Margaret de Clare

  Noted events in her life were:

• Background Information. ¹²¹³
Before the Norman Conquest Letchworth was held by Godwin of Souberie (Soulbury), a thegn of King Edward the Confessor. In 1086 it formed part of the domain of Robert Gernon, and was assessed at 10 hides. Robert Gernon's estates were acquired early in the reign of Henry I by William de Montfitchet, [V.C.H. Essex, i, 347] who with his wife Rohais seems to have been holding Letchworth at the beginning of the 12th century. [Dugdale, Mon. ii, 229] His son William [Dugdale, Mon. ii, 229] succeeded him before 1135 and married Margaret [Ibid. v, 586-7] the daughter of Gilbert Fitz Richard de Clare. [S. Grimaldi, Rot. de Dominabus, 45] His wife outlived him and was still holding some of the Montfitchet lands in 1185. [Ibid] The rest of William's lands seem to have passed about 1167 to his son Gilbert, [Dugdale, Mon. v, 586-7 Red Bk. Exch. (Rolls Ser.), i, 349, 38] whose wife's name was Avelina. [Dugdale, Mon. iv, 231] Gilbert was succeeded by his son Richard about 1190, [Dugdale, Mon. vi, 231 Red Bk. Exch. (Rolls Ser.), ii, 730] whose son, also named Richard, [Dugdale, Mon. iv, 231] was one of the confederate barons of 1215 (Magna Carta Surities) who demanded the Charter of Liberties from King John. [Matt. Paris, (Rolls Ser.), ii, 585]

~ A History of the County of Hertford, Volume III, pp. 118-124

• Background Information. ¹²⁰⁷
Margaret, the wife of William Montfíchet, was of the family of Clare, being granddaughter of Richard, son of Count Gilbert, a Norman of great renown, an offspring of the Ducal House; her father was the eldest son of Gilbert. Her brother Richard, who died in 1136 was the first Earl of Hertford; and Gilbert de Clare, another brother, was created Earl of Pembroke in 1138. In compliment to this distinguished alliance the Barons Montfíchet bore for arms a variation of those of Clare.

~ Transactions of the Essex Archaeological Society, Volume V, p. 184

Margaret married William de Montfíchet Baron of Stanstead, son of William de Montfíchet and Rohais.¹²¹³ (William de Montfíchet Baron of Stanstead was born Circ 1100 in Stanstead Mountfitchet, Bishop's Stortford, Essex, England and died about 1167 in London, Middlesex, England ¹²¹³.)