29. GREY-REDVERS

Sampson  Tree

ANCHITEL DE GREY  and MATILDA DE REDVERS (29)

 

ANCHITEL DE GREY was the eldest son of Richard de Grey and Mabilla Vernon de Reviers (Redvers). He was named Anchetil (“Cauldron of the Gods” from his grandfather who came from the village of Graye-sur-Mer on the coast of Calvados at the Norman Conquest.

Anchetil was probably born in the first half of the 12^th century.

His home was Rotherfield Greys, just west of Henley on Thames. “Redresfeld” had been the principal manor granted to his grandfather in the Domesday Book. In the grounds of the Tudor manor house Greys Court is a ruined castle from the 14^th century. At the base of the Great Tower is a small amount of stonework from a high status building that has been dated to the late 11^th – late 12^th century. This would have been Anchetil’s home.

He had at least four brothers and probably sisters as well.

He married his cousin Matilda de Redvers. Her father Baldwin Redvers was the brother of Anchetil’s mother Mabilla de Vernon de Reviers.

 

MATILDA DE VERNON DE REDVERS. Her parents were Baldwin Redvers and Adelise Baluun. Her father was created first Earl of Devon by the Empress Mathilda for his vigorous defence of her cause against her cousin Stephen, who claimed the throne after the death of her father Henry I. After a bitter war, Stephen was successful and was crowned king. The Redvers family fled into exile in Anjou. Baldwin was later reinstated and they made their home on the Isle of Wight.

She is sometimes known as Eva, though there is a danger of confusing her with her granddaughter Eve de Grey.

 

Anchitel and Matilda married around the middle of the12th century.

We know for certain of only one child: John. The English Heritage report on Greys Court at Rotherfield gives them four: “Richard born at Thurrock, Essex, circa 1148; John born at Cornwell, Oxfordshire, circa 1160; Alice born at Rotherfield, circa 1162; and Eva born at ‘Stanlac’, Oxfordshire, circa 1164. Eva inherited Rotherfield Greys on outliving her brothers and sisters. She died circa 1242.” [1]

 

The Greys were patrons of Eynsham abbey. Anchetil’s father Richard had brought one of his sons there to become a monk and gave the abbey the tithes from three of his manors. Richard was buried at the abbey.

Anchetil continued this tradition. He gave the Eynsham monks a meadow in his manor of Standlake called Langehurst and another called Widefordhurst. The witnesses were Manasser Arsic, Hugo de Chesney, Nigel the deacon, William the clerk and Aubrey Arsic. [2]

Hugo de Chesney died before 1166, so the charter must have been before then.

His son and heir John gave his consent.

This would have been in the reign of Henry II (1154-1189). Henry was the son of the Empress Mathilda and grandson of Henry I. When King Stephen won the bitter civil war known as the Anarchy he took the throne, but agreed that Mathilda’s son should be his heir.

 

Anchetil de Greye and his wife Matilda de Redvers were buried at Eynsham abbey, as was Anchetil’s father.

 

[1] Greys Court, Rotherfield Greys, Oxfordshire, English Heritage. GreysCourtRotherfieldGreysOxfordshire_volume1themedievalhouse%20(7).pdf
[2] https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Grey-916
[3] https://stpeterseynsham.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/TheAbbey-1024×7211.jpg