William Devereux, Baron Devereux of Lyonshall (–1314) was an English noble who was an important Marcher Lord as he held Lyonshall Castle controlling a strategically vital approach to the border of Wales in the time of Edward I and Edward II. He was the first of this family officially called to Parliament, and was ancestor to John Devereux, 1st Baron Devereux of Whitchurch Maund, the Devereux Earls of Essex, and the Devereux Viscounts of Hereford. His coat of arms was the same as his father's and described as "argent, fess and three roundels in chief gules" which passed to the descendants of his first wife, the Devereux of Bodenham; or "gules od un fesse d'argent ove turteaus d'argent en le chief" which passed to the descendants of his second wife, the Devereux of Frome.Thomas D. Tremlett, Hugh Stanford London, and Sir Anthony Wagner. Rolls of Arms, Henry III. (Oxford, The University Press, 1957). page 123The arms of the Devereux family of Bodenham with tinctures reversed.
Birth and early life
William Devereux was born about 1244, the son of the powerful marcher lord, William Devereux the Elder,Evelyn Philip Shirley. Stemmata Shirleiana. (Westminster: Nichols and Sons, 1873). page 103Morgan G. Watkins. Collections Towards the History and Antiquities of the County of Hereford in continuation of Duncumb’s History, Hundred of Radlow. (High Town [Hereford]: Jakeman & Carver, 1902). Page 42 to 49. Parish of Castle Frome, Genealogy contributed by Lord Hereford and a daughter of Hugh Bigod, 3rd Earl of Norfolk, and Maud Marshal.James Conway Davies (editor). The Welsh Assize Roll, 1277-1284. (Cardiff: University of Wales, 1940). Pages 341
His mother died while he was still a young child, and his father married a second time to Maud de Giffard about 1258.Maud de Giffard had children from her first marriage: Baldwin de Freville, Alexander de Freville, Sibila de Freville, and Alexander de Freville. She also had children with William Devereux the Elder: Margaret Devereux, Archdeacon John Devereux, Master Thomas Devereux, and Sibilla Devereux. Her brothers, Walter de Giffard and Godfrey de Giffard, both became Lord Chancellors of England, and the Giffard family would play a major role in the events of his life.
Marriage
About 1264 William Devereux married Alice de Grandison, the daughter of Pierre de Granson and his wife Agnes de Neufchatel.G.E. Cokayne. Complete Baronetage. (New York; St. Martin's Press, 1984). Volume VI, page 60 to 76, Grandison She was the sister of Baron William de Grandison and Baron Otto de Grandison. They had a son: Walter Devereux of Bodenham.'Plea Rolls for Staffordshire: 33 Edward I (2)', Staffordshire Historical Collections, vol. 7, part 1 (1886), pp. 134-144. URL: Date accessed: 16 July 2014., Staffordshire Historical Collections, volume 7, part 1. Major-General Hon. George Wrottesley. 1886. Pages 134-144, Banco Roll, Michaelmas, 33 Edward I, membrane 142.George Frederick Beltz. Memorials of the Order of the Garter. (London: William Pickering, 1841). Page 323 to 327
William Devereux's first wife died shortly after the birth of his first son, and he married again about 1271 to Lucy Burnell. Her brother was Robert Burnell, Bishop of Bath and Wells, and eventually Lord Chancellor. They would have a son:Some sources record a possible second son, Stephen Devereux of Frome Haymond. This Stephen Devereux is probably his grandson, Stephen Devereux of Bodenham and Burghope. John Devereux., accessed 30 October 2013, The National Archives of the United Kingdom, Reference: C 241/27/56; Description as follows: Debtor: William de Ebroicis, Lord of Lyonshall {Lenhales} [Stretford Hundred, Herefords], John, his son and heir, and Richard de la Bathe, of Herefords. Creditor: Walter de la Barre, citizen [and merchant] of Hereford, and Sibyl his wife. Amount: £15 10s. Before whom: William Goodknave; John Lightfoot, Clerk; at Hereford. First term: 8 April 1295. Last term: 8 April 1295. Writ to: Sheriff of Herefords. Sent by: William Goodknave; John Lightfoot, Clerk; at Hereford. Date: 1295 Oct 8Henry Gough (editor). Scotland in 1298; Documents Relating to the Campaign of King Edward the First in that Year, and Especially to the Battle of Falkirk. (London: Alexander Gardner, 1888). Page 44, Letters of Protection 26 Edward I (1298), 16 June, membrane 6, dorso. Page 190, Rolls of the Horse, Horses belonging to the Royal Household. 26 Edward I (1298), 1 JulyJohn Devereux was a valet in the retinue of his father's step-brother, Alexander de Freville, during the invasion of Scotland by Edward I and Battle of Falkirk. of Frome.John Devereux of Frome should not be confused with his distant cousin, John Devereux, Lord of Munsley.
Landholdings and Finances
William Devereux's father died while in rebellion at the Battle of Evesham on 4 August 1265, and his inheritance was forfeited to the crown.Calendar of Inquisitions Miscellaneous (Chancery) Preserved in the Public Record Office, Volume I. (London:Hereford Times Limited, 1916). Entries 675, 680, and 826 Benefitting from the support of her brothers, William's stepmother, Maud de Giffard, was able to secure her dower. On 12 October 1265, Henry III instructed the Treasurer of Hereford (Cathedral) to return to her a jeweled harness William's father had entrusted to him prior to the battle. The King further committed Frome (Halmond), Holme Lacy, Wilby, Oxenhall, and 15 pounds of revenue from Lower Hayton for her maintenance, and her brother, Walter de Giffard granted the manors to Maud for life.H.C. Maxwell Lyte (editor). Calendar of the Patent Rolls, Henry III. (London: Mackie and Co., 1910). Volume 5, page 462 The Herefordshire manors of La Fenne (Bodenham) and Whitchurch Maund were probably also placed in her hands as her son, Alexander de Freville, was called to demonstrate his right to warrant for them about 1287.Placito de Quo Warranto temporibus Edward I, II, & III in Curia receptae Scaccarij Westm. Asservata. (London: Public Records Office, 1818). Page 266, Herefordshire Her dower land would not be released until Maud's death in August 1297., Medieval Genealogy Website. Abstracts of Feet of Fines. CP 25/1/81/24, number 188.
On 20 November 1265, the remainder of William's father's estates was granted to Roger Mortimer, 1st Baron Mortimer. These included Lyonshall castle, and the manors of Ballingham, Luntley, Lawton, Stoke Lacy, and Cheddar. Lawton was already in Roger's hands as part of the collateral pledged for the ransom of Adam le Despencer that had not been returned to William Devereux the Elder.
Unrest stemming from the harsh punishment of the rebel lords over the next year lead to a partial easing of the punishment with the Dictum of Kenilworth on 31 October 1266. William Devereux could recover his father's estates, and the terms were described in the Patent Rolls on 8 December 1266 (51 Henry III):
Whereas because of the trespasses which William de Evereus who stood with the King in the Battle of Lewes, was said to have done afterwards against the King and Edward his son, the King after his death gave his lands as he gave the lands of other adversaries in the time of the disturbance in the realm, and by the form of the award of Kenilworth, the King has power of making ordinances upon the state of such disinherited persons; he ordains that, as William the son and heir of the said William is prepared to stand to the said award to have his lands back, he shall pay within three years the ransom thereof to those to whom it belongs, to wit, the extent thereof for three years, so that according to the quantity of money he pays he shall have restitution of the said lands; saving to Maud late the wife of the said William for her life the assignment made to her of the said lands for the maintenance of herself and her children.H.C. Maxwell Lyte (editor). Calendar of the Patent Rolls, Henry III, 1266 to 1272. (London: Mackie and Co., 1913). Volume 6, Page 15, membrane 32.
Persistent unrest in England throughout 1267 led to further easing the Dictum of Kenilworth in June. Devereux and the other rebel lords were permitted to reoccupy their lands during the period of repayment. These changes created a path for William Devereux to try to regain his father's lordship.
In 1267 an account of the estates of the bishop of Hereford indicate that the heirs of Lord William Devereux and Roger de Cradley (de Somery) held 2 fees in Holme Lacy from the Bishop of Hereford.
William Devereux struggled to obtain revenue to regain his inheritance, and was forced to make accommodations with his stepmother and mortgage assets. On 29 May 1274, a Jewish money-lender named Aaron, son of Vives, acknowledged the grant to Sir John de PychefordJohn de Pycheford had married William Devereux's sister, Margery. of all rights in three debts owed him by William Devereux; to wit: a debt of £600, a debt of £100 of the yearly value of 6 marks, and a debt of £20.JM Rigg (editor). Selden Society: Select Please, Starrs, and Other Records from the Exchequer of the Jews, 1220-1284. London: Bernard Quaritch, 1902. Page 80 John de Pycheford received the rights to raise the money of the said debts upon the manor of Lyonshall, on condition that no damage is caused to the woods and manor house, or any other waste occurs. Aaron made this grant to Pycheford with the assent of Sir Robert Burnell, the Lord Chancellor designate, and the Justices assigned to the custody of the Jews. On 2 January 1285, Robert Burnell, bishop of Bath and Wells and Chancellor of England, acknowledged the debt to Sir John de Pycheford of 100 marks to be levied in default of his lands in Shropshire. De Pycheford acknowledged receiving 10 marks from the bishop, paid for the debt owed by William Devereux.HC Maxwell Lyte (editor). Calendar of Close Rolls, Edward I, Volume 2, 1279-1288. (London: Public Record Office, 1902). 2 Jan 1285, Bristol
On 3 February 1275 Devereux came into the Chancery and acknowledged the debt of 100 marks to Roger Mortimer, 1st Baron Mortimer, to be levied in default of his lands in Herefordshire, and Mortimer restored to William Devereux Lyonshall Castle and his other lands., Calendar of Close Rolls, Edward I, Volume 1. H.C. Maxwell Lyte (editor). 1900. 3 February 1275, Caversham On 19 April 1276 William Waldebef acknowledged 4 carucates of land, 20 acres of meadow, 200 acres of wood, 200 acres of pasture, 24 pounds and 11 shillings of rent in Lyonshall; and the advowson of the church of the same village to be the right of William Devereux and his heirs forever. For this Devereux gave him 1 sore sparrowhawk., Medieval Genealogy Website. Abstracts of Feet of Fines. CP 25/1/81/17, number 12.