A 1255 Eyre Court Proceeding Reveals the Name of Roger de Washbourne's Father

[AJB]

A proceeding of record from the Eyre Court, Worcestershire, Stanford, dated July 1255 has important genealogical significance as this is the first primary documentation we have that the Roger de Washbourne found dealing with land in Stanford, Worcestershire during the late 1200s, was the son of a William de Washbourne. This William left a widow, Lucy.

Many contemporary Washbourne researchers continue to put forth the theory that Roger de Washbourne was the son of the Samson de Estham who appears in the Kyre Park Charter number 3, dated to the late 1200s, which begins: “Grant from Roger son of Samson de Estham…” They conflate this Roger de Estham with the contemporaneous Roger de Washbourne of Stanford.

The myth that the Washbourne family was also de Estham has its roots in the undocumented speculation found in the book Washburn Family Foundations in Normandy, England and America by Mabel Thacher Rosemary Washburn, published in 1953. Perhaps the information in this Eyre Court record will finally put the myth of Washbourne being Estham to rest.

The July 1255 Eyre Court record is translated as follows:

“This July 1255 assize was to recognize whether Adam le Charpent[er], the father of John de Hull', had seisin in demesne of 1 messuages, 1 mill and 6 acres of land in Stanford of which Roger de Waseburn' held 2 parts and Lucy, who was the wife of William de Wasseburn', held the third part [widows dower]. Roger said that Adam did not die in seisin as of fee, except [he held it] for life [until] the demise of William de Wasseburn', the father of Roger, whose heir he was. John [de Hull'] acknowledged that there had been such a demise but said that he had enfeoffed him and took his homage.” (JUST1, no 1022 IMG 1843)

In 1258 Roger came back to court and tried to take the same house, mill and 6 acres in Stanford away from John de Hull. John admitted that the properties were the right of Roger and gave them to Roger for 10 marks of silver. (Feet of Fines, Worc. File 8, no. 6)

It is logical to assume that this Roger is the same Rogero de Wasbur’ listed first and paying the highest amount of tax on the Lay Subsidy Roll 1276/80, Worcestershire, at Stanford. A Roger de Washbourne is also seen paying tax that year at Minor Comberton and Washbourne, documented, generational holdings of the Washbournes of Worcestershire. AJB