Born about 1032 in Grentemesnil, Calvados, Normandy, France

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 22 Feb 1094 at about age 62 in Leicestershire, England

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Biography

Hugh (Grandmesnil) de Grandmesnil is Notable.

"Hugh de Grandmesnil after being banished from Normandy in 1058 was reinstated in 1063 at the Castle of Neufmarche en Lions in Normandy. He was at the Battle of Hastings and received a grant of 100 manors by Duke William, mostly in the county of Leicestershire. He was Sheriff of Leicestershire. He was one of the barons invested with the government of England during the King's absences in Normandy. He married Countess Adeliza who brought him Brokesbourne in Herefordshire and another three lordships in Warwick." [Ref: http://www.genealogyweb.com/Warwickshire.htm]

Hugh de Grentemesnil was described by Wace, the Chronicler, as "un vassal de Grentmesnil", as having been present at Senlac, but this is questioned by others, though supported by William of Poitiers and the Deric Vital. According to Wace, he was banished from Normandy by Duke William in 1058 for very little cause, but was pardoned in 1063, at which time he was given custody of the castle of Neufmarche-en-Lions. In 1067 he was one of those who, with William Fitz Osberne and the Bishop Odo, were invested with the government of England during the king's absence. Hugh received one hundred manors, mostly in Leicester, of which county he was the Sheriff. (See additional information in "Falaise Rolls") He married Adeliza of Beaumont, daughter of Ivo, Count of Beaumont-sur-L'Oise, who brought him Brokesbourne in Herefordshire, and three lordships in Warwickshire.

They had five sons and five daughters 1. Robert Grentemesnil, 2. William Grentemesnil, 3. Hugh Grentemesnil, 4. Ivo Grentemesnil, died in a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, married Filia Gant, 5. Aubrey Grentemesnil, 6. Hawise Grentemesnil, died unmarried, 7. Adeline Grentemesnil, married Roger d'Ivri, 8. Rhais Grentemesnil, married Robert de Courci, 9. Matilda Grentemesnil, married Hugh de Montpincon, 10. Agnes Grentemesnil, married William de Say. [Ref: http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~pmcbride/james/f030.htm]

"In my research of the la Zouche family, I have found that Hugh de Grandmesnil held Essebi/Ashby before the de Belmess family and Thorpe Ernauld "which included Brentyngby, Thurnby, Bushby and Houghton" and subnsequently came into the possession of the de Boscos of which there were four Ernaulds, all benefactors of the Abbey of Leicester. The History and Antiquities of Leicestershire continues, stating that Hugh was married to an Adeliza." [Ref: Patricia Junkin 16 Mar 2002 msg to SGM]

"The Grandmesnils are unusually well documented in Orderic Vitalis' "Ecclesiastical History", because Hugh and his brother Robert refounded the abbey of Saint-Evroul, where Orderic was a monk." [Ref: Chris Phillips 16 Mar 2002 msg to SGM]

"HUGH (d. 1094), called of Grantmesnil, or Grentemaisnil, baron and sheriff of Leicestershire, son of Robert of Grantmesnil, in the arrondissement of Lisieux, by Advice (Hadwisa), daughter of Geroy, Lord of Escalfoy and of Montreuil near the Dive, was probably born not later that 1014. He served Duke Robert the Magnificent, who resigned the duchy in 1035. His father at his death left his lands in equal shares to Hugh and his younger brother Robert. On receiving their inheritance they determined to build a monastery, and fixed on a spot near their home. Their uncle, William FitzGeroy, pointed out that the site was unsuitable, and persuaded them to restore the abbey of St. Evroul, which they obtained by exchange from the abbot and convent of Bec, for it was then a cell of that house. They undertook their work in 1050, endowed their house, and peopled it with monks from Jumièges. Robert became a member of the convent, was appointed prior and afterwards in 1059 abbot, was expelled by Duke William in 1063, betook himself to Italy, where he was welcomed by Robert Guiscard, and was given an abbey to rule over, and two others over which he placed two of his followers (Orderic, pp. 474, 481-4). Hugh was also banished along with some other lords in consequence of accusations brought by Roder of Montgomery and his wife Mabel. He was recalled, was one of the inner council consulted by the duke as to a invasion of England, and took part in the battle of Hastings (_ib._ p. 501). When the Conqueror visited Normandy in 1067, Hugh was left in command of Hampshire. He was appointed sheriff of Leicestershire, and re-ceived many grants of lands, chiefly in Lei-cestershire, where he held sixty-seven manors, and in Nottinghamshire, where he held twenty. His wife, Adelaide, daughter of Ivo of Beaumont, was very handsome, and he returned to Normandy in 1068, in order, it is said, to prevent her getting into mischief (_ib._ p. 512). Two of his sons, Ivo and Alberic, were concerned in the rebellion of Robert in 1077, and in conjunc-tion with other Norman lords he prevailed on the Conqueror to forgive Rtobert. He joined in the rebellion against Rufus in 1088, and committed ravages in Leicestershire and Northamptonshire. In January 1091 he helped Richard of Courcy, whose son Robert had married his daughter Rohesia, against Robert of Bellême, and Robert's lord and ally, Duke Robert, who was besieging Courcy, and though then too old to wear har-ness gave his friends much useful advice. His son Ivo was taken and imprisoned by the duke, to whom Hugh sent all indignant remonstrance, reminding him how faithfully he had served him, his father, and his grand-father, and requesting to be allowed to deal with Robert of Bellême without interference. As far as Hugh was concerned the arrival of Rufus in Normandy must have brought matters to a satisfactory conclusion. He was in England, when in 1094 worn out by old age, he felt death near, and accordingly as-sumed the monastic habit which had been sent some time before from Evroul for that purpose. He died on the sixth day after so doing, 22 Feb. His body was salted, care-fully sewed up in an ox-skin, and conveyed to St. Evroul, where it was honourably buried. Orderic, a monk of the house, wrote and recorded his epitaph (_ib._ p. 716). By his wife Adelaide he had five sons and five daughters who grew up, and apparently a son and daugh-ter who died in infancy (comp. _ib._ pp. 622, 717). Of his sons his eldest, Robert, who in-herited his Norman estates, alone was long-lived; he married thrice, and died in 1122 without leaving children. His second son, William, married Mabel, daughter of Robert Guiscard, and his third, Ivo, who inherited his sheriffdom and his English estates, a daughter of Gilbert of Ghent (de Gand), lord of Folkingham and other lands in Lincolnshire. Three of Hugh's sons, William, Ivo, and Alberic, went on the first crusade, and were among the 'rope-dancers' of Antioch (William of Tyre, vi. 4, ap. _Gesta Dei per Francos_, p. 715; Orderic, p. 805; for explanation ofthe term see Gibbon, v. 220). Four of Hugh's daughters were married (Orderic, p. 602). Ivo in 1101, after his return to England, levied private war on his neighbours, was tried, and made an arrangement with Robert of Meulan, by which he secured Robert's good offices with the king, but was forced to agree to a marriage between his young son Ivo and Robert's niece. He died on his pilgrimage. "

[As a monk of St. Evroul, Orderic naturally gives many particulars about Hugh and his house, and was of course well informed; references to Duchesne's Hist. Norm. SS.; Will. of Jumièges, vii. 4, 29 (Duchesne); Anglo-Saxon Chron. an. 1088 (Rolls Ser.); Will. of Malmesbury, iv. 488 (Engl. Hist. Soc.); Will. of Tyre, Gesta Dei per Francos, p. 715; Ellis's Introd. to Domesday, i. 429; Freeman's Norman Conq. ii. 233, iii. 183, 187, iv. passim, and William Rufus, i. passim; Gibbon's Decline and Fall, v. 220, ed. Smith, 1862.] W. H.* [Ref: DNB, Editor, Sidney Lee, MacMillan Co, London & Smith, Elder & Co., NY, 1908, vol. x, pp. 159-160]

• The Rev. William Hunt, D.Litt., author of this article.

=

Hugh de Grandmesnil (1032 – 22 February 1094), also known as Hugh or Hugo de Grentmesnil or Grentemesnil, is one of the very few proven companions of William the Conqueror known to have fought at the Battle of Hastings in 1066. Subsequently he became a great landowner in England.

He was the elder son of Robert of Grandmesnil and Hawise d'Echaffour. Robert of Grandmesnil was his younger brother.

Following the conquest William I of England gave Hugh 100 manors for his services, sixty-five of them in Leicestershire. He was appointed Sheriff of the county of Leicester and Governor of Hampshire. Hugh's possessions are listed in some detail in the Domesday book ([2] p 652-6).

See Wikipedia article on Hugh here

Name also spelled as Grandmesnil and other variations.

Children

1. Robert De GRENTEMESNIL b: ca 1052 in Of, Grentemesnil, Calvados, France

2. Petronille (Pernell) De GRENTEMESNIL b: ca 1134 in Leicester Castle, Leicestershire, England

3. Alice De GRENTEMESNIL b: ca 1136 in Of, Hinckley, Leicestershire, England

4. William De GRENTEMESNIL b: ca 1054 in Of, Grentemesnil, Calvados, France

5. Adeline De GRENTEMESNIL b: ca 1056 in Of, Grentemesnil, Calvados, France

6. Halewise De GRENTEMESNIL b: ca 1058 in Of, Grentemesnil, Calvados, France

7. Hugh De GRENTEMESNIL b: ca 1060 in Of, Grentemesnil, Calvados, France

8. Adelisa GRENTEMESNIL b: ca 1062

9. Ivo (Ives) GRENTEMESNIL b: ca 1064 in Of, Grentemesnil, Calvados, France

10. Alberic De GRENTEMESNIL b: ca 1066 in Of, Grentemesnil, Calvados, France

11. Matilda (Maud) De GRENTEMESNIL b: ca 1068 in Of, Grentemesnil, Calvados, France

12. Agnes De GRENTEMESNIL b: ca 1070 in Of, Grentemesnil, Calvados, France

13. Hawise De GRENTEMESNIL b: ca 1072 in Of, Grentemesnil, Calvados, France

14. Rohesia (Rose) De GRENTEMESNIL b: ca 1072 in Of, Hinckley, Leicestershire, England

Sources

• Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
• http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~pmcbride/james/f030.htm
• Keats-Rohan, Domesday People, pp.262-263
• Sanders, English Baronies, p.61'
• PASE website profile: http://domesday.pase.ac.uk/Domesday?op=5&personkey=40317
• OpenDomesday website profile: https://opendomesday.org/name/hugh-of-grandmesnil/
• Cawley, Grantmesnil: https://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/NORMANDY%20NOBILITY.htm#_Toc520355069
• SGM (soc.genealogy.medieval) on rootsweb postings
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugh_de_Grandmesnil

See Also:

• Time Team, Season 18, Episode 7 "The House of the White Queen" (Groby, Leicestershire)
• Wikipedia: Hugh_de_Grandmesnil

Acknowledgements

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