Events
Date of Birth: unknown.
Place of Birth: unknown.
Date of Death: 1325.
Place of Death: unknown.
John’s inquisition post mortem was taken in 1325.
Relationships
probable Father: Richard de Benefeld.
This relationship is given by the Sussex VCH (7: sub Twineham).
Mother: unknown.
Spouse: unknown.
Children:
(Complete source citations for facts about the children on this page are currently outside of the scope of this project.)
Walter de Benefeld (died by 1325) married Emma.
Evidence
from Farrer:
1297: John de Benefield (alibi Henry de Benefield) held 1 carucate in Benefield, Sussex (Farrer (3:358).
1302: John de Benefeld held ⅙ fee in South Burgh of the honor of Warenne. (3:346)
from the Calendar of Close Rolls:
1315. Sept. 17. Ramsey.
John de Roteham came before the king, on Wednesday after the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, and sought to reply to Richard de Hangelton the said Richard's land in Hangelton, taken into the king's hands for his default before the justices of the Bench against John de Benefeld. This is signified to the justices.
from the Calendar of Fine Rolls:
1316. July 20. Westminster.
Order to the sheriff of Sussex to deliver to John de Benefeld a messuage and a virgate of land in Chaggelegh, pursuant to an inquisition made by the sheriff shewing that the premises, which William atte Hok of Chaggelegh, who was hanged for a felony, held, have been in the king's hand for a year and a day, and that William held the same of the said John, and that the township of Loffeld has had the year, day and waste thereof and ought to answer to the king therefor ; if the premises be in the king's hand for no other cause.
John’s inquisition post mortem:
John de Benefeld.
Writ, 12 March (sic), 18 Edward II
Sussex. Inq. Monday the morrow of St. Matthias (sic), 18 Edward II.
Benetfeld. A capital messuage, 127a. land, 10a. meadow, 20a. pasture, 8a. wood, 3a. moor, 22s. 7d. rent &c. held of the heir of Edmund le Botiller, a minor and in the king’s wardship, as of his manor of Shire by service of a knight’s fee; 20a. land and a windmill, held of the prior of Lewes by service of 10s. yearly at the feast of St. Pancras, on which day he ought to come to Lewes with twelve others on horseback and spend the day at the cost of the prior, who shall give him on leaving a cheese price 15d., which land and mill are not sufficient to pay that rent; and 14a. land held of Thomas de Ponynges, service unknown.
Bedyngg. Two virgates of land, now in the hands of Walter Bulmer who held them of the said John by service of 11s. 3d. yearly, held of Nicholas de Hertrugge by service of 1/20 knight’s fee, suit at his court of Wodemancote, and 2d. for sheriff’s aid yearly.
Henfeld. 16a. land, now in the hands of Robert atte Broke who held them by service of 2s. yearly, held of the same Nicholas by service of 1/40 knight’s fee and 2s. yearly; and 12a. land, now in the hands of the same Robert who held them by service of 3s. yearly, held of John de Wolvelegh by service of 1/160 knight’s fee, and 12d. yearly.
Shorham. 18d. and 1lb. wax, price 6d., rent, held of William de Brewes without any service.
Slaugham. 3s. 2d. yearly rent, service unknown.
James, son of Walter son of the aforesaid John, aged 9 at the feast of All Saints last, is his next heir.
References
Calendar of the Close Rolls, Edward II, vol. 1: 1307-1327. (London, 1892).
Calendar of the Fine Rolls, vol. 2, Edward II, A.D. 1307-1319. (1912).
Farrer, William Honors and Knights’ Fees volume 3 (1925).
“Parishes: Twineham” in A History of the County of Sussex: Volume 7, the Rape of Lewes (Victoria County History, 1980).