Feudal barony of Clifford

Clifford Castle, Herefordshire, caput of the feudal barony of Clifford, destroyed in 1402 by Welsh forces during the rebellion of Owain Glyndŵr

The feudal barony of Clifford (or Honour of Clifford) was a feudal barony with its caput at Clifford Castle in Herefordshire, England.

Descent

De Tony

The Domesday Book of 1086 records that Clifford Castle was then held by Ralph de Tony (d.1102)[1] (alias de Tosny, Tosni, etc.), feudal baron of Flamstead in Hertfordshire.[2] It had been built by his brother-in-law William FitzOsbern, 1st Earl of Hereford (d.1071), Lord of Breteuil, in Normandy, one of the very few proven Companions of William the Conqueror known to have fought at the Battle of Hastings in 1066. William FitzOsbern was the husband of Adeliza de Tosny, daughter of Roger I of Tosny and sister of Ralph de Tony (d.1102).

de Clifford

Arms of Clifford: Chequy or and azure, a fesse gules, adopted at the start of the age of heraldry, circa 1200-1215, probably by Walter II de Clifford (d.1221)

At some time before 1127 the barony passed by means unexplained to Richard FitzPons (d.1138).[3] Richard was the brother and heir of Drogo FitzPons, a tenant of estates in Herefordshire listed in the Domesday Book. Richard married Maud de Gloucester, daughter of Walter of Gloucester (d. circa 1129) and sister of Miles of Gloucester, 1st Earl of Hereford.[4] The son and heir of Richard FitzPons took the surname de Clifford after his father's barony (or due to his possible place of birth at Clifford Castle), as Walter I de Clifford (d.1190). He was succeeded by Richard de Clifford (died circa 1199), who died without progeny, and was succeeded by Walter II de Clifford (d.1221), probably his brother.[5] Walter II de Clifford's eldest son Walter III de Clifford (d.1263) succeeded to the barony of Clifford, but left no male progeny, the barony descending via his daughter, see below. Walter's younger son however was Roger de Clifford (d.1231) of Tenbury, who founded his own long-lived line of the Clifford family, later feudal barons of Appleby and feudal barons of Skipton, Baron de Clifford (1299), Earl of Cumberland (1525), Baron Clifford (1628) and Baron Clifford of Chudleigh (1672), which last title survives in 2015, borne by his direct male descendant, seated at Ugbrooke Park in Devon.

Walter III de Clifford (d.1263), heir to his father in the feudal barony of Clifford, married Margaret, the daughter of Prince Llywelyn ab Iorwerth of Wales, by whom he left a daughter and sole heiress Maud de Clifford (d.1282/5), who married firstly William Longespée (d.1257), grandson of William Longespée, 3rd Earl of Salisbury, and secondly John Giffard (d.1299) of Elston in Wiltshire, who held the barony jure uxoris.[6] Maud de Clifford's daughter and sole heiress, by her 1st husband William Longespée, was Margaret Longespée (d.1306/10), de jure Countess of Salisbury, who regained possession of the barony following the death of her step-father John Giffard in 1299. She married Henry de Lacy, 3rd Earl of Lincoln (d.1311), feudal baron of Skipton. In 1310 the barony of Skipton was granted by the king to the junior de Clifford line, in the person of Robert de Clifford, 1st Baron de Clifford (d.1314), seated at Appleby Castle in Westmorland. Margaret Longespée's daughter and sole heiress was Alice de Lacy (d.1348), who died without progeny, having married thrice, firstly to Thomas, Earl of Lancaster (d.1322), secondly to Ebulo Lestrange (1335) and thirdly to Hugh de Frene (d.1336).[7] Clifford Castle was destroyed in 1402 by Welsh forces during the rebellion of Owain Glyndŵr.

Sources

References

  1. ↑ Sanders, p.35; p.117
  2. ↑ Sanders, p.35, note 6
  3. ↑ Sanders, p.35
  4. ↑ Sanders, p.35, note 6
  5. ↑ Sanders, p.35
  6. ↑ Sanders, p.36
  7. ↑ Sanders, p.36
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