Walter Awbrey

Descendants

Died 1312 in Brecknockshire, Wales

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Stuart Awbrey [send private message]

Biography

Walter is the son of Waleran Awbrey. He married Christina Dayrel of de Whittlewood.^[1]

There is record of a legal action against Thomas, son of Walter Aubrey, king’s bailiff and constable of Brecon Castle in 1282. Thomas was one of four king’s bailiffs and was responsible for the provisions for Edward I’s troops.

Another of Walter’s sons, Roger, brother to Thomas, was also in king’s service. ^[2]

Is this Walter of the crypt? The dates support this.

Walter and Christina Awbrey Crypt

Walter and Christina Awbrey Crypt in Havard Chapel, Brecon Cathedral

Descriptions of Crypt/Monument

Extract from A History of Brecknockshire by Theophilus Jones, 1898 edition – description of monuments in Brecon Cathedral:

“The last tomb noticed by Dinely, is that of a Walter Awbrey and Christina his wife, in the Havard’s or vicar’s chapel: it is said to have been removed from the college, if so, it was probably, upon the erection of the present collegiate church, in the time of Henry 8th, and this tomb must have been placed, and remained for several ages, in the church or oratory of the friars mendicants there; for it bore the date of 1312, though neither the inscription or the date are now to be seen; it forms part of the floor of the chapel, and the figures are in alto relievo, so thickly covered with mortar, dirt and dust, that they can hardly be traced with accuracy. It will be seen by plate 2, fig. 6, that little angels held censers over the heads of this Awbrey and his spouse: these aerial beings have vanished, the features of the countenances of the descendant of the Normans and his lady have been nearly defaced, and the plaits of their garments are barely discernible. The inscription round the stone was

WALTER LE FIZ WALTER AUBREY GIT ICI JESUS DE SA ALME EIT MERCI AMEN AVE MARIA PATER NOSTER

It then proceeds whinsically to record the name of the wife backwards, writing from the right hand to the left, beginning at the bottom, and reversing the letters: the words were

CHRISTINA SA FEMME GIST ICI JESUS DE SA ALME EN EIT MERCI AVE MARIA PATER NOSTER.”

The following description was found in a booklet belonging to Brecon Cathedral. No original source has been found.

“The tomb commemorating Walter Aubrey and his second wife Christina stands in the north east corner of Havard Chapel. He was a descendant of one of Bernard de Neufmarche’s companions, Sir Reginald Aubrey, who was rewarded for his services with the lordship of Abercynrig (in the parish of Llanfrynach) and Slwch. The Aubreys of Abercynrig became considerable landowners and are thought to have given the land on which Christ College now stands to the Dominicans in about 1250. It has indeed been suggested that Walter was the founder of this Friary, and that he may have been buried in the vacant arched recess in Christ College Chapel (that of the former Dominican Friary), as a founder customarily was. Many members of the family were buried in that church or its precincts, and there is still a chapel known as the Aubrey Chapel (presently the vestry). During the Commonwealth the Friary lands were seized by Parliament and later sold to one Brychan Thomas, who proceeded to despoil the buildings, selling roofing materials and walling stone together with gravestones. A member of the family bought the tomb of Walter and Christina about 1660 and had it transferred to its present position.

M. H. Bloxam comments:

This is a monument of the fourteenth century. He is represented bare-headed with curled locks on either side of his face, which is close shaven and the neck bare. He appears habited in the tunica talaris, a long tunic with a mantle over, open in front with the caputium or hood about his neck. The sleeves of the tunic are close-fitting. The hands conjoined horizontally on the breast, are represented holding a crucifix.

The lad’s head-attire consists of a close-fitting cap and wimple, the latter covering the sides of the face and coming under the chin. Her body habiliments consist of a gown with somewhat close-fitting sleeves and a mantle over, open in front and fastened by a cordon crossing the breast. The hands are conjoined horizontally on the breast.. (Gwenllian Morgan adds that the lady’s feet rest on a harpy, a curious and unusual heraldic symbol, and that she was the lineal representative of Sir David Gam.)

Between the heads of these two effigies the Rood or Crucifix is represented with the figures on either side of St. Mary and St. John, and in a kind of pediment which forms the head of the slab, rudely sculptured in relief are the figures of angels with thuribles. Round the edge of this monument is a single line of Longo-bardic letters. The date may, I think, be ascribed to c.1350.

Theophilus Jones states that the date of 1312 was legible on the tomb at one time, which would accord better than does Bloxam’s date with Gwenllian Morgan’s theory that Walter founded the Friary. He reads the inscriptions as follows:

WALTER LE FIZ WALTER AUBREY GIT ICI JESUS DE SA ALME EIT MERCI AMEN AVE MARIA PATER NOSTER

CHRISTINA SA FEMME GIST ICI JESUS DE SA ALME EN EIT MERCI AVE MARIA PATER NOSTER.

The inscriptions have suffered a certain amount of damage, but much is still legible.”

Research Notes

Researchers of the Aubrey/Awbrey family have long been intrigued by the crypt of Walter and Christina Awbrey located in Havard Chapel, Brecon Cathedral, Brecon, Wales. There are published descriptions of the crypt including where it likely existed prior to this location. However, no connection to a known family member had been found.

Now, a descendant of the Welsh Awbreys, who lives in England, has provided additional information. He has researched the family for over 40 years with extensive work at the National Archives and elsewhere. However, the story remains incomplete especially regarding family connections and sources.

Sources

1. ↑ See Research Notes
2. ↑ Roger Aubrey - Patent Rolls 3 Oct 1288

See also:

• Memorial: Find a Grave (has image)
  Find A Grave: Memorial #200378592 (accessed 1 February 2024)
  Memorial page for Walter Awbrey (unknown-1312), citing Brecon Cathedral Churchyard, Brecon, Powys, Wales; Maintained by Stuart Awbrey (contributor 48872261).

• Roger Barber is a professional genealogist who lives in Horsham, England provided information described in Research Notes. Stuart Awbrey has the correspondence.