Lawrence Berkerolles (abt. 1338 - 1411)

Ancestors

Died 15 Oct 1411 at about age 73 in Glywysing, Wales

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Biography

Lawrence was born about 1338, ^[1] son of Sir Roger de Berkerolles and Lady Catherine (de Turberville) de Berkerolles. ^[2]

Lawrence gained the Castle of Coity in 1384, when the male line of the Turbervilles "family died out, and the Lordship passed on to Sir Lawrence Berkerolles who inherited it together with the castle and its estate through his marriage to one of the de Turberville daughters. Sir Lawrence too added renovations to the castles, adding the east gate which was fortified with a portcullis and a drawbridge, as well as a new stone curtain wall around the Outer Bailey, and a four-stories round latrine tower on the southern side." ^[3]

Laurence Berkerolles, Lord of Coity appears on a petition date 1401 re the relief of Coity Castle during the rising of Owain Glyndwr ^[4]

Lawrence Berkerolles of Coity, (died around 1411) ^[5]. His death resulted in "death much general re-shuffling of property interests in Glamorgan" ^[6]

"In 1384, Sir Lawrence Berkerolles inherited the Lordship of Coity, its castle and its estates, through marriage to one of the de Turberville daughters"^[7]

From this it would appear he had at least two wives:

• Unknown de Turberville; on 9 September 1369, a charter was drawn settling the Berkerolles lands to "Sir Lawrence Berkeroles and Elizabeth his wife". ^[8] She is most likely this "unknown de Turberville".
• Ismaynia de Hanham

He died 15 October 1411 ^[1] and was buried 18 Oct 1411, aged around 72 or 73. Buried at Church of St Athan, St Athan, Glamorgan, Wales^[2]

His sister Gwenllian Berkerolles was his heiress ^[9]

An interesting postscript is that when "Sir Lawrence Berkerolles died in 1411 and the Castle reverted to Sarah de Turberville, who was married to Sir William Gamage of Roggiett, however they did not take ownership of the castle easily. Lady Joan Verney, the widow of Sir Richard Verney and daughter of Margaret de Turberville, laid claim to it, which is why William Gamage, assisted by some other lords, had to besiege Coity for a month in order to try and oust her out." ^[3]

Inquisitions Post Mortem

Lawrence Berkerolles, knight

Writ 27 Oct. 1411 ^[10]

GLOUCESTER AND THE ADJACENT MARCH OF WALES. Inquisition. Newnham. 23 Nov.
"He held in his demesne as of fee the manors of ‘Estnorchard’, Merthyr Mawr and ‘Lanfey’ in Ogmore in the March, ‘Estnorchard’ and Merthy Mawr of Richard Lord le Despenser, a minor in the king’s ward, of the lordship of Cardiff, as half a knight’s fee, annual values 7 marks each, and ‘Lanfey’ of the king of the duchy of Lancaster as a quarter fee, also 7 marks.
Edward and John Stradelyng are his kinsmen and heirs, Edward being the son of Wenthelea sister of Lawrence and John the son of Sarah his other sister, aged 22 years and more and 50 years and more.
Richard Turburvill held the castle, manor and lordship of Coity and the manors of Newcastle, Newland and Llanharry in Glamorgan in the March. He died seised of them without heirs of his body. They descended to Lawrence, as son and heir of Katherine sister of Richard; Isabel daughter of Richard Stakepoll, son of Margaret another sister; John de la Beere, knight, son of Agnes the third sister; and William Gamage son of Sarah the fourth sister. Lawrence held the premises in the right of Isabel, John and William until he died on 18 Oct. 1411. Joan widow of Richard Vernon, knight, is heir of Isabel, aged 40 years and more; Thomas de la Beere is heir of John, being the son of John his son, aged 9 years and more, William Gamage is next heir of William Gamage, being the son of Gilbert son of William, and aged 30 years and more.
Coity, Newcastle, Newland and Llanharry are held of Richard Lord le Despenser of the lordship of Cardiff as half a knight’s fee, annual values 84 marks, 100s., 40s. and 40s. Memorandum that in the quindene of Hilary 1412 this writ and inquisition were read in the chancery in the presence of the chancellor, the archbishop of Canterbury, the judges and Serjeants at law, and found to be of no effect because taken without warrant [sic] and contrary to the law."

Writ, plura, 18 Dec. 1411^[10]

GLOUCESTER AND THE ADJACENT MARCH OF WALES. Inquisition. Thornbury. 16 Jan. 1412.
"He held in his demesne as of fee the manors of ‘Estnorchard’, Merthyr Mawr and ‘Lanfey’, as above, annual values 20 marks, £10 and £10. He also held the manor of Bassaleg in the commote of Wentlloog of Humphrey earl of Stafford, a minor in the king’s ward, as half a knight’s fee, annual value 40 marks. Edward and John Stradelyng, aged 19 years and more and 40 and more, are his heirs as above. Richard Turbervyll held the castle, manor and lordship of Coity and the manors of Newcastle, Newland and Llanharry, with the advowsons, and granted them to Humphrey de Cherleton, canon of Hereford, his heirs and assigns. He granted them back to Richard, Hawise his wife and the heirs of their bodies with successive remainders to the heirs of his body, Thomas son of John de la Beere, knight, Gilbert son of Roger Berkerolles, knight, Lawrence son of the same Roger, William son of John Flemmyng, Richard son of Richard Stakepoll and Gilbert son of William Gamage, and the heirs male of the body of each in turn. Richard Turbervyll and Hawise, Thomas, Gilbert, Gilbert, Lawrence, William and Richard Stakepoll died without heirs male. After the death of Lawrence on 15 Oct. last the premises should remain to William son of Gilbert Gamage and his heirs male. He is aged 30 years and more. The premises are held of Richard Lord le Despenser, a minor in the king’s ward; annual value, Coity 200 marks, Newcastle £10, Newland 100s. and Lanfey 100s."

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Williams, Stephen W., Esq. Some Monumental Effigies in Wales, Archaeologia Cambrensis, Fifth Series, Vol VII (London 1890) pp188-192
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Find a Grave (no image)
   Find A Grave: Memorial #103166092 (accessed 27 April 2023)
   Memorial page for Sir Lawrence Berkerolles (1338-18 Oct 1411), citing Church of St Athan, Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} History of Coity Castle in Glamorgan [1]
4. ↑ National Archives: Petitioners: Laurence Berkerolles (Beckeroles), Lord of Coity. Name(s): ... [2]
5. ↑ McFarlane, K.B., "England in the Fifteenth Century: Collected Essays", (1981)
6. ↑ Wikipedia: Coity Castle [3]
7. ↑ Coity Castle [4]
8. ↑ Clark, George Thomas. Cartæ et alia munimenta quæ ad dominium de Glamorgan pertinent (Talygarn 1910) Vol 4: 1332-1452, p1323
9. ↑ transactions of the eummrodorion: METROPOLITAN CAMBRIAN INSTITUTION 1828, page 11
10. ↑ ^{10.0 10.1} J. L. Kirby. Inquisitions Post Mortem, Henry IV, Entries 952-999, in Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem: Volume 19, Henry IV, (London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office, 1992), 339-362. British History Online, accessed May 20, 2017