Other female lines as I search through history

To consider the various wives and mothers, let's start with one of the eldest of our great grandfathers and what we may know about his female relations.

Sir Robert de Valoynes #22 (about 1254-1281) married Eva (either de la Peche or Criketot). The ancestry geneologists are debating which family she belonged to.  Sir Robert #22 governed from the Orford Castle which King Edward I had deeded to him.   Sir Robert #22 and Eva's daughter was Cecileia Valoynes (Valoines) #21 (1285-1325) who brought her wealth to the Ufford family when she married.

A knight practicing jousting skills in modern times

Orford Castle Keep

Cecelia and Sir Robert de Ufford #21 had son, Sir Robert de Ufford, First Earl of Suffolk #20, (1298-1369) who married Margaret de Norwich #20 (1300-1375).

We only know the names of her parents, without any dates.***  Sir Walter of Norwich #21 (born around 1280 and died after 1304) buried in Norwich Cathedral, Norwich, Norfolk Eng. His wife was Catherine Hedersete #21 (about 1280 - after 1304). Their birth and death dates are guesses based on the birth dates of their 2 daughters, 1300 and 1304.

***NOTE: more information has been found since this was first published.  Look at new posting information.

So coming back down the line, the daughter of Sir Robert de Ufford #20 and Margaret de Norwich #20 was Margaret de Ufford #19 who married Sir William de Ferrers #19, (1332-1371.)

I don't think I gave a fair exploration of Sir William #19's family, nor his wife's Margaret de Ufford de Ferrers #19..so here we go again.

His father was Henry de Ferrers #20, (1303-1343). Henry #20 was born and died in Groby, Hinckley and Bosworth Borough, Leicestershire, England.  He was buried St Mary's Priory, Ulverscroft, Charnwood Borough, Leicestershire, England

Son of William de Ferrers #21 and Ellen Seagrave #21. Husband of Isabel de Verdun, #20 married before 20 Feb 1331. Father of Sir William de Ferrers #19,  Phillipa de Ferrers (Mrs Guy de Beauchamp) and Elizabeth de Ferrers (Mrs David de Strathbogie.) Also father of Henry de Ferrers by an unknown mistress.

2nd Lord Ferrers of Groby, Fenny Drayton, Waltham, Leichestershire, Stebbing, Woodham Ferrers, Essex, Chapel Brampton, Northamptonshire. Chamberlain to the King (Edward III), Keeper of Berwick Upon Tweed, Justice of Chester, Keeper of the Channel Islands. 

Henry #20 was summoned to Parliament 1330 to 1338. He accompanied the king to Ireland in 1331, but was one of the 'disinherited" who took part in Edward de Baliol's invasion of Scotland in 1332. He received a pardon in 1338 for all offenses, including the capture of Roger de Mortimer. He was with the King at the Battle of Sluys in 1340. His wife, Isabel #20 died of the pestilence (the Black Death) of 1349.

Source: Find a Grave UK and Ireland

Pardon me if I go up Isabel de Verdun #20's ancestry for the next leg of my search. She seems interesting, and I know William de Ferrers #21 will also be as well as his wife - maybe next post.

Isabel de Verdun #20

BIRTH 21 MAR 1315 • Amesbury, Wiltshire Unitary Authority, Wiltshire, England

DEATH 25 JUL 1349 (AGED 34) • Groby, Hinckley and Bosworth Borough, Leicestershire, England

Her father was Sir Theobold de Verdun #21 (1278-1316).

The following biography is from his Find a Grave UK site.:

Knight, 2nd Lord Verdun of Alton, Staffordshire, of Weobley Herefordshire, of Franham Verdon, Buckinghamshire and of Wilsford, Wiltshire. Hereditary Constable of Ireland, Justiciar of Ireland, hereditary patron of Croxden Abbey.

Second but eldest surviving son of Thebaud de Verdun and Margery de Bohun. Grandson of John de Verdun and Margery de Lacy, daughter of Gilbert. Grandson of Humphrey de Bohun and Eleanor de Brewes.

Husband of Maud de Mortimer, married 29 July 1302 at Wigmore, Herefordshire. Maud was the daughter of Sir Edmund de Mortimer, 1st Lord Mortimer, a descendant of King John and Margaret de Fiennes, daughter of William and descendant of King Henry II. Her maritagium included the Castle and Manor of Dunamase in Ireland. They had four daughters:
* Joan, wife of Sir Thomas de Furnival
* Elizabeth, wife of Sir Bartholomew de Burghersh
* Margery, wife of Sir John Crophill
* Katherine

Theobald was knighted by the King in Northumberland on 24 June 1298. He fought in the second line at Falkirk July of 1298. Summoned to Parliament 1299 to 1315 as Theobaldo de Verdun junior, where as he became Lord Verdun. 

Maud died at Alton, Staffordshire on the 17th or 18th of Sept 1312 after childbirth and buried at Croxden Abbey.

Theobald married again, to Elizabeth de Clare #21, the daughter of Gilbert de Clare, 6th Earl of Gloucester #22 and Joan of England #22 the daughter of King Edward I #23. She was the widow of John de Burgh, who died in a skirmish on the 18th of June 1313. They had one daughter,  #20, who would marry Henry de Ferrers #20.

Theobald would die estate at Alton, Staffordshire. His widow would remarry Sir Roger D'Amory by 1317.

From
#68807235 · Find a Grave, possibly Croxdon Abbey

I will have to stop here for today...needless to say I want to look further into the royal roots of the family which were just spelled out.

21st -23rd great grandparents

Robert de Ufford, Earl of Suffolk #20's mother was Cicely de Valognes #21.
She was daughter and co-heiress of Sir Robert de Valoignes #22 (d.1281) and Eva (de La Pecche) #22 (or Eva Criketot #22.)

Orford Castle Keep, granted to Sir Ufford, First Earl of Suffolk #20  in perpetuity by Edward III in 1336. (It had been governed by his mother's family the de Valoines since Edward I.)

Robert Earl of Suffolk #20's father was Sir Robert de Ufford #21 (11 June 1279-1316).
He was summoned to parliament as a baron between 1308 and 1311. Sir Robert #21 had had 6 sons. His first son, William died without issue before his father, so Robert #20 became his heir.

Ufford Coat of Arms

And Sir Robert #21's father (only parent that we know of) was the first Robert de Ufford #22 (birth about 1250 - 1298) "who was a younger son of a Suffolk landowner John de Peyton #23, and this Robert #22 "was the founder of the greatness of the family."

Robert #22 assumed his surname from his lordship of Ufford in Suffolk, and attended Edward I on his crusade. Between 1276 and 1281 he acted as justice of Ireland. He was instructed by Edward I to introduce English law into Ireland...he also built the castle of Roscommon 'at countless cost.' (He was replaced as justice in 1281)... since Ufford 'by reason of his infirmities could not perform his duties.' He died in 1298.

Source: Dictionary of Biographies Vol 20, p.10, Ufford, publication of Ancestry.)

Roscommon Castle, Ireland

I'm including photo copies of the Robert Ufford details in the publication I just cited.  It's extensive!

Page 9, Dict. of Bios Robert Ufford at bottom of r. column

Page 10, Dict. of Bios  - Robert Ufford 

Page 11, Dict. of Bios  - Robert Ufford 

Page 12, Dict. of Bios  - Robert Ufford 

Page 13, Dict. of Bios  - Robert Ufford 

Ruins of Roscommon Castle

Roscommon Castle is located on a hillside just outside the town. Now in ruins, the castle is quadrangular in shape, it had four corner D-shaped towers, three storeys high, and twin towers at its entrance gateway, one of which still retains its immensely sturdy vaulted roof. The entire castle was enclosed by a lofty curtain wall. It was built in 1269 by Robert de Ufford, Justiciar of Ireland, on lands he had seized from the Augustinian Priory.^[3] The castle had a most chequered history. It was besieged by Connacht King Aodh Ó Conchobhair in 1272.  Eight years later it was again in the hands of an English garrison, and fully repaired. By 1340 the O'Connor's regained possession of it... (Source: Wikepedia)