Hugh Devereux of Chanston

Hugh Devereux of Chanston (Vowchurch) was an Anglo-Norman nobleman living during the reign of Edward I of England. The Devereux were a prominent knightly family along the Welsh Marches^[1] during the thirteenth century, and Hugh would play an integral role in attempts to control the Welsh Marches.

Ancestry

Hugh Devereux was born about 1245, the son of Nicholas II Devereux of Chanston^[2] and a woman named Isabel.^[3] His father was a member of the retinue of Walter de Lacy, Lord of Meath,^[4][5][6] and on his death the fealty of the Devereux estates of Chanston were transferred to Walter’s granddaughter, Margaret de Lacy, and her husband, John de Verdon.^[7] His father had gone over to the Baronial cause towards the end of the Second Barons' War, but by this time he was established in his own right and remained loyal to the king.

Career

Following his father’s death probably at the Battle of Evesham, Hugh Devereux was granted safe conduct by the king on 4 May 1266 lasting through midsummer to allow him to come to court. ^[2]

Between 1276 to 1277 Edward I suppressed a minor rebellion in Wales. On 18 August 1277 Hugh Devereux was provided protection with a clause volumus until Michaelmas (29 September) as he was already on the king’s service in Wales.^[8]

On 2 January 1290 Devereux, John Pychard, and Robert de Hauford acknowledged owing a 7 marks debt to Thomas de Tuberville with collateral being their lands and chattels in Herefordshire, Oxfordshire, and Berkshire.^[9] He was identified as Lord of Chanston on 8 December 1293 when recorded as taking a loan of 4 pounds and 7 shillings from Richard, son of Roger de Orleton, a merchant of Herefordshire.^[10]

On 9 March 1299 Richard Swinefield, Bishop of Hereford, requested that the King order the sheriff of Hereford (Miles Pichard) to eject armed men led by Hugh Devereux and his sons, and Richard Dansey who had taken possession of Turnastone Church, and the chapel and rectory of Saint Leonard’s in county Herefordshire. They were in the Golden Vale, and a short distance from his manor of Chanston. Following resolution of this event, a John Devereux^{[lower-alpha 1]} was inducted into the living on 24 November 1300 on presentation by Richard Dansy.^[11][12]

About 1304 Hugh granted his son, Nicholas III Devereux and his heirs, 1/3 of the manor of Chanston as tenant for a term of three years. The land in the village of Aynaldestone had been part of the agreed upon dower for Hugh’s mother, Isabel, upon her marriage to Nicholas II Devereux as his first wife.^[3]

About 1305 Hugh made grants of land from the manor of Chanston to his half-brother, John Devereux, and John’s wife, Eva. John Devereux was the son of Nicholas II Devereux and his second wife, Joan. Around this time Hugh Devereux also granted 5 acres of Chanston manor to David le Seriaunt to be held for 2 years, and as part of these transactions there were issues with the rent owed by the John and Sarah Raguns and the control of 12 acres of meadow in the hands of Maud le Bret.^[3]

Marriage

Hugh Devereux married an unknown woman, and they had children:

• Nicholas III Devereux of Chanston^{[3][12][lower-alpha 2]}
• John Devereux^[12][13]
• Parson Hugh Devereux^{[14][lower-alpha 3]}

Death

Hugh Devereux died about 1307.

In 1308 Hugh’s eldest son, Nicholas III Devereux, and his co–parceners David le Seriaunt, John and Sarah Ragun with their son John, and Maud (widow of Richard le Bret) were called to court to provide evidence for their claim to portions of Chanston manor. Part of the manor had previously been granted in court by Hugh Devereux to his brother, John Devereux and his wife Eva. In 1308/9 John and Eva Devereux filed a writ to compel these individuals to turn over the rights to these lands for which they held the reversion as granted by Hugh Devereux. Nicholas III Devereux claimed his father had granted him these lands prior to the grant of reversion to John and Eva. The defendants were allowed not to attorn due to one of the co-parceners not being an adult, and therefore he could not be disinherited while under age.^[3]

Notes

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