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An Account of the Division of Cumberland by
William the Conqueror amongst his Followers [a]; taken
out of two antient Latin Manuscripts in the Library of the
Dean and Chapter of Carlisle; carefully collated by
the Rev. Dr. Hugh Todd (who communicated it to
Bishop Gibson.)
KING William, sirnamed the Bastard, duke of Normandy,
Conqueror of England, gave all the lands of the county of
Cumberland to Ranulphus de Meschines: and to
Galfridus, brother to the said Ranulph, he gave the whole
county of Chestre: and to William another brother he
gave all the land of Coupland between Duden and
Darwent.
Ranulphus de Meschines infeoffed Hubertus de Waux [b] in the
barony of Gillesland; and Ranulphus his brother in
Sowerby, Carlaton, and Hubbrightby. And Robert
the third brother in the barony of Dalston. He
infoeffed also Robert Destrivers in the barony of
Burgh, and Richerus de Boyvile in the barony of
Levington, and Odardus de Logis in the barony of
Staynton. He infeoffed also Waldevus, son of
Gospatricus earl of Dunbar in Scotland, in all the barony of
Allerdale between Wathenpole and Darwent.
The aforesaid William de Meschines lord of Coupland,
infeoffed Waldevus, son of Gospatricus, in all the land that
lies between Cocar and Darwent, and also in these townships
Brigham, Eglysfeld, Dene, Brainthwaite, and
Grisothen: and the two Cliftons and
Staneburne. He infeoffed also Odardus le Clerk in the
fourth part of Crostwaite, pro custodia asturcorum
suorum [c], i.e. for keeping his goshawkes.
Galfridus de Meschines earl of Chester, died without issue;
and thereupon Ranulphus de Meschines became earl of Chestre;
and surrendered to the king all the county of Cumberland, on
this condition, that all those that held lands of him in
fee should hold of the king in capite.
It is called Distributio Cumbriae ad Conquestum Angliae
inter gentes. Sir William Dugdale calls it Chronicon
Cumbriae; and so the lord William Howard has styled it one
of the MSS. but it is a mistake; for that piece of
antiquity, if it be extant, was of another nature, and
written by Everardus abbot of Holme Cultram t. Hen. II. It
was said to be in the library of sir Thomas Gower, bart. but
upon search it could not be found. G. Everardus was the
first abbot of Holm Cultram 1175, and died 1192, having
written the lives of several northern saints. Dempster,
v.479. Tanner, Bib. Brit. 271.
The foresaid Waldevus, son of earl Gospatricus, infeoffed
Odardus de Logis in the barony of Wygton, Dondryt,
Waverton, Blancogo, and Kirkbride: which Odardus
de Logis founded the church of Wygton; and gave to Odardus,
son of Liolfe, Tulentyre and Castlerige, with
the forest between Caltre and Greta: and to the prior and
convent of Gisburne he gave Appleton and
Bricekirk, with the advowson of the church there. He
gave also to Adam son of Liolfe, Uldendale and
Gilcruce: and to Gemellus son of Brun,
Bothill; and to Waldevus son of Gileminius, with
Ethreda his sister, he gave Brogham, Ribton and
Little Brogham , and Donwaldese and
Bowaldese ad unam legiam, for a lodge or house for a
ranger. He gave also to Ormus son of Ketellus Seton,
Camberton, Flemingbi, Craiksothen, in marriage with
Gurwelda his sister: and to Dolfinus son of Abwaldus with
Matilda another sister he gave Appletwhaite and
Little Crosby, Langrige and Brigham, with the
advowson of the church there. He gave also to Melbeth his
physician the town of Bromefeld; saving to himself
the advowson of the church there.
Alanus, son and heir of the said Waldevus, gave to Ranulphus
Lyndsey Blenerhasset and Ukmanby, with
Ethereda his sister. To Uthrdeus, son of Fergus lord of
Galloway, in marriage with Gurnelda [d] his own sister, he
gave Torpenhow, with the advowson of the church
there. He gave also to Catellus de Spenser [e]
Threpeland, He gave also to Herbert the manor of
Thuresby, for the third part of a township. He gave
also to Gospatricus, son of Ormus, High Ireby, for
the third part of a township. He gave also to Gamellus le
Brun [f] Rughtwaite, for a third part of a township.
He gave also to Radulphus Engaine Issael with the
appurtenances; and Blencrake with the service of
Newton. And the same Alanus had one bastard brother
named Gospatricus, to whom he gave Boulton,
Bastinthwaite and Esterholme. And to Odardus he
gave Newton, with the appurtenances. And to his three
huntsmen Sleth [g] and to his companions
Hayton. To Uctredus he gave one carrucat of land in
Aspatrike, on condition that he should be his
summoner (summonitor) in Allerdale. He gave also to
Delfinus six bovates or oxgangs of land in High
Crosby, that he should be serviens d. regis, the
king's serjeant in Allerdale. And to Simon de Shestelyngs he
gave one moiety of Deram. And to Dilfinus, son of
Gospatricus, the other mooiety. He gave also to Waldevus,
son of Dolfinus, Brakanthwaite. And to the priory of
St. Bega he gave Stainburne. And to the priory of
Carliol he gave the body of Walddevus his son, with the holy
cross, which they have yet in possession; and Crosby,
with the advowson of the church there, with the service that
Uctredus owed him; and also the advowson of the church of
Aspatrike, with the service of Alanus de Brayton. He
gave them also the advowson of the church of Ireby,
with the suit and service of Waldevus de Langthwaite.
The same Alanus, son of Waldevus, gave to king Henry [h] the
fields of the forest of Allerdale, with liberty to hunt
whenever he should lodge at Holme Cultrane. To this Alanus
succeeded William, son
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