William Fitz Norman

  Noted events in his life were:

• Background Information. ¹²⁴⁹
It is more certain that in 1134, the present Church of Kilpeck (dedicated to St. David) along with the Chapel of St. Mary in the castle, and all rights and possessions appertaining to them, were given to the Abbey of Gloucester by Hugh son of William Fitz Norman, Lord of Kilpeck Castle. The manor of Kilpeck was given to William Fitz Norman (the father of Hugh), by the Conqueror. In Domesday Book we find the following entry: "These towns or lands under written are situated on the border of Archen- field. William Fitz Norman holds Chipecce; Cadcand held it in the time of King Edward. In the demesne are 3 ploughlands, and two bondmen, and four ploughmen, and fifty-seven men with nineteen ploughlands, and they pay fifteen quails of honey, and ten shillings. They do not give other tribute, nor do service except in the army. Value, four pounds." Henry, the son of Hugh just mentioned, succeeded his father in the possession of the manor, and assumed from it the name of Henry de Kilpeck. His grandson, Hugh de Kilpeck, is mentioned in the 32nd year of the reign of Hen. III. (1248), as holding the manor of Little Taynton in Gloucestershire by the serjeancy of keeping the hay of Hereford.

~Illustrations of Kilpeck Church, Herefordshire, p. 39

• Background Information. ¹²⁴⁸
Chipcete in Irchenfield is the present Kilpeck, where William Fitz Norman sat in the seat of Cadiand, the dispossessed Englishman. The lands paid no geld or military service, which in that border district is remarkable. William was a large Herefordshire landowner. In 1134, 25 Henry I, Hugh, son of William Fitz Norman, gave to St. Peter's, Gloucester, the church of St. David at Kilpeck, and the chapel of our Lady of or within the castle. Of the chapel no more is said, but the church is included in the confirmation charter by Stephen to Gloucester in 1138, and in many later confirmations and charters of Inspeximus.

According to Dugdale, a priory was founded at Kilpeck in 1134, and dedicated to St. David, by Henry de Kilpeck. The founder more probably was Hugh Fitz Norman, who certainly endowed it. It was a cell of the Benedictine Abbey of St. Peter at Gloucester, and subsisted until its suppression in 1422-48, during the Episcopate of Thomas Spoffbrd of Hereford. The priors were summoned to take part in the elections of the Gloucester abbots.

Hugh was succeeded by Henry, called "de Kilpeck," who had to pay a fine of 100 marks to King Stephen for a trespass on the royal forest of the Haywood. Henry is also mentioned in the Pipe Roll of Richard I as in arrear 13 marks in 1189 for dues to the king from the forest of Trivel.

John de Kilpeck, son of Henry, purchased the barony of Purbeck or Pulverbach, co. Salop, of the Crown, in 1193 for £100. At the commencement of John's reign he seems to have held in his bailiwick the forests of Herefordshire, probably as sheriff of that county, for which he rendered his accounts in the 3^rd of John. He also paid two marks scutage for his lands in Salop. He died 1204, and Julian, his widow, paid 50 marks to King John to marry whom she pleased. In the following year she had dower of Rokeslegh and La Teme, according to Madox.

By Julian, John left Hugh de Kilpeck, who was a ward to William de Cantelupe, a great border baron. At this time the king visited Kilpeck occasionally, being there 1211, 11th March, in his way from Hereford to Abergavenny, no doubt at both places as Cantelupe's guest. Also in 1213, 27th and 28th November, he was here between Hereford and St. Briavels, and finally 18th and 19th December, 1214, while going from Monmouth to Hereford.

Hugh de Kilpeck, when of age, inherited the keepership of the royal forests in Herefordshire, and in 1248 he held Little Taynton, in Gloucestershire, by the serjeantry of keeping Haywood forest, also an hereditary charge. The forests of Hay, Kilpeck, and Acornbury seem, from the patent rolls, to have been in his hands 3rd Henry III. 1231, 16th Henry III, Hugh de Kilpeck and William Fitz Warine were two of the eight lords employed to negociate a truce with Llewelyn. This seems positive; but Dugdale says he died about 1207. There is an inquisition upon him 28th Henry III, 1243-4; but it appears from the fine rolls that he died before this. He married Egidia, who married, says Dugdale, William Fitz Warine. He left two daughters, co-heirs, Isabella and Joan. Joan, the younger, aged 17 at her father's death, was the first wife of Philip de Marmion. She held half the barony of Kilpeck, and left three daughters, co-heirs. Philip, who was champion of England and a great supporter of Henry III, left by a second wife a fourth daughter. Each had a quarter of the barony of Marmion, and the elder three had each a third of that of Kilpeck. The Frevilles of Tamworth sprang from Mazera, the second child, and the Ludlows and Dymokes, champions, from Joan, the fourth.

~Archaeologia Cambrensis, Vol. IV, 4^th series, pp. 54-57