William Cheever

William Cheever (floruit 1086) (alias Chievre) (Latinised to Capra, "she-goat",^[1] from French chèvre) was one of the 52 Devon Domesday Book tenants-in-chief of King William the Conqueror. He held 46 landholdings in Devon.^[2] His lands later formed (together with three of the four Devonshire estates of Ralph de Limesy)^[3] the feudal barony of Bradninch, Devon.^[4] His brother was Ralph de Pomeroy, feudal baron of Berry Pomeroy,^[5] Devon, with whom several of his holdings had been divided into two parts, one for each brother.^[6] His sister was Beatrix, who held from him the manor of Southleigh.^[7]

Succession

It is not known whether Cheever married and left progeny, however his estates escheated to the crown during the reign of King Henry I (1100-1135), who granted them to his own illegitimate son William I de Tracy (died circa 1136).

Sources

• Thorn, Caroline & Frank, (eds.) Domesday Book, (Morris, John, gen.ed.) Vol. 9, Devon, Parts 1 & 2, Phillimore Press, Chichester, 1985. (Parts 1 & 2 chapter 19, holdings of William Cheever)
• Sanders, I.J. English Baronies: A Study of their Origin and Descent 1086-1327, Oxford, 1960 (Pages 20–1, Barony of Bradninch)

References

1. ↑ Thorn & Thorn, part 2 (notes) chap.19
2. ↑ Thorn & Thorn, part 1, chap.19, 1-46
3. ↑ Thorn & Thorn, part 2 (notes) chaps.19; 31
4. ↑ Sanders, p.20; Thorn, part 2, chap.19
5. ↑ Sanders, p.20; Thorn, part 2, chap.19
6. ↑ Thorn & Thorn, part 2 (notes) chap.19
7. ↑ Thorn & Thorn, Chap.19, 46, Beatrix is called "his sister" in the Exon Domesday in the holding of Southleigh