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William Manners was the son of Robert Manners. His mother is disputed.
His father's first wife Margaret [...] (d. aft. 1343), may have been the mother of William and his brother, Robert of Barrington, Northumberland (dsp). After Margaret died, William's father remarried to Ellen Heton, who may be the mother of John (dsp), and Adam (dsp), but it's unknown whether Adam was the son of Robert's first or second marriage.[1]
Collins (1768), however, asserted that Ellen Heton was the mother of William and his three brothers, including the childless Robert of Barrington, by which right William became heir.[2]
William Manners married Eleanor, daughter of David Baxter. They had one son, Robert, who later served in Parliament for the county of Northumberland during the reign of Edward III and was instrumental in the capture of King David in the Battle of Durham.[3][2][1] While no additional information has been located regarding the marriage of William Manners, it seems he and his family did reside at Etal castle by 1347.[4]
The earliest date that the Manners family can be placed at Etal castle was 1232. However, it appears the family did not have full possession of Etal, for according to a Feet of Fines, 25 June 1347 plea of covenant, full ownership of the property was permanently conveyed to Robert Manners at this time. The parties involved in this plea included "Robert de [Maners], knight, querent, and Adam [Kaa?], chaplain, and Gilbert de Elwyk, deforciants." The plea reads as follows:
This plea seems the result of Etal manor having earlier passed from the Manners family, when a dispute in 1293 with William's grandfather regarding revenues revealed that in 1275 William Bonclerk gave the property to his daughter at the time of her marriage. When the daughter and son-in-law later divorced, legal machinations ensued, ultimately with the return of the property, but only in part, to William' grandfather. It appears that william's father, Robert, held this manor in enfeoffment for half a knight's fee, along with another claimant.[5] While the events causing the property transfer to William Bonclerk are unknown, so, too, is the condition of the manor prior to 1347, but it appears that ongoing improvements were made and by the close of the 14th century, it had become a grand residence, as it was selected by the Archbishop of York as an accommodation on his journey northward and not nearby Ford castle. It was during this same year when Robert's eldest son had died that Etal castle was entailed upon William and his heirs.[6] The grandeur of Etal castle was not to last, however, as it was located in the region of the northern marches during the Anglo-Scottish wars and later suffered considerable damage in the 15th century, despite defensive improvements that had been made to the existing manor. At some point during this period, the Manners family abandoned Etal, as its condition deteriorated from the onslought of Scottish raids.[7]
While Collins (1768), asserted that William de Manners died in 1349, Vickers (1922), claimed he passed away before November 1353.[2][6] The cause of death and location of his burial are unknown.
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Categories: Etal, Northumberland, Manners Name Study