Berleigh of Wiltshire/Somerset; Sir Simon Burley (d.1388), & de la Mare

[mk]

Thomas Berleigh of Bathampton, son of Roger Berleigh and Sybil Hussey
(daughter of Sir James Hussey) had a daughter and heir Willelma (+1454) who
succeeded her brother John and brought Berleigh and Hussey properties to
her husband John Blount of Bitton +1444.

For several generations, the Berleighs had been connected with lands in
Calmsden and Woodmancote, also associated with the de la Mare family.* And
recently, I came across a snippet** suggesting that Sir Simon Burley,
executed in 1388 also had a connection to Calmsden. All of which makes me
wonder what connection were the Berleighs and Burleys? Are they distant
relations? And where do the de la Mares fit in?

In a grant dated to prior to 1290, a "Roger de Burle of Calmsden" appears
as a witness (the principals being William de la Mare of Rendcomb and John,
grandson of Richard de Bosco of Chedworth). This Roger may be the same
person as "Roger de Calmundesden" with wife Agnes who was living in 1242-3,
and is likely the ancestor of the two Rogers, father and son, of the 14th
century. Roger was also a common name among the early Burleys. Can there be
an overlap somewhere?

And who was Constance de Legh, whose mother was Mabel de la Mare, wife of
William de Legh and of Robert de la Mare? There's an interesting echo in
the the names Willelma Berleigh (+1454) and Willelma de la Mare (+1404),
the latter being the daughter of Robert de la Mare and his wife Maud. Any
connection?

*“Woodmancote.—*Rob. de Mare *purchased lands in Cerney, of Jordan his
brother, 1 John, (1), and he or another Rob. gave a virg. in Woodmancote,
to Tewkesbury abb. (2) H. de Hanley accounted for half a mark for one virg.
here, late *Rob. de la Mare’*s. (3) It afterwards passed with the M. of
Eycote, in Rendcome, where its descent is detailed, through which the
manerial rights have passed to the Hon. and Rt. Rev. the Bishop of Durham,
in right of his lady, sist. and heir of the late Sir Will. Guise*. Will. de
Mare* gave a M. of Wodmancote to the nuns of Lacock, co. Wilts, (4) and
Tho. de Cockleberghe, and John de Menstreworth, applied for license to give
a mess. 36 ac. And 11s. rent, to the nuns, held of the abbess by 12d. per
ann. (5) *Willelma, wife of John Blount*, held a mess. and virg. of the
abbess of Lacock, John son and heir: (6) who died seized of a mess. And
caruc. containing 60 ac. of land, and 2 of mead. held of the abbess, &c:
Sim. son and heir.

…

Calmsden.—*Mabil de Mare*, wife of *Will. de Lega, or Leigh*, and *Rob. de
Mare*, gave the demesn of Calmesden, with appurtenances, to the preceptors
of the Kn. Hospitalers, at Quenington, and Rich.* son of *Rog. de Calmesden*,
added lands. (10) This moiety of the manor of Calmesden, as parcel of that
preceptor, and of Sir Tho. Seymour’s lands, attainted, was granted to lady
Cath. Buckler, wid. for life, and afterwards to Rich. Buckler, and heirs:
remainder to the heirs of Cath. B. for the res. rent of 9s. 9d. (1) she
afterwards married Roger Ligon, who proved his title to the estate, 10
Eliz. [1567/8] (2) –*Alice Burley*, John her son, and Isab. His wife,
levied a fine here, 4 H. IV. [1402/3] (3) and John Blount, in right of
Willelma his wife, held the manor of Barley, in Calmesden, of *John de la
Marr*, by the service of a lb. of cumin, and the 3d of a past. called
Oldegore, containing 600 ac. held of John de la Mare, and a mess. And 20
ac. of the same John: Edm. son and heir: (4) and *this estate, at the death
of Willelma, is called the manor of Calmesden*, held by a lb. of pepper…”



**2. Calmfden, which in the Reign of King Richard II. belonged to Sir Simon
*Burley*, Knight Banneret, and on his Attainder was efcheated to the Crown,
but reîtored to his Heirs in ...

*Historical, Monumental and Genealogical Collections Relative to the County
of Gloucester: Abbenhall-Cromhall*



*The Ancient and Present State of Glocestershire: Text - Page 324
<https://books.google.ca/books?id=GpI4AQAAMAAJ&q=burleigh+OR+burley+AND+calmsden+OR+rendcomb&dq=burleigh+OR+burley+AND+calmsden+OR+rendcomb&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjM2ZuKh7LMAhWDsYMKHfxCCLkQ6AEIPDAG>*

[Darrell E. Larocque]

I know this is from almost 5 years ago, but I now have a bit of a lead that my missing Maud, wife of Sir Walter Devereux 'The Elder' could very well be the daughter of John or Simon Burley and widow of Henry de/le Frene.

Sir Walter Devereux is entwined with the families of Barre, de la Mare, Burley, and de Lucy. I had no idea WHY until I saw a supposition by someone named Hikaru Kitabayashi where he thought Maud Burley was the sister of Sir Simon Burley, KG, Sir John Burley and Richard Burley and married Henry de/le Frene.

Here are two records tying Sir Walter, husband of Maud (possibly Burley) to the de la Mare family:

On 22 May 1382, Sir Walter presented a writ for his service representing Herefordshire at Parliament for 22 days for the sum of 8l 16s along with Sir Peter de la Mare.

Calendar of the Close Rolls, Richard II, Vol. 2, 1381-1385, p. 134.

https://archive.org/details/calendarofclos02grea/page/134/mode/1up?


On 24 October 1382, Sir Walter presented a writ for his service representing Herefordshire at Parliament for 25 days for the sum of 10l along with Sir Peter de la Mare.

Calendar of the Close Rolls, Richard II, Vol. 2, 1381-1385, p. 228.

https://archive.org/details/calendarofclos02grea/page/228/mode/1up?

Darrell E. Larocque