Baron of Dudley
Events
Date of Birth: unknown.
Place of Birth: unknown.
Date of Death: on or before 26 August 1273.
Place of Death: unknown.
The date is given by the Complete Peerage (12:1:113).
Relationships
Father: Roger de Somery.
This relationship is given by Carter (p. 34) and by Hunt (p. 35). It is supported by an entry from in the Plea Rolls (Wrottesley p. 103) in which the Ralph below names his grandfather, Roger de Somery. The inquisition post mortem of the Roger of this page also makes clear that his grandfather, not his father, was the Ralph de Somery who died in 1210. Some doubt is raised by the fact that property (the manor of Barrow on Soar in Leicestershire) that the elder Roger is stated to be in possession of seems to be what Nichola d'Aubigny brought with her in her marriage to the younger Roger. It seems, however, easier to imagine that there is some explanation for this fact than that two independent records mistakenly give "grandfather" when they mean "father".
Mother: unknown.
Spouse: Nicole, daughter of William d’Aubigny.
This relationship is given by Le Strange (p. 159) and by the Complete Peerage (1:237; 12:1:113).
Spouse: Amabil de Chaucombe.
This relationship is given by the Complete Peerage (12:1:113).
Children (by Nicole):
(Complete source citations for facts about the children on this page are currently outside of the scope of this project. Most information below comes from le Strange.)
Ralph de Somery (died in or before 1253).
Margaret de Somery married (1) Ralph Basset of Drayton; married (2) Ralph de Crumwell.
Joan de Somery married John le Strange (IV).
Mabel de Somery married Walter de Suleye.
Matilda de Somery married Henry de Erdington of Shawbury, Shropshire.
Children (by Amabil):
Roger de Somery (24 June 1255 - 1291) married Agnes.
Evidence
An abstract of Roger’s inquisition post mortem is given in the CIPM Volume 2 Edward I no. 16:
Roger de Somery
Writ, 26 Aug. Edw. I.
[Stafford.] Extent, Tuesday after the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, 1 Edw. I.
Clent. The manor (extent given), including pasture on the moor of Halenmoor, and Hodenhull, with the advowson of the church, tenure unspecified.
The manor ought to be taxed when the king taxes his manors.
[Berks.] Inq. and extent, the eve of St. Luke, 1 Edw. I.
Bradfield. The manor (extent given) with the advowson of the church, held of the king in chief as member of his barony of Duddeley.
Knights’ fees:--
Berks.
Stanford. The manor held of the manor of Bradefeld by Reginald son of Peter and Oliver de Punchardun for 1 fee.
Yngepenne. The manor, held by Roger de Yngepenne for ¼ fee.
Hodicot and Hildesle. The manors, held by Walter de la Poylle for 2 fees.
Kingeston. The manor, held by William de Fukeram for 1 fee.
Yatingden. The manor, held by Bartholomew de Yatingeden for 1 fee.
Englefeld. The manor, held by John de Englefeld for 2 fees.
Cumpton near le Witehors. The manor, held by William de Bello Campo for 1 fee.
Surrey.
Middelton. The manor, held be the prioress of Kileburn for ½ fee.
Abingewrth. The manor, held by David de Jarpenvile for 1 fee.
All the above owe suit at the court of the manor of Bradefeld, and scutage when it runs.
Roger his son, aged 18 at the Nativity of St. John the Baptist in the said year, is his next heir.
[Worcester.] Extent, Saturday after St. Matthew, 1 Edw. I.
Duddeleg. The manor and borough (extent given), including rents of tenants in Lodynton, pleas, &c. of the hundred, and a wood called Peninak one league in length from the boundaries of the manors of Seggesle and Suyneford in co. Stafford, and ½ league in breadth, tenure unspecified.
[Worcester.] Extent, Friday the octave of St. Michael, 1 Edw. I.
Woleye. The manor (extent given) held of the king in chief by knight’s service as member of the barony of Dudeley.
Cradeley. The manor (extent given), including 12d. rent of the mill of Ruleye, tenure unspecified.
Heir as above, aged 18 at the feast of St. Margaret in the said year.
[Stafford.] Extent, Sunday before St. Denis, 1 Edw. I.
Mere. The manor (extent given). It was somtime the king’s desmesne, but king John enfeoffed Ralph de Somery, grandfather of the said Sir Roger, thereof for 10 marks yearly to be rendered by the hands of the sheriff of Stafford.
Heir as above.
[Stafford.] Extent, Monday after the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, 1 Edw. I.
Suggesley. The manor (full extent given with names of tenants), including a castle newly commenced at Duddele, rents in Cotes, Pemre (?), and Pendeford, the carriage of hay from Overton park, co. Warwick, to Duddele castle, pasture in Le Hurste moor and Ellennalle moor, and the house and garden of Ellennalle, tenure unspecified.
[Stafford.] Extent, Tuesday after the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, 1 Edw. I.
Swyneford. The manor (extent given), including a wood called Pennak, 1 league in length and from ½ to ¼ league in breadth, and pasture in the moor and in the field towards Aswode, tenure unspecified. The manor ought to be taxed when the king taxes his manors thoughout England.
[Warwick.] Extent (undated).
Bordesle. (The manor) (extent given), including pleas &c. of the courts at Bordesle and Aston, tenure unspecified.
Buckingham. Extent, Sunday after the Nativity of the Blessed Mary, 1 Edw. I.
Neuport Paynel. The manor (extent given), including Northawes, tenure unspecified.
Tykeford. The advowson of the priory.
Knights’ fees pertaining to the manor:-
Stokditton. 3 fees held by Robert Pugeys
Ouvinge. 2 fees held by Robert de Ouvinge.
Emberton. Held for 1 fee by Aymer de Lucy.
Tyrigham. 1 fee held by John de Tyrigham.
Great Craule. ¼ fee held by the same.
Caudecote. ¼ fee held by Robert son of Adam.
Wolfeston. ¼ fee held by Henry son of William le Clerk.
Little Craule. ¼ fee held by Simon de Pateshull.
Checchele. 1 fee held by Samson Maunsel.
Estwode. ½ fee held by Robert de la Rokele.
Gibbemers. ½ fee held by Robert Brien.
Oxford. Chiselhampton. 1 fee held by Robert Pugeys.
Huntington. Waresle. 1 fee held by William Engayne.
Rutland. Tolthorp. 1 fee held by Thomas de Tolthorp.
Extent or summary of lands &c. which were of his own inheritance (as above), whereof Lady Anabel, late his wife, ought to be dowered; and of lands &c. which were of the inheritance of Nicholaa de Albiniaco, his first wife (as below).
Writ of extent, 28 Aug. 1 Edw. I. of lands &c. held by the said Roger of the inheritance of Nicholaa his first wife. Indorsed with the names of manors &c. held:-
Of his own inheritance, as above.
Of the inheritance of his first wife, viz.-
Leicester. Barwe (alias Barwe upon Sore).
Gloucester. Campeden (alias Caumpeden).
Of the inheritance of his second wife, viz.-
Leicester. Dauby.
Warwick. Aspeley.
Northampton. Chaucumbe.
Of the dower of his second wife, viz.-
Leicester. Sedgrave (?), Monsorel, Whestone and ⅓ of Syleby.
Derby. Bretteby, Cotes and Rostlaston.
[Gloucester.] Inq. and extent, Wednesday after St. Denis, 1 Edw. I (defaced.)
Campeden. The manor (full extent given with names of tenants), including a burgage in Winchecumbe, tenements and a burgage in Gloucester, and lands &c. in Westington super Waldas and Byriton in the Marsh, held of the king in chief as part of the barony of Chester falling to him through Nicholaa de Alboniaco his first wife, one of the heirs of Hugh de Albaniaco earl of Arundell, who was one of the heirs of Ranulph sometime earl of Chester.
Campeden. The borough (full extent given with names of tenants). Isabel de Albaniaco, countess of Arundell, has a part of the foreign manor and borough in dower worth 100s. yearly, which she recovered against the said Roger before the justices of the Bench; and he drew to warrant Roger de Muhaut and John son of Alan, and has received yearly 50s. from the former at Coventry and 50s. from the latter at Arundell, which pertain to the manor of Campeden whilst the said countess lives.
Bradecampdeden, held by Richard de Greinvile and Richard de Gre……………..
Margaret the wife of Ralph de Cromwelle, Joan the wife of John le Strange, Mabel the wife of Walter de Suyllye, and Maud the wife of Henry de Erdinton, are the next heirs of the said Nicholaa, and of full age.
[Leicester.] Extent, The day of St. Michael, 1 Edw. I.
Barwe alias Barwe, Barewe. The manor (full extent given with names of tenants) including 7 bovates land in Wyleby held by Elias de Brademere of the fee of Mortain (Martini) rendering 2s. yearly; 3 virgates held by William the clerk of Ravenneston and his partners rendering 3s.; Thorpbossard held Hugh Bossard for ¼ knight’s fee; Nayleston manor held by the heirs of Henry de Hastingges, rendering nothing but suit of court; and 3 virgates in Fruseby held by Preciosa de Staunton, rendering 1 quiver and 13 barbed arrows; all held, of the inheritance of the said Nicholaa, of the king in chief of the honour of Chester, doing service of one knight to the king in the army in Wales.
The abovesaid Margaret de Crumbwell, Joan le Estrange, Mabel de Sullye, and Maud de Erdinton, daughter of the said Roger and Nicholaa, are next heirs of the said Nicholaa, and of full age.
Partition (undated) of the manors of Barwe and Caumpden (full details given) between Sir Ralph de Crumwell, Sir John Lestrange (Extranei), Henry de Herdington alias de Erdington, and Sir Walter de Suly.
C. Edw. I. File 2 (6).
References
Calendar of Inquisitions Post-mortem and Other Analogous Documents Preserved in the Public Record Office Volume II, Edward I (London: H.M. Stationery Office, 1906).
Carter, W.F. (with an appendix by G.P. Mander). “Additions to Grazebrook’s ‘The Barons of Dudley’” in Collections for a History of Staffordshire, New Series (1941) pp. 21-80.
Cokayne, George Edward, and Vicary Gibbs; et al. The complete peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, extant, extinct, or dormant [2nd ed.]. (London: St. Catherine Press, 1910-59).
Grazebrook, H. Sidney. “The Barons of Dudley” in Collections for a History of Staffordshire 9 (ii) (1888).
Hunt, John. Lordship and the Landscape: A documentary and archaeological study of the Honor of Dudley c. 1066 - 1322. (British Archaelogical Reports, 1997).
Le Strange, Hamon. Le Strange Records: A Chronicle of the Early Le Stranges (London:1916).
“Parishes: Dudley,” in A History of the County of Worcester: Volume 3 (London, 1913). [Victoria County History]
Wrottesley, George (trans.). “Plea Rolls” in Collections for a History of Staffordshire 4 (1883).