Adam FitzSwain (abt. 1118 - abt. 1159)

Born about 1118 in England

Ancestors

Descendants

Died about 1159 at about age 41 in England

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Biography

From the Bretton vanity website, wandering off into the realms of fantasy

Son and heir of Swain fitz Alric was Adam Fitz Swain, who founded the Priory of monk-Bretton, and died before 1159 [Pipe Roll, 5 Henry II]. Adam left two daughters. The eldest was Amabel, who married as her first husband Alexander de Crevequeur, and second, to William de Neville. Adam's second daughter was Matilda who married Adam de Montbegon.

It would appear that, at the time of Adam fitz Swain (Ailric’s grandson) names were becoming more formalised and it was apparent that “Adam fitz Swain” may have no longer been sufficient to identify an individual. The next generation to Adam were, apparently, the first “de Bretton’s” (“of Bretton”) we have found recorded and one of Adam’s children had the same christian name as a “de Bretton” and was of the same time scale. We discovered further examples of changes of name, within the person’s lifetime, at this same period, and these are contained in

We also considered whether the naming of Monk Bretton Priory was of any significance. Monk Bretton was founded by Adam fitz Swain (de Bretton) - that is confirmed by a weight of evidence and we have examined the implications of the naming of Monkbretton Priory. There are two possibilities - either it was named after nearby Monk Bretton in Barnsley or it was named after the founder which would assume Adam had adopted the name “de Bretton”

The following is from pages 84 and 90 of "Monk Bretton Priory

In the floor of the presbytery were found three interments ; opposite the aumbry in the south wall was a large stone coffin without a lid, which contained much red dust, and measured 5 feet 18(?)inches in length, 15 inches at the top and 9 inches at the foot (inside) ; closely adjoining the stone coffin on its south side was one made of squared stone slabs jointed together, which contained a well-preserved skeleton of a female. It is probable that these two coffins held the remains of the founder of the priory Adam FitzSwain and his wife ---

Swein inherited the above possessions from Ailric and made a donation to the monks of St. John the Evangelist of Pontefract of the church of Silkstone, together with the chapel (capella) of Cawthorne. The original grant of this church is set out below in a shorter version from the chartulary of Pontefract :-

Swein de Bretton, son of Ulkile de Bretton (Ulfkettil in another record) is probably the same person. (Whilst these names would confirm a Saxon origin for the Brettons, Swein had a brother, Henry, which is a Norman name and at least 5 sons, Hugh, Robert, William, Henry and John.

This conjuncture of the de Brettons and Robert de Hoderode and William de Beaumont seems conclusive that as long as this branch of Adam Fitz Swein de Bretton’s family lived near theirown home they were known as de Bretton and when they went to live near Huddersfield they were known as de Beaumont - still keeping the same initial letter for use on their seals, but covering their Saxon nationality by a Norman name.

Son and heir of Swain fitz Alric was Adam Fitz Swain, who founded the Priory of Monk-Bretton and died before 1159 [Pipe Roll, 5 Henry II]. Adam left two daughters. The eldest was Amabel, who married as her first husband Alexander de Crevequeur, and second, to William de Neville. Adam's second daughter was Matilda who married Adam de Montbegon.

Swein was succeeded by his son, Adam, who is recorded in a charter to the Monks at Pontefract recognizing his father's grant to them as "Adam Filius Swani Filii Ailrichi." With Adam, the male line of this "great Saxon" family became extinct. Adam left two daughters and coheirs. Adam's daughter, Matilda, married Adam de Montbegon as her first husband and John Malhert as her second.

Swain fitz Alric was likely granted a portion of Wennington, Farleton and Tunstall by Henry I. Swain was a benefactor to the Priories of Pontefract and Nostel, and died before 1130, at which date, his widow married Haervey de Vecio. Swain's son and heir was Adam fitz Swain who founded the Priory of Monk-Bretton, and died before 1159, leaving two daughters: (1) Amabel, the eldest, who married as her first husband, Alexander Crevequerur, and as her second husband, William de Neville; and (2) Matilda, who married Adam de Montebegon, a military tenant of the Honor of Lancaster in the counties of Lincoln, Lancaster and Suffolk.

(The following is from pages 84 and 90 of "Monk Bretton Priory")

"In the floor of the presbytery were found three interments; opposite the aumbry in the south wall was a large stone coffin without a lid, which contained much red dust, and measured 5 feet 18(?)inches in length, 15 inches at the top and 9 inches at the foot (inside) ; closely adjoining the stone coffin on its south side was one made of squared stone slabs jointed together, which contained a well-preserved skeleton of a female. It is probable that these two coffins held the remains of the founder of the priory Adam FitzSwain and his wife ----"

Sources

• England Marriages, 1538–1973
• William Farrer, Lancaster Chirographs, or Feet of Fines, p. 57
• History of Cawthorne, pp. 15-18
• Final Concords of the County of Lancaster: From the Original Documents Relating to Lancashire and Cheshire, Part I
• K. S. B. Keats-Rohan, Domesday Descendants, Vol. II, Adam filius Suein, p. 961
• Dom Hugh Bowler, The Catholic Records Society, Rowland Bretton and Dorothy Edson.