William Greville (abt. 1337 - 1401)

Born about 1337 in London England

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 1 Oct 1401 at about age 64 in Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire, England

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Biography

He was a prominent wool-merchant and is the ancestor of the present Greville Earls of Warwick.

The first record of him being in Chipping Campden is that in 1367 he bought a house and land in the town from William Wylicote and his wife Isolde. The house cost William 10 marks. ^[1]

In 1380 he paid taxes on his property in Campden to the value of 13s. 4d and he employed servants Thomas, William, John, Robert and Agnes who also appeared in the register of those who paid taxes. ^[1] At about the same time William built a fine house in the Chipping Campden High Street which at the time must have been one of the fairest homes in the town. It was owned by the Grevel family until 1541 and is known to this day as Grevel House. ^[1]

In 1395 he and his son John, both described as wool merchants, received pardons for all unjust and excessive weighings and purchases of wool, contrary to the statute. ^[1]As a wealthy man, in 1397, he was able to loan King Richard II the exorbitant sum of 300 marks on the King's promise to repay it the following Easter. ^[1]

He married twice:

• 1st to Marion, possible daughter of Sir John Thornborough, by whom he had six sons and two daughters.
• 2nd to Joan Thornbury, sister and heiress of Sir Philip Thornbury

He signed his will on 2 April 1401 and desired to be buried in the "Church of the Blessed Mary of Campden" and bequeathed 100 marks to "the new work to be carried on there". His very large ledger stone (8'9" x 4'4" with monumental brasses survives in Campden Church, in a position of great prominence, on the floor of the chancel in front of the communion rails. The brasses represent Greville and his wife, under a double canopy crocketed and cusped, both with hands folded in prayer, the wife being on her husband's left hand. The engraving on their memorial is in Latin, but roughly translates as:

Here lies William, Grevil of Campden, formerly a citizen of London and the flower of the wool merchants of all England, who died the first day of October Anno Domini 1401. Here lies Marion wife of the aforesaid William who died on the tenth day of Septemenr Anno Domini 1386. On whose souls may God have pity. Amen. ^[1]

The Probate of his Will is dated at Campden, April 2 1401. Some of his property remained in the possession of his widow and second wife, Joan, sister of Sir Philip Thornbury, while the rest was distributed among his sons. John and Ludovic were his principal heirs. His other children were Richard, William, and two other sons whose names are not known, and a daughter, Alice who married Edmund Ludlow (d.1409), who owned ‘Ludlowes’ manor in Campden. Ludovic made his home at Drayton in Oxfordshire whilst John’s share included Lasborough and Sezincote, settled on him at the time of their purchase. ^[2] By the time of his death he held 14 messuages and 2 virgates in the town, as well as purchasing the manors of Lasborough (1395), Meon, Charingworth, Welford, Weston-on-Avon and Milcote, where he lived in the last years of his life.

Research Notes

There is reference that makes this William a son of Richard Greville, not William Greville. He is recorded on the roll of the Guild of the Holy Trinity at Coventry as "Wm Grivil of Campdene and Mariona his wife and Richard Grivel his father". ^[1]

Will Transcription

In the name of God Amen In the year of our Lord one thousand four hundred and one the second day of April I William Grevell of sane and good memory make my will in this manner.

Firstly I leave my soul to all powerful God and my body to be buried in the church of Blessed Marie of Campeden.

Item I leave the church of Campeden one hundred marks for making the new work at the disposition of my executors.

Item I leave £200 to remunerate 4 chaplains daily celebrating in the Church of Campeden for ten years following.

Item I order and appoint Joan my wife, John Grevell and Richard Boschell my true executors and Sir(Mgr) Roger Hatton abbot of Evesham and Sir (Mgr) William Bradley overseers of my executors, This was made at Campeden the day and year of the Lord above stated In testimony of which I have put my seal.

Proved 8 October at Lambeth before the Archbishop; administration granted to John Grevell, and on 9 Oct a commission was issued to William Small, Rector of Lynton, Worcs. Dioc. To commit the Administration to Joan the Widow, and Richard Boschell, Executors. ^[3]

Ancestry

The Visitation of Warwick ^[4] provides ancestry of "Foulk Greuill, Miles":

1. Willm Greuill of Camden in Com. Gloucester
2. Lodouecus Greuill married Margt, Da & Cohey. of Egidi Ardren de Drayton.
3. Rad'us Greuill sepultus apud Moxton in Com. Oxon
4. John Greuill of Milcotte married Jane Da. of Hump. Forster de Herpeden miles
5. Edw. Greuill of Milcotte Milis married Anne Da. of John Denton of Amersden. Edward shown with two siblings, Robert (2 sone in Com. Glouc) and Mary ux. Rob'ti Som'nill de Edston
6. Foulk Greuill, Milis, married Elis'b Da. & heire of Edw. Willoughby
7. Foulk Greuill of Beauchamp Court Miles married Anne Da. of Hen. Neuill Comes Westmerland.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6} Whitfield, Christopher A History of Chipping Campden Shakespeare Head Press, Eton, Windsor, 1958 pg 53
2. ↑ The Grevel Family, Mary Fielding Chipping Campden History
3. ↑ Original in Latin; transcribed and translated by Mrs Mary Paget from a copy of the document at Lambeth Palace Library, Arundel, Vol 1 Folio 183 Copied from CADHAS Queries folder No. 09076 Chipping Campden History
4. ↑ The Visitation of the county of Warwick in the year 1619. Taken by William Camden, Clarenceaux king of arms Page 29 Greville.

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Greville
• The Visitation of the county of Warwick in the year 1619. Taken by William Camden, Clarenceaux king of arms Page 29 Greville
• http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=15793762&pid=1287