Walter de Clifford (1113–1190) (known before the 1130s as Walter FitzRichard) was an

Anglo-Norman Anglo-Norman may refer to: *Anglo-Normans, the medieval ruling class in England following the Norman conquest of 1066 * Anglo-Norman language **Anglo-Norman literature * Anglo-Norman England, or Norman England, the period in English history from 10 ...

Marcher Lord A Marcher lord () was a noble appointed by the king of England to guard the border (known as the Welsh Marches) between England and Wales. A Marcher lord was the English equivalent of a margrave (in the Holy Roman Empire) or a marquis (in F ...

of Bronllys Castle on the Welsh border, and was feudal baron of Clifford, seated at

Clifford Castle Clifford Castle is a ruined castle in the village of Clifford which lies 2.5 miles to the north-east of Hay-on-Wye in the Wye Valley in Herefordshire, England (). It was the ''caput'' of the feudal barony of Clifford, a Marcher Lordship (owing a ...

Herefordshire Herefordshire () is a county in the West Midlands of England, governed by Herefordshire Council. It is bordered by Shropshire to the north, Worcestershire to the east, Gloucestershire to the south-east, and the Welsh counties of Monmouthshire ...

Life

According to Eyton, he succeeded to the estates of his uncles Walter and Drogo. These two brothers figure in the

Domesday Book Domesday Book () – the Middle English spelling of "Doomsday Book" – is a manuscript record of the "Great Survey" of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086 by order of King William I, known as William the Conqueror. The manusc ...

of 1086 as the possessors of lands in

Berkshire Berkshire ( ; in the 17th century sometimes spelt phonetically as Barkeshire; abbreviated Berks.) is a historic county in South East England. One of the home counties, Berkshire was recognised by Queen Elizabeth II as the Royal County of Berk ...

, and other counties. His father

Richard Richard is a male given name. It originates, via Old French, from Frankish language, Old Frankish and is a Compound (linguistics), compound of the words descending from Proto-Germanic language, Proto-Germanic ''*rīk-'' 'ruler, leader, king' an ...

seems to have died between 1115 and 1138, in which latter year we find 'Walter de Cliffort' signing a Gloucester charter. He reappears under the same name in 1155. He probably obtained the barony of Clifford from his wife Margaret, asserted to be the daughter of Raoul IV de Conches and thus the granddaughter of

Raoul II of Tosny Raoul II de Tosny seigneur de Conches-en-Ouche (1027 - died 9 April 1102) was a Norman nobleman of the House of Tosny, son of Roger I of Tosny and older brother of Robert de Stafford / Tosny. He was active in Normandy, England and Wales. Hasting ...

, feudal lord of

Flamstead Flamstead is a village and civil parish in north-west Hertfordshire, England, close to the junction of the A5 and the M1 motorway at junction 9. The name is thought by some historians to be a corruption of the original ''Verulamstead''. Flams ...

, who is shown, in 1086, as 'tenant-in-chief' of this fee, the multiple lords being listed as Drogo (son of Poyntz); Gilbert (son of Turold); Herbert; and Roger. (A second listing for Clifford in Domesday shows Roger de Lacy, as lord and tenant-in-chief, of a small portion of this barony, being taxed on 4 carucates.) According to another theory, his mother Maud, wife of Richard FitzPonce, was the original holder of it. Towards the middle of Henry II's reign, he was possessed of the manors of Corfham,

Culmington Culmington is a village and civil parish in south Shropshire, England, about east of Craven Arms and north of Ludlow. The village is about above sea level, beside the River Corve, just east of the B4365 road. The 2011 Census recorded the par ...

, in

Shropshire Shropshire (; alternatively Salop; abbreviated in print only as Shrops; demonym Salopian ) is a landlocked historic county in the West Midlands region of England. It is bordered by Wales to the west and the English counties of Cheshire to th ...

. He was a benefactor to several monasteries, e.g.

Haughmond Abbey Haughmond Abbey ( ) is a ruined, medieval, Augustinians, Augustinian monastery a few miles from Shrewsbury, England. It was probably founded in the early 12th century and was closely associated with the FitzAlan family, who became Earls of Arund ...

, Dore, and

Godstow Godstow is about northwest of the centre of Oxford. It lies on the banks of the River Thames between the villages of Wolvercote to the east and Wytham to the west. The ruins of Godstow Abbey, also known as Godstow Nunnery, are here. A bridge s ...

. Clifford's name occurs in the Welsh annals as lord of

Llandovery Castle Llandovery Castle ( cy, Castell Llanymddyfri) is a late thirteenth-century, Grade II*-listed, castle ruin in the town of Llandovery in Carmarthenshire, Wales. It occupies a knoll overlooking the River Towy and the land surrounding it. The Norman ...

. He ravaged the lands of

Rhys ap Gruffydd Rhys ap Gruffydd, commonly known as The Lord Rhys, in Welsh ''Yr Arglwydd Rhys'' (c. 1132 – 28 April 1197) was the ruler of the Welsh kingdom of Deheubarth in south Wales from 1155 to 1197 and native Prince of Wales. It was believed that he ...

, who, finding his complaints to Henry II disregarded, surprised his castle (1157-9). In 1163, he is said to have slain Einion ab Anarawd, son of

Anarawd ap Gruffydd Anarawd ap Gruffydd (died 1143) was a Prince of Deheubarth in Southwest Wales. Lineage Anarawd was the eldest son of Gruffydd ap Rhys. On the death of his father in 1137, Anarawd took over the rule of Deheubarth. Resistance In 1136 he and ...

. In 1164, he is said to have slain

Cadwgan Cadwgan is a Welsh people, Welsh given name, meaning "battle glory" (from ''cad'' "battle" and ''gwogawn'' "glory"). The name occurs in the Mabinogion as the son of Iddon. The name Cadogan (disambiguation), Cadogan is derived from it. Bearers of t ...

, son of Maredudd. He was still living in 1187, and according to Eyton died in 1190.

Family

He was the son of Richard FitzPons and Matilda, who was the sister of

Miles de Gloucester, 1st Earl of Hereford Miles FitzWalter of Gloucester, 1st Earl of Hereford (died 24 December 1143) (''alias'' Miles of GloucesterSanders, I.J. English Baronies: A Study of their Origin and Descent 1086-1327, Oxford, 1960, p.7) was a great magnate based in the west of ...

, and daughter of Walter de Gloucester . He married Margaret de Toeni, daughter of

Ralph de Toeni Raoul II de Tosny seigneur de Conches-en-Ouche (1027 - died 9 April 1102) was a Norman nobleman of the House of Tosny, son of Roger I of Tosny and older brother of Robert de Stafford / Tosny. He was active in Normandy, England and Wales. Hastings ...

, having children by her: * Walter de Clifford (c. 1160 – 17 January 1221) *Gilbert *Richard *Amicia, married Osbern fitz Hugh of Richards Castle *Lucia, married Hugh de Say of

Clun Castle Clun Castle is a medieval ruined castle in Clun, Shropshire, England. Clun Castle was established by the Norman lord Robert de Say after the Norman invasion of England and went on to become an important Marcher lord castle in the 12th century, ...

Rosamund Clifford Rosamund Clifford (before 1150 – ), often called "The Fair Rosamund" or "Rose of the World" (Latin: ''rosa mundi''), was a medieval English noblewoman and mistress of Henry II, King of England, who became famous in English folklore. Life ...

, known as "the fair Rosamund", the mistress of King Henry II. The main part of the Clifford estates passed to Matilda, a great-granddaughter, wife of Sir William Longespée (grandson of

William Longespée, 3rd Earl of Salisbury William Longespée, 3rd Earl of Salisbury (born in or before 11677 March 1226) ("Long Sword", Latinised to ''de Longa Spatha'') was an Anglo-Norman nobleman, primarily remembered for his command of the English forces at the Battle of Damme an ...

), whose daughter, Margery Longespée, brought them to her husband,

Henry de Lacy, 3rd Earl of Lincoln Henry de Lacy, Earl of Lincoln (c. 1251February 1311), Baron of Pontefract, Lord of Bowland, Baron of Halton and hereditary Constable of Chester, was an English nobleman and confidant of King Edward I. He served Edward in Wales, France, and Sco ...

. Walter de Clifford's grandson Roger (died 1231) was father of Roger (died 1285?).

Notes

;Attribution

References

*Remfry, P.M., ''Clifford Castle, 1066 to 1299'' () {{DEFAULTSORT:Clifford, Walter De 1113 births 1190 deaths 12th-century English people Anglo-Normans Anglo-Normans in Wales People from Brecknockshire People from Herefordshire

Walter Walter may refer to: People * Walter (name), both a surname and a given name * Little Walter, American blues harmonica player Marion Walter Jacobs (1930–1968) * Gunther (wrestler), Austrian professional wrestler and trainer Walter Hahn (born 19 ...