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)
HENRY DE FERRERS (27)
HENRY de FERRERS is the eldest son and heir of Ralph de Ferrers and Sybil de Pyn of Bere Ferrers and Newton Ferrers in south-west Devon. They also owned land in Bere Alston, north of Bere Ferrers. He had two, probably three, brothers. He may have had sisters too, but we have no record of them.
The parish of Bere Ferrers occupies the triangle between the lower reaches of the Rivers Tamar and Tavy. The Ferrer’s manor house was Bere Barton on the banks of the Tavy. It is thought to have been established in Henry’s time.
The Devon Ferrers should not be confused with another family of that name in Staffordshire and Derbyshire.
Some branches are probably descended from the Henry de Ferrers who came to England with William the Conqueror, and was chairman of the committee that compiled the Domesday Book. This earlier Henry was rewarded with estates in a number of places in England. But these estates are not in the south-west, so this is probably a different branch.
Our Devon Henry was born around 1170, in the reign of Henry II.
He had one known child, Reginald de Ferrers.
He is thought to have died young, around 1196-1200, perhaps only 28 years old. His son is thought to have been born around that time.
NEXT GENERATION: 26. FERRERS-DENNYS
PREVIOUS GENERATIONS: 28. FERRERS-PYN