William de Poynings

  Noted events in his life were:

• Background Information. ¹⁴¹
William (son of Rainald and Domesday Tenant*) was the tenant of William de Warenne in 1086 in Poynings, Pangdean, and elsewhere in Sussex, in Foulden, Norfolk, and in Wrentham and elsewhere in Suffolk. Although there is no evidence to prove that he was the lineal ancestor, he was certainly the predecessor in Sussex of Adam de Poynings, who with Beatrice his wife and Adam their son gave to Lewes Priory the churches of Poynings and Pangdean, with 12 solidates of land in specified places in Sussex and 5 messuages in Lewes, which gifts were confirmed by William, (third) Earl de Warenne, 1138-47. Adam de Poynings the elder died ante 1147/8.

[*Domesday Book, vol. i, ff. 27, 27b; vol. ii, ff 167b, 399b, 400b.]

~Cokayne's Complete Peerage, 2^nd Edition, Vol. X, p. 656

• Background Information. ¹²⁶⁶
The manor of Poynings was probably identical with 8 hides held in 1086 of William de Warenne by William son of Rainald, [V.C.H. Suss. i, 440. Cola held it of Earl Godwin] who may be identified with Rainald de Poynings son of Reiner. [Suss. Rec. Soc. xxxviii, 13; Farrer, Honors and Knights' Fees, iii, 327]

The overlordship descended with the rape, falling to Elizabeth, Lady Bergavenny, in 1439. [Suss. Rec. Soc. xxxiv, 190] By the middle of the 16th century the manor had ceased to be held of the barony of Lewes and was held directly of the king. [Cf. ibid. xx, 348, 360; xxxiv, 196] Adam de Poynings and his wife Beatrice were holding land at Poynings about 1140. [Ibid. xxxviii, 30] They had a son Adam. [Ibid. Cf. Suss. Arch. Coll. xv, 14 et seq.]

~A History of the County of Sussex, Volume VII, pp. 208-212