Peter de Melton Constable of Norfolk

   Another name for Peter was Peter Constable.

  Information about this person:

• Background Information. ^1175,1180
Thomas, Lord Astley, who was killed in the Barons' wars at Evesham, 49 Henry III is the ancestor of the Astley family of Hill-Morton. By his first wife, Joan, daughter of Ernold du-Bois, he was the father of Andrew, from whom the Astleys, of Pateshull, in Staffordshire descend. By his second wife, Edetha, daughter of Peter Constable of Melton-Constable, in Norfolk, Esquire, sister of Sir Robert Constable, Knight, he had sons, Thomas, Ralph & Stephen.

~Betham's Englaish Baronetage, Vol. II, p. 71 & Collin's English Baronetage, Vol. III, Part I, p. 63-64

• Background Information. ¹²⁵³
Melton Constable - This lordship was granted by the Conqueror to William de Beaufo Bishop of Thetford, to be held of him as a lay fee, and in his own right, (with many other,) being his lord chancellour, &c. out of which 4 freemen of King Herold were expelled, and Roger de Lyons held it of the bishop, with Anschetel the provost, with 3 carucates of land; 2 villains and 32 borderers belonged to it, with 7 carucates and an half; there was paunage in the wood for 60 swine, and 6 acres of meadow, 2 beasts for burden, and 7 cows, &c. and a church endowed with 6 acres valued at 5d. the whole valued formerly at 30s. at the survey at 40s. per ann. and was one leuca long and half a leuca broad, and paid 10d. gelt.

From this Anschetel, the provost, descended the family of De Mealton, who according to the Norman custom assumed that name from their lordship, and sometimes wrote themselves De Constable, from the office and place that they held under the Bishops of Norwich, by whom they had been enfeoffed of it.

The office of constable related as well to affairs of peace, as to military affairs. The Conqueror seems first to have appointed this office: his grand constable, or marshal, was styled Princeps Militiœ Domus Regis, and was hereditary, of whose dignity and authority our statutes and histories afford many proofs, and many lordships were held under the King by virtue of it; and the same was in this family, the office appearing to be hereditary, and by virtue of it, held the lordships of Burgh, Langham, Bruningham, Briston, Sniterle, West Tofts, East Tudenham, Melton, &c.

In the reign of King Henry II., Peter le Constable de Meaulton held 3 knights fees and an half of the old feofment of William Bishop of Norwich, and about 1160, Peter le Constable and Geffrey his son were witnesses to a confirmation of lands in Dilham, &c. given by Robert, son of Ralph.