godfrey de Giffard (Bishop of Worcester), and Walter de Giffard (Archbishop of York, and Bishop of Bath and Wells). Both brothers would later become Chancellors of England. Her sister was Mabel de Giffard, Abbess of Shaftesbury Abbey. William Devereux and Maud de Giffard had children:
Maud Devereux (~1259)
Archdeacon John Devereux (~1261)
Master Thomas Devereux (~ 1263)
Sibyl Devereux (~1265)
Death
William Devereux was killed during the Battle of Evesham on 4 August 1265. His wife, Maud, applied to the King for a jeweled harness, which had been deposited in the treasury of the church at Hereford by her deceased husband. She obtained from the king a precept to the treasurer of the cathedral for their deliverance to her on 12 October 1265 at the request of her brother, Walter de Giffard, Bishop of Bath and Wells and the Chancellor of England.
William Devereux's lands were forfeited following this battle with exception by writ of the King on 3 October 1265 of Frome (Halmond), Ham (Holme Lacy), Wileby (Wilby), Oxonhal (Oxenhall), and 15 pounds of revenue in Heiton (Lower Hayton) for the maintenance of his widow, Maud. Sir John Giffard had been granted the lands of Gutinges (Guleing) and Oxenhale (Oxenhall) in Gloucester, and Maud de Giffard to hold of him. On 12 October Maud's brother, Walter de Giffard, further granted her for life the manors of Frome (Halmond), Hamme (Holme Lacy), Oxenhall, Wilby, Trompiton (Trumpington), and La Fenne (Bodenham); and the rents of Ballingham, Guting (Guleing), and Heynton (Hayton); and the meadow of Jarchull to hold to the value of 60 pounds of land a year. Bishop Giffard's position as Chancellor of England would continue to facilitate the recovery of the Devereux estates. Roger de Mortimer was granted the forfeited lands of William Devereux on 20 November 1265 with the exception of Lyonshall castle, which would be held by his son, Ralph de Mortimer (died 10 August 1274). William Devereux's lands would later be redeemed by his son according to the Dictum of Kenilworth. These terms are described in an entry of the plea rolls from 1266 (51 Henry III, membrane 32):
Whereas because of the trespasses which William de Evereus who stood with the King in the Battle of Lewes, was said to have done afterwards against the King and Edward his son, the King after his death gave his lands as he gave the lands of other adversaries in the time of the disturbance in the realm, and by the form of the award of Kenilworth, the King has power of making ordinances upon the state of such disinherited persons; he ordains that, as William the son and heir of the said William is prepared to stand to the said award to have his lands back, he shall pay within three years the ransom thereof to those to whom it belongs, to wit, the extent thereof for three years, so that according to the quantity of money he pays he shall have restitution of the said lands; saving to Maud late the wife of the said William for her life the assignment made to her of the said lands for the maintenance of herself and her children.