Nigel Fossard (sometimes Niel Fossard;
[Page (ed.) "Parishes: Hinderwell" ''History of the County of York: North Riding: Volume 2''] died after 1120) was an Anglo-Norman nobleman who held the honour of Mulgrave in
Yorkshire
Yorkshire ( ; abbreviated Yorks), formally known as the County of York, is a historic county in northern England and by far the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its large area in comparison with other English counties, functions have ...
and by virtue of that is considered the
feudal baron of Mulgrave.
Life
![Old Mulgrave Castle - geograph](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fb/Old_Mulgrave_Castle_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1626010.jpg)
Fossard came from the western part of
Normandy
Normandy (; french: link=no, Normandie ; nrf, Normaundie, Nouormandie ; from Old French , plural of ''Normant'', originally from the word for "northman" in several Scandinavian languages) is a geographical and cultural region in Northwestern ...
.
[Keats-Rohan ''Domesday People'' pp. 302–303]
Fossard held lands of
Robert, Count of Mortain in the Domesday survey of 1086.
[ In all, Fossard held 58 ]carucate
The carucate or carrucate ( lat-med, carrūcāta or ) was a medieval unit of land area approximating the land a plough team of eight oxen could till in a single annual season. It was known by different regional names and fell under different forms ...
s and 6 bovate
An oxgang or bovate ( ang, oxangang; da, oxgang; gd, damh-imir; lat-med, bovāta) is an old land measurement formerly used in Scotland and England as early as the 16th century sometimes referred to as an oxgait. It averaged around 20 English ...
s of land in Yorkshire from Robert, which before the Norman Conquest
The Norman Conquest (or the Conquest) was the 11th-century invasion and occupation of England by an army made up of thousands of Norman, Breton, Flemish, and French troops, all led by the Duke of Normandy, later styled William the Con ...
had been owned by Ligulf Ligulf (sometimes Liulf or Ligulf of Lumley; died 1080) was an Anglo-Danish nobleman with landholdings in the north of England.
Ligulf was married to Ealdgyth, the daughter of Ealdred the earl of Northumbria.Aird "Ligulf" ''Oxford Dictionary of Na ...
.[Williams ''English and the Norman Conquest'' p. 67] Throughout all three ridings of Yorkshire
A riding is an administrative jurisdiction or electoral district, particularly in several current or former Commonwealth countries.
Etymology
The word ''riding'' is descended from late Old English or (recorded only in Latin contexts or forms, ...
, Fossard's holdings amounted to over 500 carucates. His landholdings were only in Yorkshire, however. Fossard and another tenant of Robert of Mortain, Richard de Sourdeval, held the majority of the count's lands in Yorkshire.[Walker "Fossard family" ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography''] Although the count was a large landholder in Yorkshire, his two tenants effectively controlled all his lands and this weakened the comital power in the county.[Blakely ''Brus Family'' p. 130]
When Robert of Mortain rebelled and lost in 1088, Fossard became a tenant-in-chief of the King.[ His holding of the honour of Mulgrave in ]Yorkshire
Yorkshire ( ; abbreviated Yorks), formally known as the County of York, is a historic county in northern England and by far the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its large area in comparison with other English counties, functions have ...
means he is considered a feudal baron of Mulgrave.[Sanders ''English Baronies'' p. 66] Under King Henry I of England, Fossard worked to concentrate his holdings around Lythe Castle, an act that was encouraged by the king in order to secure royal authority in Yorkshire.[ Because his lands were all in Yorkshire, it is likely that Fossard spent most of his time in that county.][Dalton ''Conquest, Anarchy and Lordship'' p. 68]
Fossard gave gifts to St Mary's Abbey in York
York is a cathedral city with Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. It is the historic county town of Yorkshire. The city has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a ...
,[ including lands and churches. He also gave a church to Ramsey Abbey.][ In the charter for this gift, he mentions himself, his wife, who is unnamed, and his son and heir – also unnamed.][Farrer (ed.) ''Early Yorkshire Charters Volume 2'' pp. 330–331] It also mentions King William the Conqueror
William I; ang, WillelmI (Bates ''William the Conqueror'' p. 33– 9 September 1087), usually known as William the Conqueror and sometimes William the Bastard, was the first House of Normandy, Norman List of English monarchs#House of Norman ...
, the queen Matilda of Flanders
Matilda of Flanders (french: link=no, Mathilde; nl, Machteld) ( 1031 – 2 November 1083) was Queen of England and Duchess of Normandy by marriage to William the Conqueror, and regent of Normandy during his absences from the duchy. She was ...
, and the king and queen's eldest son, Robert Curthose
Robert Curthose, or Robert II of Normandy ( 1051 – 3 February 1134, french: Robert Courteheuse / Robert II de Normandie), was the eldest son of William the Conqueror and succeeded his father as Duke of Normandy in 1087, reigning until 1106. ...
.[ For all the people listed, Fossard sought "fraternity" with the monastery.][Marritt "Prayers for the King" ''Anglo-Norman Studies'' p. 198] This relationship was, according to the historian Janet Burton, "a spiritual union with the community" of the monastic house, effectively making them like a member of the community.[Burton ''Monastic Order in Yorkshire'' p. 207]
The name of Fossard's wife is not known.[ Fossard's heir was his son Robert Fossard. He also had a daughter, Gertrude, who married first Robert de Meinil and then Jordan Paynel. The Walter Fossard who attested Nigel's charter giving lands to St Mary's may have also been Nigel's son.][ Fossard died likely after 1120, and perhaps as late as 1128.][ He witnessed a charter of ]Thurstan
:''This page is about Thurstan of Bayeux (1070 – 1140) who became Archbishop of York. Thurstan of Caen became the first Norman Abbot of Glastonbury in circa 1077.''
Thurstan or Turstin of Bayeux ( – 6 February 1140) was a medi ...
, the Archbishop of York
The archbishop of York is a senior bishop in the Church of England, second only to the archbishop of Canterbury. The archbishop is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of York and the metropolitan bishop of the province of York, which covers th ...
that is dated to between 1114 and 1128.[Farrer (ed.) ''Early Yorkshire Charters Volume 2'' pp. 325–327] In 1129, his lands were controlled by the king, and his heir had to pay a fine to recover his inheritance.[ Why the lands were in the king's control is not recorded.][
]
Citations
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Fossard, Nigel
Anglo-Normans
1120s deaths
Year of birth unknown
Year of death uncertain
English feudal barons