Fay Sampson’s Family History
This site is a work-in-progress. There is a massive amount to cover. I have included both male and female lines, and some go back 30 generations. Keep coming back for more.
I have numbered the generations working backwards from my own as (1)
EMERICK PAUNCEFOOT and ELLEN CHARLTON (22)
EMERICK PAUNCEFOOT. There are several variations of the spelling of his name, including Emery and Aumary.
He was born at Crickhowell Castle around 1270, the son of Sir Grimbald de Pauncefoot and Sybil de Turberville.
His mother’s family, the Turbervilles, were lords of Crickhowell Castle on the Welsh border. It is through her that the castle came to the Pauncefoots, in default of a male heir.
There is evidence that his father Sir Grimald Pauncefoot was taken prisoner while on crusade. This would have been the Eighth Crusade, launched against Tunis in 1270. [1]
Emerick’s mother built the church of St Edmund in Crickhowell and both of his parents are buried there.
Emerick was the younger son. When his father died in 1287, the estate went to his older brother, Grimald junior. But this younger Grimbald died childless in 1314. The inheritance passed to Emerick.
There is a petition dated 1314-15 in which Aymer Pauncefot, brother and heir of Grimbald Pauncefoot tells the king and council that when his brother was constable of the castle of St Briavels he was ordered by a writ of King Edward II to take 500 quarrels as far as Rhuddlan, and by another writ to provision 100 men of the garrison at Whitchurch, the sums for which he still had not received before his death. Pauncefoot had received a writ of allocate from the king ordering the treasurer and barons to make due allowance, but they would not do so because the writs of command to Grimbald were lost. Pauncefoot requests that the treasurer and barons be ordered, notwithstanding the loss of the writs, to make due allowance for the costs.
He was told to go to Chancery, and if it was found that he had such writs of allocate as the petition alleges, then similar ones are to be made. [2]
He made another petition to the king in 1326. [3]
He requested a pardon and that the remainder of his ransom be paid in £10 instalments per annum, as he has lost his horse and harness in going to Gascony in the king’s service, but is still indebted to the king for a ransom.
Frustratingly, we do not know the offence for which he requests a pardon.
He was ordered to pay the ransom in 10 mark instalments per annum. A mark was one third of a pound.
This petition shows us that Emerick’s service to the king involved him in foreign travel. His visit to Gascony in southern France is unlikely to be the only one.
Like his father, Emerick was knighted
ELLEN CHARLTON was the daughter of Sir Alan de Charlton, knight of Apley Castle near Wellington in Shropshire, and Ellen de la Zouche. She had a brother Alan junior who inherited the family estates. Her father was the second husband of Ellen de la Zouche, so the younger Ellen may also have had stepbrothers or sisters.
Emerick and Ellen had at least two sons, Grimbald and Hugh.
We know more about their property through a document of 1332. [4]
Emery (Emericus) Pauncfoot is the querent and Geoffrey de Stoke and Adam Eseger, parson of the church of Hasfield, are the deforciants. The suit is a plea of covenant. It concerns the manors and castle of Crickhowell and Cowarne, excepting one mill in the manor of Crickhowell and 40 s rent in the manor of Cowarne.
Emery has acknowledged the castle and manors to be the right of Geoffrey, as those which Geoffrey and Adam have of his gift.
Geoffrey and Adam have granted to Emery the castle and manors and have rendered them to him in the court, to hold to Emery, of the chief lords for the life of Emery. And after the decease of Emery the castle and manor of Crughowel (Crickhowell) shall remain to Grimbald (Grymbaldus), son of the same Emery, and the heirs of his body, to hold of the chief lords for ever. In default of such heirs, successive remainders (1) to Hugh, brother of the same Grimbald, and the heirs of his body and (2) to the right heirs of Emery. And the manor of Cowerne shall remain to Grimbald and Ellen, daughter of Alan de Cherleton’, knight, and the heirs of their bodies, to hold of the chief lords for ever. In default of such heirs, successive remainders (1) to the heirs of the body of Grimbald, (2) to Hugh and the heirs of his body and (3) to the right heirs of Emery.
John de Bohun, earl of Hereford and Essex, and Roger Pichard, knight, also made a claim.
Crickhowell church [5]
Emerick died in 1332, aged 63, during the reign of Edward III.
We have no information about Ellen’s death, except that she outlived Emerick.
[1] https://www.peoplescollection.wales/sites/default/files/images/2014/February/tir00443.jpg
[1] 23. PAUNCEFOOT-TURBERVILLE
[2] National Archives. SC 8/15/742
[3] National Archives. SC 8/233/11609
[4] Feet of Fines: CP 25/1/260/19
[5] https://www.peoplescollection.wales/sites/default/files/images/2014/February/tir00443.jpg
NEXT GENERATION: 21. PAUNCEFOOT
PREVIOUS GENERATIONS: 23. PAUNCEFOOT-TURBERVILLE