Ranulph (Merlay) de Merlay (abt. 1118 - bef. 1157)

Born about 1118 in Morpeth, Northumberland, England

Ancestors

Descendants

Died before 1157 before about age 39 in Morpeth, Northumberland, England

Biography

Ranulph (Ralph) de Merlay of Morpeth.[5][6][7]^[1] (d. after 1137/ before 1157).[8][9] bur. Newminster Abbey[10]^[2]

Ranulph de Merlay (living 1137), was a feudal baron. His parents were William Merlay (living 1095; d. ante Sep 1129) --"the earliest known feudal tenant of Morpeth" -- and Menialda. He married Juliana de Dunbar, and had three known sons: Osbert, William and Roger.

Ranulf probably died before 1157, when Malcolm lost Northumberland to Henry II of England. He was succeeded by his son William (d. before 1165), who in turn, was succeeded by Roger.

Like his wife and son Osbert, Ranulf is buried at Newminster Abbey.[11]

Parents

William de Merlay of Morpeth and Menialda.[12]

Marriage

m. Juliana de Dunbar (bur. Newminster), dau. of Gospatric II de Dunbar (d. 1138). Issue.[13][14][15]

• Osbert (bur. Newminster).^[3]
• William (living Aug 1157/8 and 1162; d. by 1165).^[4]
• Roger (living 1166), succeeded bros. William.[16]

Religion

• 1137: founded Newminster Abbey (Cisterian) in Northumberland[17][18]

Sources

1. ↑ Green (2002), states that "Ranulf witnessed Henry's (son of David I of Scotland) charters as an earl," (p. 122, citing: Keen; Early Scottish Charters no. 247; and Regesta Regum Scottorum).[1]
   for David I of Scotland see: Wikipedia: David I of Scotland (c. 1084 – 24 May 1153).
2. ↑ d. before 1157 (Ranulf de Merlay, 2016, p. 4.[2]
3. ↑ Ranulf de Merlay, 2016, p. 4-5, (citing Merlay Roll).[3]
4. ↑ "witness to Ranulf’s confirmation to Durham," (Ranulf de Merlay, 2016, p.5).[4]

• Cawley, C. (2006). "Scotland, mormaers, earls, lords." Medieval Lands v.3. fmg.ac.

• Dugdale, W. (1846). Monasticon Anglicanum...a History of the Abbies and Other Monasteries...and Cathedral and Collegiate Churches...in England and Wales. Google Books

• Gospatric (DNB00). WikiSource.org.[19]

• Green, J.A. (2002). The Aristocracy of Norman England, pp. 122. Cambridge University Press. Google Books.Green

• "Ranulf de Merlay: Tenant-in-chief in Northumberland," (2016, January 25). The Charters of William II and Henry I. actswilliam2henry1.files.wordpress.com. PDF.[20] "Ranulf appears in charters of Henry I only as a beneficiary and is not named in any surviving act of King Stephen.

His only known tenancies lay in the earldom of Northumberland, which was given to Henry, son of King David of Scotland, under the terms of the second treaty of Durham of 1139. Ranulf attested four of Earl Henry’s acts:

• confirmation to Brinkburn priory, datable 1139;
• confirmation to Eustace fitz John of the lands in Northumberland he had previously held in chief, 1139 × 1142;
• mandate that the monks of Durham should hold certain lands as previously, 1141;
• and a gift to the nuns of St Bartholomew, Newcastle, 1141 × 1151 (Barrow, David I, 92, 103, 135, nos. 81–2, 103, 170).

A charter to Brinkburn priory given by William de Warenne, Earl Henry’s son and successor in Northumberland, datable 1152 × 1157, while William was earl, is instead witnessed by Roger de Merlay (Barrow, Regesta Scottorum, ii. 124, no. 2). Does this give a terminus ad quem for the death of Ranulf? As Roger did not succeed to the fee until Michaelmas 1161 or later, it is more likely to be a simple error of transcription by the Brinkburn cartularist," (Ranulf de Merlay, 2016, p. 4).[21]

• Wikipedia: Newminster Abbey

See also:

• Lewis, M. (n.d.). "Ranulph de Merley, Lord of Morpeth #22913, d. before 1166," citing: Wallop family and Richarson. ORTNCA. Web.[22]
• add a source...