Walter de Clifford 1st Lord of Clifford's Castle

  Information about this person:

• Background Information. ⁹⁰²
Walter de Clifford is said to have been the grandson of Pons or Poncius, the father of five sons, Walter, Drogo, Osbern, Simon, and Richard. Of these five sons Richard FitzPonce was the father of Walter de Clifford, who, according to Eyton, succeeded to the estates of his uncles Walter and Drogo. These two brothers figure in Domesday as the possessors of lands in Herefordshire, Berkshire, and other counties [Eyton, v. 146, &c.; Domesday, i. 180 b. 61; Ellis, Introduction, i. 405, 504]. His father Richard seems to have died between 1115 and 1138, in which later year we find 'Walter de Cliffot' signing a Gloucester charter [Eyton, v. 148; Monasticon, i. 551]. He reappears under the same name in 1155 [Pipe Rolls, p. 144]. He probably obtained the barony of Clifford from his wife Margaret, asserted to be the daughter of Ralph de Tony, who in 1068 was lord of this fee [Domesday, i. 183]. According to another theory, his mother Maud, wife of Richard FitzPonce, was the original holder of it [Eyton, 149]. Towards the middle of Henry II's reign he was possessed of the manors of Corfham, Culminton, &c. in Shropshire. He was a benefactor to several monasteries, e.g. Haughmond, Dore, and Godstow [Monasticon, viii. 551; Eyton].

Clifford's name occurs in the Welsh annals as lord of the castle of Llannymddyvri. He ravaged the lands of Rhys ap Gruffydd, who, finding his complaints to Henry II disregarded, surprised his castle (1157-9). In 1164 he is said to have slain Cadwgan, son of Maredudd [Brut, 118; Annales Cambriæ, p. 48]. He was still living in 1187, and according to Eyton died in 1190. His children were Walter (d. 1220?), Richard, and William, and three daughters, Lucia, married to Hugo de Say, Amicia, married to Osbern FitzHugh, and Rosamond. The main part of the Clifford estates passed to Matilda, a great-granddaughter, wife of William Longespée, earl of Salisbury, whose daughter, Margery Longespée, brought them to her husband, Henry de Lacy, earl of Lincoln (d. 1311). Walter de Clifford's grandson Roger (d. 1231) was father of Roger (d. 1285?).

[Authorities cited above, and Dugdale's Baronage, i. 338, &c.]

~By Thomas Andrew Archer, Dictionary of National Biography, Vol. IV, pp. 537-538

Walter married Margaret de Toeni, daughter of Raoul de Toeni Lord of Flamstead, Hertford and Alice of Northumberland. (Margaret de Toeni was born about 1109 in Northumberland, England and died before 1185 in Clifford Castle, Herefordshire, England.)