Gournay Family Pedigree [Corrected Post]
Douglas Richardson
I think the information below will answer most of the current
questions about the Gournay family pedigree. I've posted my
references.
One important correction below is the name of the wife of Gerard de
Gournay (Gen. 2). Most sources I've consulted call her Edith de
Warenne. Contemporary records prove her name was actually Aidieve (or
Ediva), not Edith. This name is rare, but can be found in this time
period as a given name. I've also discussed the placement of the
hitherto unnoticed Galiena de Gournay, who is found in the remote
ancestry of the promiment Tyrrell family of Essex. Galiena de Gournay
has many modern descendants including my six children.
Comments are invited.
Best always, Douglas Richardson, Salt Lake City, Utah
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GOURNAY FAMILY
1. HUGH DE GOURNAY, seigneur of Gournay-en-Brie, Normandy, Domesday
tenant of Liston, Ardley, and Fordham, Essex, son and heir. He
married BASILE FLAITEL, widow of Raoul de Gace, Constable of Normandy,
and daughter of Gerard Flaitel. Her maritagium was the castle of
Ecouche, near Falaise in Normandy. They had two sons, Gerard and
Hugh. In 1077, he witnessed the foundation charter of the monastery
of St. Stephens at Caen by King William the Conqueror and in 1082 the
foundation charter of the nunnery of Holy Trinity Caen by King William
the Conqueror and his wife, Queen Maud. Hugh and his wife, Basile,
retired to the Abbey of Bec in France c. 1082 with her niece,
Ansfride. They were still living c. 1093, when St. Anselm was
consecrated Archbishop of Canterbury. A letter from Anselm to Basile
has been preserved. He predeceased his wife. Both are buried at the
Abbey of Bec.
Daniel Gurney, Record of the House of Gournay (1948), pp. 22 (chart),
46-62. Bedfordshire Historical Record Society 7 (1922): 153-157; 19
(1937): charts fol. pg. 99. Oxfordshire Record Society 7 (1925):
7-15. Paget (1957), 266: 1-4 (sub Gurnay).
2. GERARD DE GOURNAY, of Caister, Norfolk, seigneur of
Gournay-en-Brie, la Ferte-en-Brie, and Gaillefontaine, founder of
Lessingham Priory, Norfolk, son and heir. He married before 1091
AIDIEVE (or EDIVA) DE WARENNE, daughter of William de Warenne, lst
Earl of Surrey, by Gundred, sister of Gerbod, Earl of Chester, and
daughter of Gerbod [see WARENNE for her ancestry]. Her maritagium
included the manor of Mapledurham, co. Oxford. They had one son,
Hugh, and one daughter, Gundred. He and his father witnessed the
foundation charter of Holy Trinity Caen in 1082 by King William the
Conqueror. In 1090, he stood by William Rufus against Duke Robert,
and, on their reconciliation, his allegiance and castles in Normandy
were transferred to Duke Robert. He and his mother confirmed all of
his father's gifts to the Abbey of Bec. He accompanied Robert,
Duke of Normandy, on a crusade in 1096, and was with Bohemond in the
advance from Nice in Bythinia. GERARD DE GOURNAY was living in 1104,
and is said to have died on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. His widow,
Aideve, married (2nd) Drew de Monceaux (living 1131). They had one
son, Drew.
Note: Daniel Gurney (Record of the House of Gournay, pp. 286-289,
292-293, 776-777) alleges that Gerard de Gournay and his wife, Ediva,
had a younger son, Walter de Gournay (living 1150), ancestor of the
Gurnay family of Norfolk. Such an individual existed but he had no
association in the records with the senior branch of the Gournay
family. Rather, it appears that Walter was closely related to a
Galiena de Gournay, born say 1120, living c. 1170, wife of Manasser de
Dammartin (died 1178/9), of Mendlesham and Cotton, Suffolk, Norton
Mandeville, Essex, etc. Surviving records show that Manasser de
Dammartin enfeoffed Walter de Gurnay with a ź knight's fee in
Suffolk during the Civil War between King Stephen and Empress Maud.
In 1150, Walter de Gournay witnessed a charter to Missenden Abbey for
Manasser and Galiene. Charter evidence proves that Galiene was the
granddaughter of an unplaced William de Gurnay, of Addington, Kent,
whose gift to the see of Rochester she confirmed by her own undated
charter. Given these facts, it is doubtful that Walter de Gournay was
the son of Gerard de Gournay as alleged [References: Hasted, 4 (1798):
544-545; W. A. Copinger, Manors of Suffolk, 3 (1909): 277-278; Lewis
C. Loyd and Doris M. Stenton, eds., Sir Christopher Hatton's
Book of Seals (1958), pp. 229-230, 239-240; VCH Essex, 4 (1956):
151-152; Genealogist, 15 (1965): 53-63 (article on Dammartin family) ;
J. G. Jenkins, ed., Cartulary of Missenden Abbey, 1: 70-75; Michael
Gervers, Cartulary of the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem in England
(19__), pg. 216].
Delisle and Berger, Actes de Henry II vol. 1, no. 325 (mentions wife
"Edwa" [recte Ediua] (not seen). Daniel Gurney, Record of
the House of Gournay (1858), pp. 22 (chart), 63-72. Bedfordshire
Historical Record Society 7 (1922): 153-157; 19 (1937): charts fol.
pg. 99. Oxfordshire Record Society 7 (1925): 7-15. Curia Regis Rolls
6 (1932): 272-273. Paget (1957), 266: 1-4 (sub Gurnay); 569:1 (sub
Warren).
Children of Gerard de Gournay, married Aidieve de Warenne:
i. HUGH DE GOURNAY [see next].
ii. GUNDRED DE GOURNAY, married NIGEL D'AUBENEY [see MOWBRAY].
3. HUGH DE GOURNAY, of Caister, Norfolk, Mapledurham, co. Oxford,
seigneur of Gournay-en-Brie, Gaillefontaine, etc., son and heir, born
about 1091 (of full age in 1112). During his minority, he was raised
by King Henry I and his lands were administered by Drew de Monceaux,
his step-father. He married (lst) BEATRICE DE VERMANDOIS, daughter of
Hugh le Grand, Count of Vermandois and Valois, Count of Amiens and
Crepy, by Alix, daughter and heiress of Herbert IV, Count of
Vermandois and Valois. They had one son, Hugh (died young). He
joined Stephen, Count of Aumale, and others in 1118, in an attempt to
place William Clito, son of Robert, Duke of Normandy, on the throne.
He seised the castle of Plesssis and ravaged Norman terrritory. King
Henry I crushed the revolt at Noyon in 1119, after which he submitted
and was pardoned. In 1134 King Stephen granted him the manors of
Wendover, co. Buckingham and Houghton Regis, co. Bedford. Beatrice
was living in 1144. In the period, 1147/55, he witnessed a charter
for his nephew, Roger de Mowbray. In 1147 he accompanied King Louis
VII of France to the Holy Land. This crusade was unsuccessful and
returned in 1149. He married (2nd) MILLICENT (or MELISENDE) DE COUCY,
widow of Aleaume Fitz Adam, Governor of the Citadel of Amiens,
daughter of Thomas de Coucy (or de Marle) (descendant of Charlemagne),
seigneur of Coucy, Marle, de la Fere and Boves, Count of Amiens, by
his 2nd wife, Melisende de Crecy, daughter and heiress of Guy de
Montlhery, Chatelain de la Ferte. They had two sons, Gerard and Hugh,
and one daughter, Aidieve (wife of Nicholas de Stuteville, of
Kimberley, Norfolk). He and his 2nd wife were benefactors of the
Abbey of Bec. They founded the Abbey of Gaillefontaine in the period,
1144/64. HUGH DE GOURNAY died in 1181, said to be "very old." His
wife survived him.
Daniel Gurney, Record of the House of Gournay (1848), pp. 22, 84-127,
754, 763, 779. Desc. Catalogue of Ancient Deeds 6 (1915): 279.
Bedfordshire Historical Record Society 7 (1922): 153-157; 19 (1937):
charts fol. pg. 99. Oxfordshire Record Society 7 (1925): 7-15. J. G.
Jenkins, Cartulary of Missenden Abbey 1 (1938): 164-165, 188; 3
(1962): 13, 15, 16. C. T. Clay, Early Yorkshire Charters 9 (1952):
42, 45-47. Paget (1957), 266: 1-4 (sub Gurnay). D. E. Greenway,
Charters of the Honour of Mowbray, 1107-1191 (pub. 1972), pg. 142
(charter dated 1147/55 issued by Roger de Mowbray witnessed by "Hugone
de Gurnai avunculo meo [my uncle]." West Winter, Descendants of
Charlemagne (800-1400) (1987): XII.21.
4. HUGH DE GOURNAY, of Wendover, co. Buckingham, Houghton, co.
Bedford, Caister and Cantley, Norfolk, Mapledurham, co. Oxford, etc.,
seigneur of Gournay-en-Brie, benefactor of Bellosane, Clairruissel and
Fescamp Abbeys and the priory of St. Laurent en Lions, Normandy, and
Missenden Abbey, co. Buckingham, younger but eldest surviving son and
heir by his father's 2nd marriage, born say 1150/55 (adult by 1180).
He married before 1193 JULIANE DE DAMMARTIN (descendant of
Charlemagne), daughter of Aubri II de Dammartin, Count of Dammartin,
seigneur of Lillebonne-en-Normandie, by Mahaut (or Mabile), daughter
of Renaud II, Count of Clermont-en-Beauvaisis. They had two sons,
Gerard and Hugh, and one daughter, Millicent. In 1190 he was granted
the manor of Houghton Regis, co. Bedford. In 1191 he accompanied King
Richard on the 3rd Crusade. At the capture of Acre, he commanded 100
knights. In 1193, he swung over temporarily to King Philip's
side and his manors of Houghton and Bledlow were taken. In 1202 the
manor of Wendover was re-granted to him. In 1202 he joined the French
side and Wendover was granted to Ralph de Tilley. In 1206 he was
pardoned at the instance of Otho the Emperor, and permitted to return
to England. He was sheriff of cos. Buckingham and Bedford in 1214,
being then "weighed down with sickness." HUGH DE GOURNAY
died 25 October 1214 at Rouen in Normandy "after donning the
garb of a Templar and discarding it by apostasy."
Daniel Gurney, Record of the House of Gournay (1848), pp. 22 (chart),
128-183. Bedfordshire Historical Record Society 7 (1922): 153-157; 19
(1937): charts fol. pg. 99. Oxfordshire Record Society 7 (1925):
7-15. J. G. Jenkins, Cartulary of Missenden Abbey 1 (1938): 164-165,
188, 208-209, 244-245; 3 (1962): 13-16. Paget (1957), 266: 1-4 (sub
Gurnay).
Children of Hugh de Gournay, by Juliane de Dammartin:
i. HUGH DE GOURNAY [see next].
ii. MILLICENT DE GOURNAY, married WILLIAM DE CANTELOWE [see CANTELOWE
14].
5. HUGH DE GOURNAY, of Wendover, co. Buckingham, Caister and Cantley,
Norfolk, Mapledurham, co. Oxford, benefactor of Langley Abbey,
Norfolk, and Clairruissel Abbey, Normandy, younger son. He was heir
before 1216 to his older brother, Gerard de Gournay. He married (lst)
before 1222 LUCY _____, widow of Robert de Berkeley (died 13 May
1220), Baron of Berkeley, co. Gloucester, and niece [neptis] of
William Longespée, Earl of Salisbury. They had no issue. He joined
the barons against King John. In 1216 his manor of Wendover was
granted to William de Fiennes, and in 1218 his lands in Lincolnshire
to William de Cantelowe. His lands were restored on 2 May 1222
(excepting Wendover). In 1223 the king ordered his lands in cos.
Gloucester, Warwick, and Leicester be taken for attending a tournament
without leave at Blyth, co. Nottingham. The same year he lost all his
land in the jurisdiction of the Constable of Bristol for hunting in
the royal forest without leave. He fought against the Welsh in 1228
and in Brittany in 1234. His wife, Lucy, died 18 January 1234, and
was buried at St. Augustine's. He married (2nd) MAUD _____.
They had one daughter, Juliane (or Gillian). HUGH DE GOURNAY died
shortly before 23 July 1238, and was buried at Langley Abbey. His
widow, Maud, married (2nd) after 1241 (as his lst wife) ROGER DE
CLIFFORD, Knt. (died 1286), of Tenbury and Severn Stoke, co.
Worcester. They had issue. She was living in 1255 but dead prior to
1272.
Daniel Gurney, Record of the House of Gournay (1848), pp. 22 (chart),
184-197. C.P. 2 (1912): 126. Bedfordshire Historical Record Society
7 (1922): 153-157; 19 (1937): charts fol. pg. 99. Oxfordshire Record
Society 7 (1925): 7-15; 56 (1989): 21, 24, 63-64. J. G. Jenkins,
Cartulary of Missenden Abbey 1 (1938): 209; 244-245; 3 (1962): 64-65.
Curia Regis Rolls 10 (1949): 300-302. Paget (1957), 55:1 (sub
Berkeley); 266: 1-4 (sub Gurnay). I.J. Sanders, English Baronies
(1960), pg. 13. Genealogists' Magazine 23 (1990): ??. Curia Regis
Rolls 18 (1999): 79,217.
Child of Hugh de Gournay, by Maud _____:
i. JULIANE (or GILLIAN) DE GOURNAY, married WILLIAM BARDOLF, Baron of
Wormegay, Norfolk (desc. Charlemagne) [see BARDOLF 13].