Généalogie and Heritage

Source: de Verdun - Verdon

Description

Type	Valeur
Titre	de Verdun - Verdon

Entrées associées à cette source

Personnes
BERTRAM I de Verdun

Médias

URL

Notes


The de Verdun family of England, Normandy & Ireland Preface: This was originally a sub-page linked to www.goldstoneshropshire.com, providing more information about the heraldry of the Vardons (Verdons) of Goldstone and their forebears the de Verdons of Alton. However, in the process it became extended, providing more data on the broader inter-related branches of the de Verdun/Verdon families in England, Normandy and Ireland, in case this may be of added interest for anyone seeking more knowledge about this Norman family. Readers should be aware that this is very much 'a work in progress' and contains incomplete details, sometimes placed here purposely like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle that there hasn't been time to put into the correct places, with some sections completed but interconnecting links not yet added. The intention is that further reading of the text, ensuing reflection and research, and simple moments of freer time may result in these gaps being 'plugged', enabling a fuller picture to be revealed in due course. Consequently, the text below will have unedited errors and will be being updated as and when there is time to add new information or correct and edit the current text. Details of sources have been provided throughout the text, to as great an extent as possible, so that interested readers may follow these trails more extensively, should that be of interest for them and helpful to their own research. If anyone would like to offer any corrections or request additional data be added, an email is provided at the bottom of this page to enable them to do so. However, please appreciate that this email account is not checked frequently, therefore a quick response to any messages or genealogical questions posed by readers of this page cannot be promised, but an endeavour will be made to do so. Caveat Genealogists: Be careful in using any data provided - check it all yourself before adding it to any online genealogy programme, so you can be as certain as you can that you aren't about to spread any unintentional errors (& therefore misinformation) on the internet. Note the use of phrases like 'might be', 'could be', 'appears to be' and 'possibly' etc. Note on Copyright: Please respect the Copyright details at the bottom of the page, particularly any specific Copyright references within the text that relate to images reproduced with the kind permission of their owners. The de Verdun family of England, Normandy & Ireland A brief account of the family's origins, the de Verduns of Alton Castle, Staffordshire (Barons Verdon) and their cadet branches, including the de Verdons of Norfolk (the other Verdon Barons); the de Verdons / Vardons of Fulshaw, Cheshire & Goldstone Hall,Shropshire; the Verdins of Darnhall Hall & Stoke Hall, Cheshire & Garnstone Castle, Herefordshire; and the link with their kinsmen the Marquesses & Counts de Verdun of La Crenne and Barenton, Normandy. ____________________ The first of the de Verdun family to have come to England was Bertrand de Verdun, one of the companions of William the Conqueror, whose anglicised name was Bertram de Verdon. He and his family are briefly chronicled in the publication 'The Battle Abbey Roll, with some account of the Norman Lineages', page 221-224. A full transcription of the chapter covering the de Verduns is copied further below. A more recent, extensive and in-depth history of the family was published in 2001: 'The Fortunes of a Norman Family - The de Verduns in England, Ireland and Wales, 1066-1316', by Mark Haggar. It is a valuable and much appreciated addition to the many texts that enlighten our knowledge of the de Verduns, but its understandable focus on the main line of the familymeans that it omits useful data from French historical sources and therefore mention of what might be the senior branch of the family, who continue to reside in Normandy, and whose story continued to connect with England, during the times that Normandy was ruled by that country's kings. It also misses the importance to the de Verdun family of the fact that the Earls of Chester were also hereditary Vicomtes of Avranches - this is relevant to understanding the de Verdun family's ongoing possession of land in Normandy and their close connection with County Palatine of Chester. Members of the de Verdun family were in the service of the Earls of Chester and appear as witnesses to their charters in both England and Normandy. Some historians have postulated that Bertram de Verdun was a son of Godfrey III, Duke of Upper Lorraine, also (later) Duke of Lower Lorraine and Count of Verdun-sur-Meuse in Lorraine. After 1066, Bertram was given the Manor of Farnham Royal in Buckinghamshire. This manor had been held previously by Goda, daughter of Emma of Normandy by her husband King Æthelred the Unready and therefore a full sister of Edward the Confessor. Goda's second husband (her first had been Count Drogo of the Véxin), Count Eustace II of Boulogne, married afterwards Ida the daughter of Godfrey III, who is said to have been Bertram de Verdun's father. This would have made Bertram the brother-in-law of Goda's second husband. Perhaps this connection explains why he was granted Farnham Royal - in all likelihood we will never know for sure. Another story relates that Bertram's forebear, called Norman de Verdun, arrived in Normandy in the suite of Rollo, first Duke of Normandy, but this is likely to be a mix-up with the 'Norman de Verdun' who was a grandson of Bertram I de Verdun, and it would be odd for Rollo the Viking to arrive with another Norseman who bore such an un-Scandinavian name as 'de Verdun'. A book by historian and heraldic expert Beryl Platts - 'Scottish Hazard, Volume Two: The Flemish Heritage' (latest edition 1990) - supports the story of the de Verdun family of Normandy's descent from the Counts of Verdun-sur-Meuse in Lorraine. Platts argues persuasively that a number of leading Norman nobles who settled in Scotland, like the de Brus family, were members of exiled or émigré noble families from Flanders, who had become tenants of lands in Normandy before 1066. On pages 59-60, in a discussion about the feudal tenants in the Cotentin, she writes: "The lordly names, all assumed to belong to Normans because Normandy is where they were in 1066, must have their antecedents probed. The task is not so formidable; they lived boldly, publicly, and left clues - in their use of names, their marital alliances, their heraldry. Ferrers bore the mascles of Quincy. The arms of Mandeville and Vere were those of Senlis. Hay used the shield upon shield of Wavrin. Haig adopted the saltire of Praet. Some men called their homes St. Vaast, Gavere, Verdun." Platts continues by mentioning the first Earls of Norfolk, from whom a branch of the de Verdun family held manors in Norfolk from the beginning of the 12th century: "The first Bigod...was Robert 'le Bigot', grandfather of the girls who would marry the two Williams d'Aubigny. He was in the service of William de Warlaing, and perhaps acted as his second-in-command. William de Jumièges, who supplied that information, added that he was married to a sister of Thurstan Goz. Richard, Thurstan's son, was made vicomte of Avranches, perhaps (as with Cotentin and Bessin) at the instigation of the king of France. David C. Douglas, in his [book] William the Conqueror, has touchedon the role of the Norman vicomtes, which was both military and judicial, without examining the pedigrees of the men who attained such office. The more their antecedents are studied, the plainer it becomes that they were non-Normans, almost certainly recruited by the new French dynasty from the remnants of a Carolingian system of government further east, to teach the raw and lawless Normans some of the traditional ways of civilised life. In the case of Richard le Goz, the appointment's implications wouldbe softened for William of Normandy because Richard has married his half sister, Emma de Conteville. Thurstan's origins are not known, but if there was supporting evidence we might guess that his unlikely surname was a shortened version of Gozelo, a namecommon among displaced sons of the Count of Verdun. In fact, at least some supporting evidence is there. French genealogists give Richard de Surdeval, who lived near the comital centre at Mortain, a descent from Verdun, on the Meuse; and Bertram de Verdun's presence at a place in the Avranchin called, evocatively enough, Bouillon, speaks for itself." The reference to the name 'Gozelo' (otherwise 'Gothelo') arises as Bertram de Verdun's supposed father Duke Godfrey III was the son of Gozelo I, Duke of Lower and later Upper Lorraine and Count of Verdun, who died in 1044. Godfrey's eldest younger brotherwas Gozelo II. The relevance of 'Bouillon' is because Duke Godfrey III's daughter Ida's second son was Godfrey of Bouillon, who gained everlasting fame in the First Crusade. He and his knights were the first to take the walls and enter Jerusalem and he was subsequently persuaded to become ruler of Jerusalem, having refused to be made its king. After his death, his younger brother Baldwin became the first crusader king of Jerusalem. What Platts writes above is of additional interest because the 1st Earl of Chester of the second creation, Hugh d'Avranches succeeded his father Richard le Goz as Vicomte of Avranches and the de Verdun family held lands in Normandy and England from Hugh and his descendants. This old connection between the Earls and the de Verduns continued to be maintained over many generations, as is detailed further below. The de Verduns were granted lands in north Staffordshire, which seem to have been carved out from the Earldom of Chester. Here they built Alton Castle, which became the focus of their power and their Barony. But they also gained lands in many other counties and in Ireland, and branches of the family became established across the country, including thede Verdun family of Norfolk, who est..

The de Verdun family of England, Normandy & Ireland
Preface: This was originally a sub-page linked to www.goldstoneshropshire.com, providing more information about the heraldry of the Vardons (Verdons) of Goldstone and their forebears the de Verdons of Alton. However, in the process it became extended, providing more data on the broader inter-related branches of the de Verdun/Verdon families in England, Normandy and Ireland, in case this may be of added interest for anyone seeking more knowledge about this Norman family. Readers should be aware that this is very much 'a work in progress' and contains incomplete details, sometimes placed here purposely like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle that there hasn't been time to put into the correct places, with some sections completed but interconnecting links not yet added. The intention is that further reading of the text, ensuing reflection and research, and simple moments of freer time may result in these gaps being 'plugged', enabling a fuller picture to be revealed in due course. Consequently, the text below will have unedited errors and will be being updated as and when there is time to add new information or correct and edit the current text. Details of sources have been provided throughout the text, to as great an extent as possible, so that interested readers may follow these trails more extensively, should that be of interest for them and helpful to their own research. If anyone would like to offer any corrections or request additional data be added, an email is provided at the bottom of this page to enable them to do so. However, please appreciate that this email account is not checked frequently, therefore a quick response to any messages or genealogical questions posed by readers of this page cannot be promised, but an endeavour will be made to do so.
Caveat Genealogists: Be careful in using any data provided - check it all yourself before adding it to any online genealogy programme, so you can be as certain as you can that you aren't about to spread any unintentional errors (& therefore misinformation) on the internet. Note the use of phrases like 'might be', 'could be', 'appears to be' and 'possibly' etc.
Note on Copyright: Please respect the Copyright details at the bottom of the page, particularly any specific Copyright references within the text that relate to images reproduced with the kind permission of their owners.

The de Verdun family of England, Normandy & Ireland
A brief account of the family's origins, the de Verduns of Alton Castle, Staffordshire (Barons Verdon) and their cadet branches, including the de Verdons of Norfolk (the other Verdon Barons); the de Verdons / Vardons of Fulshaw, Cheshire & Goldstone Hall,Shropshire; the Verdins of Darnhall Hall & Stoke Hall, Cheshire & Garnstone Castle, Herefordshire; and the link with their kinsmen the Marquesses & Counts de Verdun of La Crenne and Barenton, Normandy.
____________________

The first of the de Verdun family to have come to England was Bertrand de Verdun, one of the companions of William the Conqueror, whose anglicised name was Bertram de Verdon. He and his family are briefly chronicled in the publication 'The Battle Abbey Roll, with some account of the Norman Lineages', page 221-224. A full transcription of the chapter covering the de Verduns is copied further below. A more recent, extensive and in-depth history of the family was published in 2001: 'The Fortunes of a Norman Family - The de Verduns in England, Ireland and Wales, 1066-1316', by Mark Haggar. It is a valuable and much appreciated addition to the many texts that enlighten our knowledge of the de Verduns, but its understandable focus on the main line of the familymeans that it omits useful data from French historical sources and therefore mention of what might be the senior branch of the family, who continue to reside in Normandy, and whose story continued to connect with England, during the times that Normandy was ruled by that country's kings. It also misses the importance to the de Verdun family of the fact that the Earls of Chester were also hereditary Vicomtes of Avranches - this is relevant to understanding the de Verdun family's ongoing possession of land in Normandy and their close connection with County Palatine of Chester. Members of the de Verdun family were in the service of the Earls of Chester and appear as witnesses to their charters in both England and Normandy.

Some historians have postulated that Bertram de Verdun was a son of Godfrey III, Duke of Upper Lorraine, also (later) Duke of Lower Lorraine and Count of Verdun-sur-Meuse in Lorraine. After 1066, Bertram was given the Manor of Farnham Royal in Buckinghamshire. This manor had been held previously by Goda, daughter of Emma of Normandy by her husband King Æthelred the Unready and therefore a full sister of Edward the Confessor. Goda's second husband (her first had been Count Drogo of the Véxin), Count Eustace II of Boulogne, married afterwards Ida the daughter of Godfrey III, who is said to have been Bertram de Verdun's father. This would have made Bertram the brother-in-law of Goda's second husband. Perhaps this connection explains why he was granted Farnham Royal - in all likelihood we will never know for sure. Another story relates that Bertram's forebear, called Norman de Verdun, arrived in Normandy in the suite of Rollo, first Duke of Normandy, but this is likely to be a mix-up with the 'Norman de Verdun' who was a grandson of Bertram I de Verdun, and it would be odd for Rollo the Viking to arrive with another Norseman who bore such an un-Scandinavian name as 'de Verdun'.

A book by historian and heraldic expert Beryl Platts - 'Scottish Hazard, Volume Two: The Flemish Heritage' (latest edition 1990) - supports the story of the de Verdun family of Normandy's descent from the Counts of Verdun-sur-Meuse in Lorraine. Platts argues persuasively that a number of leading Norman nobles who settled in Scotland, like the de Brus family, were members of exiled or émigré noble families from Flanders, who had become tenants of lands in Normandy before 1066. On pages 59-60, in a discussion about the feudal tenants in the Cotentin, she writes:

"The lordly names, all assumed to belong to Normans because Normandy is where they were in 1066, must have their antecedents probed. The task is not so formidable; they lived boldly, publicly, and left clues - in their use of names, their marital alliances, their heraldry. Ferrers bore the mascles of Quincy. The arms of Mandeville and Vere were those of Senlis. Hay used the shield upon shield of Wavrin. Haig adopted the saltire of Praet. Some men called their homes St. Vaast, Gavere, Verdun."

Platts continues by mentioning the first Earls of Norfolk, from whom a branch of the de Verdun family held manors in Norfolk from the beginning of the 12th century:

"The first Bigod...was Robert 'le Bigot', grandfather of the girls who would marry the two Williams d'Aubigny. He was in the service of William de Warlaing, and perhaps acted as his second-in-command. William de Jumièges, who supplied that information, added that he was married to a sister of Thurstan Goz. Richard, Thurstan's son, was made vicomte of Avranches, perhaps (as with Cotentin and Bessin) at the instigation of the king of France. David C. Douglas, in his [book] William the Conqueror, has touchedon the role of the Norman vicomtes, which was both military and judicial, without examining the pedigrees of the men who attained such office. The more their antecedents are studied, the plainer it becomes that they were non-Normans, almost certainly recruited by the new French dynasty from the remnants of a Carolingian system of government further east, to teach the raw and lawless Normans some of the traditional ways of civilised life. In the case of Richard le Goz, the appointment's implications wouldbe softened for William of Normandy because Richard has married his half sister, Emma de Conteville. Thurstan's origins are not known, but if there was supporting evidence we might guess that his unlikely surname was a shortened version of Gozelo, a namecommon among displaced sons of the Count of Verdun. In fact, at least some supporting evidence is there. French genealogists give Richard de Surdeval, who lived near the comital centre at Mortain, a descent from Verdun, on the Meuse; and Bertram de Verdun's presence at a place in the Avranchin called, evocatively enough, Bouillon, speaks for itself."

The reference to the name 'Gozelo' (otherwise 'Gothelo') arises as Bertram de Verdun's supposed father Duke Godfrey III was the son of Gozelo I, Duke of Lower and later Upper Lorraine and Count of Verdun, who died in 1044. Godfrey's eldest younger brotherwas Gozelo II. The relevance of 'Bouillon' is because Duke Godfrey III's daughter Ida's second son was Godfrey of Bouillon, who gained everlasting fame in the First Crusade. He and his knights were the first to take the walls and enter Jerusalem and he was subsequently persuaded to become ruler of Jerusalem, having refused to be made its king. After his death, his younger brother Baldwin became the first crusader king of Jerusalem.

What Platts writes above is of additional interest because the 1st Earl of Chester of the second creation, Hugh d'Avranches succeeded his father Richard le Goz as Vicomte of Avranches and the de Verdun family held lands in Normandy and England from Hugh and his descendants. This old connection between the Earls and the de Verduns continued to be maintained over many generations, as is detailed further below. The de Verduns were granted lands in north Staffordshire, which seem to have been carved out from the Earldom of Chester. Here they built Alton Castle, which became the focus of their power and their Barony. But they also gained lands in many other counties and in Ireland, and branches of the family became established across the country, including thede Verdun family of Norfolk, who est..