Walter I de Claville (floruit 1086) (alias de Clarville and Latinised to de Clavilla) was an Anglo-Norman magnate and one of the 52 Devon Domesday Book tenants-in-chief of King William the Conqueror. He also held lands in Dorset. His Devonshire estates later formed part of the feudal barony of Gloucester. [1]
He is believed to have originated at any one of the manors called Claville or Clasville in the Duchy of Normandy, namely: [2]
His brother was Gotshelm, also a Devonshire tenant-in-chief, whose estates also later formed part of the feudal barony of Gloucester. [4]
It is not known whether he married and left progeny, however Walter II de Claville (supposed by Cleveland to be his grandson [5] ) in about 1170 gave many of Walter I's former Domesday Book estates to a priory which he established on his estate of Leigh within his manor of Burlescombe, later known as Canons' Leigh Priory. [6] Furthermore, several of his estates were held in the 13th century by a certain "William de Claville", as recorded in the Book of Fees (see list below). [7]
Sir William Pole (d.1635) gives the descent of the manor of Lomen Clavill, in the parish of Uplowman, as follows: [9]
According to Sir William Pole (d.1635), the male line of the Clavell family was extinguished during the reign of King Richard II (1377-1399). [12] The heir to Lomen Clavell was the Beare family, lords of the nearby manor of Huntsham. [13] There was however at some time a dispute over the inheritance between Thomas Beare and Sir Henry Perchey (alias Percehay). [14] The hamlets of Lomen Clavell and Bukinton Clavell still retained the family's name in the 19th century. [15] According to Pole the arms of "Clavill of Burlescombe" were: Or, three keys gules [16] which are thus canting arms alluding to the Latin clavis, meaning a "key".
In Dorsetshire however the family continued longer than the Devonshire branch and according to Hutchins (d.1773) the Dorsetshire historian: "the family of Clavell could boast an antiquity not to be equalled in this county and very rarely in any other", and was carried on in the male line until the latter half of the 17th century. [17]
The manors or fees held by Walter I de Claville were recorded as 32 separate entries in the following order in the Domesday Book (with modern-day spellings): [18]
Name of fee | Parish | Hundred | Book of Fees tenant-in-chief | Book of Fees mesne tenant |
---|---|---|---|---|
Bywood | Dunkeswell | Hemyock | Honour of Gloucester | John de Claville (whose tenant was Dunkeswell Abbey) |
Brampford Speke | Brampford Speke | Wonford | Honour of Gloucester | Agnes de Esford (i.e. de Ayshford, see below) |
Withycombe Raleigh | Withycombe Raleigh | East Budleigh | Honour of Gloucester | William de Claville |
West Raddon | Shobrooke | West Budleigh | unrecorded TiC | unrecorded |
Washford Pyne | Washford Pyne | Witheridge | unknown | Herbert de Pinu |
Drayford | Witheridge | Witheridge | Honour of Gloucester | John le Despencer |
Sydeham | Rackenford | Witheridge | unknown | Herbert de Pinu [19] |
Craze Lowman (Claville Lomene) | Tiverton | Tiverton | Honour of Gloucester | William de Claville |
Kidwell | Uplowman | Halberton | Honour of Gloucester | William de Claville |
Murley | Uplowman | Halberton | Honour of Gloucester | John Lancelevee |
Coombe | Uplowman | Halberton | Honour of Gloucester | Robert Avenel |
Boehill | Sampford Peverell | Halberton | Honour of Gloucester | William de Claville |
Ayshford | Burlescombe | Halberton | Honour of Gloucester | Agnes de Esford |
Appledore | Burlescombe | Halberton | Honour of Gloucester | William de Claville |
Canonsleigh (Leige) | Burlescombe | Halberton | Unknown | (post 1170 Canonsleigh Priory) |
Leonard | Halberton | Halberton | Honour of Gloucester | Dunkeswell Abbey |
Bere (possibly Netherton) | possibly Farway | Colyton | unknown | unknown |
Buckland-Tout-Saints(Woodmanstone in Bearscombe) | Buckland-Tout-Saints | Coleridge | Honour of Gloucester | Thomas de Wodemaneston |
North Pool | South Pool | Coleridge | Honour of Gloucester | William de Bykelegh |
Lupridge (Colemore) | North Huish (formerly in Ermington) | Stanborough | Honour of Gloucester | William de Bykelegh [20] |
Leigh (All Hallows Leigh/Leigh All Saints) | Churchstow | Stanborough | Honour of Gloucester | Geoffrey de Insula (de L'Isle) |
One virgate in Iddesleigh | Iddesleigh | Shebbear | Honour of Gloucester | unknown |
Dowland | Dowland | North Tawton | Honour of Gloucester | Henry de Nuny and wife Matilda |
Loosedon (Lullardeston) | Winkleigh | North Tawton | Honour of Gloucester | Roger Cole |
One virgate in Dowland | North Tawton | North Tawton | unknown | unknown |
Instow (DB:Lohannestov (i.e.Johannes Stow, "John's Church") | Instow | Fremington | Honour of Gloucester | John de Sancto Johanne (de St John) [21] |
Chetelescote (possibly "Gillscott") | possibly Coldridge | possibly North Tawton | unknown | unknown |
Nimet (Wolvys Nymet/Wolfin) | Down St Mary | North Tawton | Honour of Gloucester | Walter le Lou (le loup, "wolf") |
Shobrooke | Morchard Bishop | Crediton | unknown | unknown |
Burlescombe | Burlescombe | Bampton | unknown | given c.1170 to Canonsleigh Priory by Walter II Claville [22] |
Ciclet | unknown | possibly Bampton | unknown | unknown |
Virworthy (held jointly with brother Gotshelm) | Pancrasweek | Black Torrington | unknown | unknown |
In Dorset he held five manors including East Morden, since known as Morden-Maltravers. [23] According to Hutchins four of the manors held by Walter de Claville in Domesday "seem to have passed at a very early period to a younger son—perhaps before the time of Henry II. Robert de Clavile held a fee in 'Porbica' in the time of Henry I., of which two hides were given to the Abbot of Tewkesbury, probably about 1106, soon after the Monastery of Cranborne became a priory dependent upon the former house. The gift was conferred by charter of King Henry I. In 12 Hen. II., (i.e. 1166 Cartae Baronum) Radulphus de Clavill held one fee in Dorset of Alured de Lincoln, of the "new feoffment", and Robert de Clavile held another of Gerbert de Perci, of the "old feoffment". [24] Tewkesbury Abbey was founded by the Earl of Gloucester and thus is a link to the Honour of Gloucester to which Walter I's Devonshire holdings passed. The arms of the Clavell family of Dorset were: Argent, on a chevron sable three chapeaux or. [25]
Umberleigh is a former large manor within the historic hundred of (North) Tawton, but today a small village in North Devon in England. It used to be an ecclesiastical parish, but following the building of the church at Atherington it became a part of that parish. It forms however a part of the civil parish of Chittlehampton, which is mostly located on the east side of the River Taw.
Harberton is a village, civil parish and former manor 3 miles south west of Totnes, in the South Hams District of Devon, England. The parish includes the village of Harbertonford situated on the main A381 road. In the 2001 census the parish had a population of 1,285. The village is a major part of the electoral ward of Avon and Harbourne. At the 2011 census the ward population was 2,217.
Blackborough is a hamlet and former manor in the parish of Kentisbeare, Devon, England. It is situated within the Mid Devon district. The nearest substantial town is Cullompton, approximately 4.7 miles (7.6 km) to the south-west. Within Blackborough are situated the large mansion of Blackborough House also notable are Hayne Farm and the Old Smithy. The former neo-Gothic Early English style parish church of All Saints, built in 1838 by George Wyndham, 4th Earl of Egremont, lord of the manor, who also built Blackborough House was demolished in 1994, having become structurally unsafe. The churchyard however is still maintained and the ecclesiastical parish and parochial church council still exist.
Huish is a small village, civil parish and former manor in the Torridge district of Devon, England. The eastern boundary of the parish is formed by the River Torridge and the western by the Rivers Mere and Little Mere, and it is surrounded, clockwise from the north, by the parishes of Merton, Dolton, Meeth and Petrockstowe. In 2001 the population of the parish was 49, down from 76 in 1901.
Collaton St Mary is a village, parish and former manor in Devon, England, situated about 2 miles (3 km) west of the town of Paignton. The village is bisected by the A385 Paignton to Totnes road. The parish is now administered within the unitary authority of Torbay, Devon.
The feudal barony of Bampton was one of eight feudal baronies in Devonshire which existed during the mediaeval era, and had its caput at Bampton Castle within the manor of Bampton.
The feudal barony of Gloucester or Honour of Gloucester was one of the largest of the mediaeval English feudal baronies in 1166, comprising 279 knight's fees, or manors. The constituent landholdings were spread over many counties. The location of the caput at Gloucester is not certain as Gloucester Castle appears to have been a royal castle, but it is known that the baronial court was held at Bristol in Gloucestershire.
The manor of Wadham in the parish of Knowstone in north Devon and the nearby manors of Chenudestane and Chenuestan are listed in the Domesday Book of 1086:
Floyer Hayes was an historic manor in the parish of St Thomas on the southern side of the City of Exeter in Devon, England, from which city it is separated by the River Exe. It took its name from the ancient family of Floyer which held it until the early 17th century, when it was sold to the Gould family. In the 19th century the estate was divided up and the manor house demolished. The parish church of St Thomas, situated a short distance to the west of the house, was burned down in 1645 during the Civil War, and was rebuilt before 1657. Thus no monuments survive there of early lords of the manor, namely the Floyer family.
Gotshelm was an Anglo-Norman magnate and one of the 52 Devon Domesday Book tenants-in-chief of King William the Conqueror and was also a Cornwall Domesday Book tenant-in-chief. He is listed in the Domesday Book of 1086 as holding 28 estates or manors in Devon from the king. His brother was Walter de Claville, also a Devon Domesday Book tenant-in-chief, who held 32 estates or manors in Devon from the king.
Gittisham is an historic manor largely co-terminous with the parish of Gittisham in Devon, England, within which is situated the village of Gittisham. The capital estate is Combe, on which is situated Combe House, the manor house of Gittisham, a grade I listed Elizabethan building situated 2 1/4 miles south-west of the historic centre of Honiton and 3 1/4 miles north-east of the historic centre of Ottery St Mary.
Kenedon is an historic manor situated in the parish of Sherford in Devon.
South Milton is a village and civil parish in Devon, England, situated on the south coast about 2 miles south-west of Kingsbridge. The civil parish includes the hamlets of Sutton, south of the village, and Upton, north of the village.
The manor of Broad Hempston was a historic manor situated in Devon, England, about 4 miles north of Totnes. The present village known as Broadhempston was the chief settlement within the manor and remains the location of the ancient parish church of St Peter and St Paul.
Fardel is a historic manor in the parish of Cornwood, in the South Hams district of Devon. It was successively the seat of the Raleigh and Hele families. The surviving Grade I listed medieval manor house is situated about half-way between Cornwood and Ivybridge, just outside the Dartmoor National Park on its south-western border.
The manor of Alverdiscott was a manor situated in north Devon, England, which included the village of Alverdiscott.
Hareston is an historic estate in the parish of Brixton, about three miles from Plymouth in Devon. The mansion house built during the reign of King Henry VII (1485-1509) burned down partially in an accidental fire at the beginning of the 18th century, and in 1822 the surviving part, the Hall and Chapel, was being used as a farmhouse. It was described by Candida Lycett Green in her 1991 book The Perfect English Country House as: "The most forgotten Manor House Farm In England, untouched for hundreds of years, sits safely, impossible to find, down miles of private sunken lanes which in the spring brim with Campion, Bluebells, Purple Orchids, Primroses, Violets, Speedwell and Stitchwort. Wooded hills rise behind this, the quintessence of an ancient English Manor House".
Speccot is an historic estate in the parish of Merton in Devon, England. It was the seat of the de Speccot family, one of the oldest gentry families in Devon, which founded almshouses at Taddiport, near Great Torrington, Devon, in the 13th century. It is situated about one mile south-west of Potheridge, the seat of the Monck family from before 1287 to the late 17th century, who were thus close neighbours of the de Speccot family for many centuries. The present farmhouse known as "Speccot Barton" is Victorian and although no obvious traces of an earlier house survive, is marked "On Site of a Mansion" on the First Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch map of 1880-99. The estate is today operated as a family-run sheep farm with six holiday cottages to let. A smaller house known as "Little Speccot" is situated on the approach lane to Speccot Barton.
Weycroft is an historic manor in the parish of Axminster in Devon, England. The surviving manor house known as "Weycroft Hall" is a Grade I listed building which includes elements from the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries, with a great hall of circa 1400, and was restored in the 19th century.
Bagtor is a historic estate in the parish of Ilsington in Devon, England. It was the birthplace of John Ford the playwright and poet. The Elizabethan mansion of the Ford family survives today at Bagtor as the service wing of a later house appended in about 1700.