C.P. Addition: Joan de Somerville, wife of Ralph de Cromwell, Knt.
Douglas Richardson
The authoritative Complete Peerage 3 (1913): 551 (sub Cromwell) has a
good account of the life history of Sir Ralph [de] Cromwell (died
1398), 1st Lord Cromwell, who married Maud [de] Bernake. In the record
of Sir Ralph Cromwell's extended ancestry, it identifies his
great-grandfather as follows, with no mention of his wife:
"Ralph de Cromwell (died shortly before 2 March 1298/9)."
The wife of Ralph de Cromwell (died 1299) can now be identified as Joan
de Somerville, daughter of Sir Robert de Somerville (died 1297), of
Wichnor (in Tatenhill), Yorkshire and Great Benton, Northumberland, by
his wife, Isabel (died 1300), daughter and co-heiress of Roger de
Merlay, Knt. (died 1265), of Morpeth, Northumberland and Burton Agnes,
Yorkshire.
The evidence for Joan de Somerville's identity and parentage is found
in Rev. Stebbing Shaw, History and Antiquities of Staffordshire, 1
(1798): 119, which reads as follows:
"Which Robert [de] Somerville, knt. lord of Whichnor, 21 Edward I.
granted to Ralph de Cromwell, knt. in frank marriage with Joan, his
daughter, 15l. rent in Schirescote and Curborowe, with all his land,
etc. there, as will there more fully be shown."
VCH Stafford 14 (1990): 278 provides additional confirmation:
"An estate in Little Curborough centring on Curborough House originated
in a virgate held in the later 13th Century by John de Somerville, lord
of Wychnor in Tatenhill. John was succeeded in or shortly after 1279
by his son, Robert, and Robert in 1297 by his son, Edmund. [34]
Edmund held the estate as 1/4 knight's fee of the bishop as lord of
Longdon in 1298. By 1301 he was a clerk and claimed that he held no
lay fee. [35] His father had apparently granted an interest in the
estate to Sir Ralph de Cromwell on Ralph's marriage ro Edmund's aunt
Joan in 1292-3 [36], and in the 1320's, after Edmund's death, the
estate passed to Sir Ralph's son, also Ralph. [37] Ralph, Baron
Cromwell, a descendant, still had an interest in the estate in 1442-3.
[38].
34. S.H.C. 1911, 172-3, 241.
35. S.R.O., D. (W.) 1734/J. 2268, f. 1v.; S.H.C. vii (1) 81-2, 97.
36. Shaw, Staffs. i. 119.
37. S.H.C. ix (1), 75; S.R.O., D. (W.) 1734/J. 2268, f. 1v.; Complete
Peerage, iii. 551n.
38. Kent Archives Offices, U1475 M207.
The above information in VCH Stafford is correct, except that Joan de
Somerville, wife of Sir Ralph de Cromwell, was the sister of Edmund de
Somerville, clerk, not his aunt.
Joan de Somerville's extensive ancestry can be found on Jim Weber's
great website at the link below. The ancestry includes an interesting
descent from King Ethelred II of England.
http://worldconnect.genealogy.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=PED&db=jweber&id=I26670&style=TEXT
Joan de Somerville's maternal great-grandmother was Ada, wife of Roger
de Merlay (died 1239), who my files shows was the daughter of Duncan,
6th Earl of Fife in Scotland, by his wife, Ela, thought to have been a
daughter of Reynold de Warenne.
For interest's sake, the following is the list of the 17th Century New
World immigrants who descend from Joan de Somerville, wife of Sir Ralph
de Cromwell:
l. William Bladen.
2. Kenelm Cheseldine.
3. Grace Chetwode.
4. William Farrer.
5. Muriel Gurdon.
6. Anne & Katherine Marbury.
7. Thomas Owsley.
8. Richard Saltonstall.
9. Mary Johanna Somerset
Best always, Douglas Richardson, Salt Lake City, Utah
Website: www.royalancestry.net
John P. Ravilious
An interesting, and helpful, find. Many thanks for that, and for
noting the descent to William Farrar (via FitzWilliam of Sprotborough
and Bosvile of Ardsley).
Re: the de Merlay family, you wrote,
" Joan de Somerville's maternal great-grandmother was Ada, wife of
Roger de
Merlay (died 1239), who my files shows was the daughter of Duncan, 6th
Earl
of Fife in Scotland, by his wife, Ela, thought to have been a daughter
of
Reynold de Warenne. "
This is an additional interesting item, which I'd like to pursue.
My notes show Reginald de Merlay as elder son of Roger de Merlay and
Alice de Stuteville, re: whom I have the following (primarily courtesy
of MichaelAnne Guido):
#191. 1188.
Northumberland:----Roger de Glanville renders his account; in lands
granted
to the king of Scotland, £10 in Tinsdale.
New Pleas:--- Earl Dunecan (of Fife) accounts of 500 marks for the
custody of
Roger de Merlay's land, and his son; and that the son may marry the
said
Earl's daughter. He has paid into the treasury 250 marks, and he owes
250 marks.
Radulf Baiard accounts for 1 mark, which he owes yearly for the ward of
his
niece. He has paid it into the treasury; and he is quit. [Pipe Rolls,
24 Henry
II. Rot. 8] '
#202. 1189.
Northumberland:---Roger de Glanville renders his account; in lands
granted to
the king of Scotland; £10 in Tindale. Tallage of the thanes and drengs
of
Northumberland:---The sheriff owes £4 14s. 11d. of the aid of Werch
with
pertinents. Earl Dunecan accounts for 250 marks for the ward of Roger
de Merlay's land
and his son; and that the son may marry the Earl's daughter. He has
paid into
the Treasury £40; and he owes £126 13s. 4d. He accounts for this
debt; has
delivered it to the treasury, and is quit. [Pipe Rolls, 1 Richard I,
Rot. 14
dorso]'
cf. Yorks. Inqs. I:281 (Addenda et Corrigenda) (cites Curia Regis, No.
70.,
Mic., 3 and 4 Hen. III., m. 19)
WIth regard to Roger de Merlay, brother of Reginald (whom I show
as succeeding Reginald, and now -thanks to you - as great-grandfather
of Joan de Somerville) I show him as Roger de Merlay of Morpeth,
Northumberland and Dringhoe in Holderness, co. Yorks. Further notes
re: this Roger:
seneschal of the Earl of Dunbar:
' Roger de Merley, Steward of Patrick the Earl ', witness to charter of
Earl
Patrick ca. 1200-1232, together with Patrick the earl's son (later Earl
Patrick, d. 1248):
' Charter of Patrick I Earl of Dunbar granting to the Prior and monks
of
Coldingham one half of Bilie, viz. the half lying between the two
Restons and
Aldengrawe on one side, and Chirnside and Blakeburn on the other.
Witnesses: Lord Patrick the Earl's son, Walter de Lindsey, Sheriff
of
Berwick, Roger de Merley, Steward of Patrick the Earl, Patrick son of
Adam, John
de Letham, Adam de Paulsworth, William de Mordington, Henry de
Prendergest,
William de Wideslade, Alan de Swinton, Thomas de Nesbit, William de
Lumsden,
and many others ' {Seal: G&B 2805. 2nd seal of Earl Patrick I. Green
wax.
Attached by parchment strip through foot of document. Indenture:
Misc.Ch. 744
Printed: Raine ND App. CXXIII} [Durham University Library Archives &
Special
Collections: Misc. Charter 743]
[ cf. indenture for same, Durham University Library Archives &
Special
Collections: Misc. Charter 744]
' Lord Roger de Merley ', witness to charter of Patrick 'II' Earl of
Dunbar, 1232 or later:
' Charter of Patrick II, Earl of Dunbar, granting to the monks of
Durham the
vill of Ederham and its church, with the chapel of Erceldon and its
other
chapels and pertinents, and the vill of Nesbit.
Witnesses: Lord Ranulf de Bonkil, Lord Roger de Merley, Lord Robert de
Anesey, Lord David de Burdun, Peter the Chaplain, David de Graham,
Robert de Lumley,
Patrick the Clerk, and many others ' [ Durham University Library
Archives &
Special Collections: Misc. Charter 745 {Printed: Raine N.D App. CXXXV}]
I show Roger de Merlay d. before 10 April 1239, when the King took
the homage of his son [Yorks. Inqs. I:99-100 [IPM of his son Roger],
note (c) cites Excerpta e Rotulis Finium, vol. i, p. 322]. His son
Roger is identified as grandson of Roger de Merlay and Alice de
Stuteville [VCH East Riding, VII:374-405, sub _Skipsea_ ].
It is certainly feasible that Roger de Merlay (brother of
Reginald) married a sister of Reginald's wife; it also would seem
likely that Reginald de Merlay would be the son of a daughter (or
possibly granddaughter) of Reginald de Warenne; that would be a nice
find, or fact to confirm.
Cheers,
John
Douglas Richardson wrote:
> Dear Newsgroup ~
>
> The authoritative Complete Peerage 3 (1913): 551 (sub Cromwell) has a
> good account of the life history of Sir Ralph [de] Cromwell (died
> 1398), 1st Lord Cromwell, who married Maud [de] Bernake. In the record
> of Sir Ralph Cromwell's extended ancestry, it identifies his
> great-grandfather as follows, with no mention of his wife:
>
> "Ralph de Cromwell (died shortly before 2 March 1298/9)."
>
> The wife of Ralph de Cromwell (died 1299) can now be identified as Joan
> de Somerville, daughter of Sir Robert de Somerville (died 1297), of
> Wichnor (in Tatenhill), Yorkshire and Great Benton, Northumberland, by
> his wife, Isabel (died 1300), daughter and co-heiress of Roger de
> Merlay, Knt. (died 1265), of Morpeth, Northumberland and Burton Agnes,
> Yorkshire.
>
<<<<<<<<<<<<<< SNIP>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
WJho...@aol.com
the...@aol.com writes:
<< It is certainly feasible that Roger de Merlay (brother of
Reginald) married a sister of Reginald's wife; it also would seem
likely that Reginald de Merlay would be the son of a daughter (or
possibly granddaughter) of Reginald de Warenne; that would be a nice
find, or fact to confirm. >>
Is it possible that Roger is the one who married the Earl's daughter and not
Reginald? If you review what you posted, the *name* of the son does not seem
to appear, merely stating "the son of ...." in two documents.
Will Johnson