Helewisa (Plaiz) Hunstanton (abt. 1070 - 1120)

Born about 1070 in Barklam, Suffolk, England

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 1120 at about age 50 in Thetford, Suffolk, , England

Biography

Eyton first seems to have realized that John le Strange (I)'s mother must be a daughter of Ralf fitz Herluin: p.261 of Shropshire 10:

John le Strange's Mother was not indeed an heiress herself, but in her issue she was a very great heiress. She would better have been called a Norfolk, than a Suffolk, Lady. Again it was only a part of Hunstanston, which John le Strange inherited from his father and held under Fitz Alan. Having offered these preliminary explanations, I may now proceed with those facts and probabilities which constitute the maternal origin of the House of Le Strange.— The aera of Hugh de Plaiz, a Suffolk Feudatory, must be estimated as little, if at all, later than Domesday. It is probable that Ralph de Plaiz, who between the years 1107 and 1120 granted lands to Thetford Priory,2 was son and heir of Hugh. It is also probable that Ralph de Plaiz, who lived in 1194, was the then representative of this family. But, besides his supposed son (Ralph), Hugh de Plaiz had a daughter, Helewise. This Helewise had the land of Bernham (Suffolk)from her father, as a gift in frank-marriage. Her husband was Ralph fitz Herlewin, otherwise called Ralph de Hunstanton. This Ralph was living in 1086, and was then a Vassal of Roger Bigot. The Norfolk Domesday records for instance under the Terra Rogeri Bigot, that Radulffitz Herluin holds two carucates in Hunestatuna, and four carucates in Totintun. 1 I imagine that Ralph fitz Herluin's fee was afterwards greatly increased, and that he held the greater part of Hunstanston, and several other Manors in Norfolk, under William de Albini Pincerna, a Minister and favourite of King Henry I. The mode in which Albini acquired or realized his Norfolk Fief (of 62 knights'-fees) was as follows.—Henry I. gave him the Fee of Corbuchiun, consisting of 15 knights' -fees. The King next gave him 10 knights'-fees in the Fief of Roger Bigod, in marriage with Matilda, daughter of the said Roger Bigot. Then the same King gave him other 17 fees. Lastly, Albini himself enfeoffed 20 knights in his own demesnes.2

We have no list of the 25 fees which together constituted the Fief of Corbuchiun and the marriage portion of Maud Bigot. Had we such a list, I can have little doubt that either Ralph de Hunstanston or one of his sons would appear therein as Tenant of 5 fees. Ralph de Hunstanston had three children, viz. Simon, Reginald, and a daughter unnamed.3 Simon succeeded his father before 1135, and died without issue. Reginald succeeded his brother Simon. He was called Reginald le Bran. Under that name, and between the years 1154 and 1173 he gave the land of Bernham, above mentioned, to Thetford Priory. Reginald le Brun died without issue, before 1174. His heir was his Nephew, John le Strange, the eldest son of his Sister, which Sister I take to have been wife of Roland le Strange.

If what I have surmised above be as correct as what I have stated, it will follow that, about the year 1170,—

John Le Strange (I) held 5 knights'-fees in Hunstanston and elsewhere in Norfolk, under William de Albini Pincerna (II), that is, under William Earl of Arundel, surviving husband of the Dowager Queen Adeliza.

One of the estates which John le Strange thus held of the Earl was part of Edgefield, in the Hundred of Holt (Co. Norfolk). The Deed whereby John le Strange gave this estate to Binham Priory proves so much of what has been asserted above, as to his maternal ancestry and his Norfolk tenure, that I give it here.—

Catholica fidei cultoribus, Johannes cognomento Le Strange, assensu et voto uxoris et heredum, pro salute aninue mete et domini mei Regis Henrici Junioris1 et Alianora Regina? et filiorum, et pro salute Willielmi Comitis de Harundel domini mei, et Adeliza Regina,2 et filiorum, et uxoris mea et heredum, do in liberam elemosynam Deo et Sancta Maria de Binham, totum illud feodum quod Radulfus de Hunestaneston habuit in mild de Egeffel, et filius ejus Simon post tum, deinde frater ipsins, Reginaldus le Brim, quibus ego ut legitimus heres jure hereditaria successi. Hujus donacionis testes sunt Radulfus le Strange* Willielmus de Hunstaneston, Ranulphus clericus, persona ecclesia ejusdem villa, et filii ejus Walterus, Rothfandus, Normannus; Willielmus filius Willielmi de Hunstaneston; Regerius; Simon; Nicholas; Willielmus de Baucis; Hamo filius Bunch; Willielmus de la More; et Simon frater ejus; Willielmus filius RaduIfi de Beccam; Ruel' de Camis4 et filii ejus Briencius et Fabiamis; Audoenus Malpas; Gaufridus de Leringsete; Michael Portarius de Binham; Alanus de Binham.^[1]

p.268 of Shropshire 10:

We must remember that this very land of Bernham had been given by Hugh de Plaiz to his daughter, Helewise, when she married Ralph de Hunstanton (Ralph fitz Herlewin). Their son, Reginald le Brun, had given it to Thetford. It was because John le Strange was son of John le Strange (nephew and heir of the said Reginald) that he was bound to warrant this land to the Priory. He recognized the obligation, and was actually endeavouring in this very month of November 1194 to obtain possession of Bcrnham from Ralph de Plaiz, who had seized it (I presume) as right heir of Hugh de Plaiz above mentioned. [p.261]^[2]

Sources

1. ↑ Eyton, Antiquities of Shropshire, Volume 10, pp.261-2
2. ↑ Eyton, Antiquities of Shropshire, Volume 10, pp.267-268