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126
THE ANCESTOR

Montfichet.[1] The descent of these manors would thus be accounted for, Walter being the eldest son of William de Windsor by, as I suggest, Christina de Wiham.

Walter and his younger brother William divided the Windsor barony into two moieties in 1198.[2] Walter was the ancestor, through a daughter, of the Hodengs; from William, in whose share Stanwell was included, descended Andrew Windsor, created Lord Windsor of Stanwell by Henry VIII., from whom descends in the female line the present Lord Windsor.

In the second portion of this paper I propose to deal with the younger sons of Walter FitzOther, from one of whom, Gerald de Windsor, all the FitzGeralds trace their descent. It will be convenient however to dispose in the present portion of one whose existence, I believe, is known to us only from a writ in the Abingdon Cartulary. In this writ Henry I. addresses Walter son of Walter de Windsor and informs him that he has granted to Farice Abbot of Abingdon (1100–16) the land and house at Windsor which had been held by Albert.[3] It is in the name of Albert that is found the interest of this writ. For one cannot doubt that this was the ' Albert the clerk' who is mentioned in Domesday, in conjunction with Walter FitzOther, as holding land at Windsor under the Crown (fo. 56b) and the 'Albert' who is entered as holding in chief land at Dedworth (fo. 63) adjacent to Clewer and Windsor. I have dealt elsewhere with the holdings of this Albert of Lotharingia, a 'clerk,' 'priest' or 'chaplain' in favour with Edward and with William.[4] As to 'Walter the son of Walter,' I cannot account for his being found apparently in charge of Windsor, as he was a younger son. It is of course just possible that he represents an error of the scribe for 'William the son of Walter,' the heir of the house.

(To be continued)

  1. 'de feodo quod tenet de Ricardo de Monte Fichet' (Red Book of the Exchequer, p. 66).
  2. See the fine in Feet of Fines 9 Ric. 1. (Pipe Roll Society), p. 110. It is of much importance for topographical history and corrects the account given in Dugdale.
  3. 'Henricus rex Angliæ Waltero filio Walteri de Windresore salutem. Sciatis quod concedo Faritio abbati et ecclesiæ Abbendoniæ terram illam et domum de Windresores, quæ fuit Alberti, sicut Rainerius earn sibi concessit. Teste Rogero Bigod apud Londoniam' (ii. 132).
  4. The Commune of London and other studies, pp. 36–8.