See also
| Husband: | Walter + of BEAUCHAMP (1085-1132) | |
| Wife: | Emmelina + of ABITOT (1082- ) | |
| Children: | William+ of BEAUCHAMP (1110-1169) | |
| Marriage | 1104 | Worcester, Worcestershire, England |
| Name: | Walter + of BEAUCHAMP | |
| Sex: | Male | |
| Father: | Hugh + of BEAUCHAMP (1067-1141) | |
| Mother: | Adeliza + Matilda TAILLEBOIS (1070- ) | |
| Birth | 1085 | Elmley Castle, Worcestershire, England |
| Occupation | Sheriff of Worcestershire | |
| Death | 1132 (age 46-47) | |
| Name: | Emmelina + of ABITOT | |
| Sex: | Female | |
| Father: | Urso + of ARBITOT (1054-1118) | |
| Mother: | Adeline + (1056- ) | |
| Birth | 1082 | Barley, Derbyshire, England |
| Name: | William+ of BEAUCHAMP | |
| Sex: | Male | |
| Spouse: | Maud + of BRAOSE (1114-1200) | |
| Birth | 1110 | Elmley Castle, Worcestershire, England |
| Death | 1169 (age 58-59) | |
Walter de Beauchamp (died between 1130 and 1133) was a medieval nobleman and Sheriff of Worcester. Beauchamp is sometimes known as Walter de Beauchamp of Elmley to distinguish him from the members of the Beauchamp family of Bedford.[2]
Beauchamp married the daughter of Urse d'Abetot, who is usually named Emeline, although her name is not given in contemporary records.[3][4] Urse d'Abetot was the Sheriff of Worcestershire from around 1069 to around 1108.[5] Beauchamp may have been a tenant of his father-in-law prior to his marriage.[4] Nothing is known of Beauchamp's background, and he first witnesses a royal charter sometime between 1108 and 1111.[6]
In 1114, Beauchamp became Sheriff of Worcester and held the office until 1130.[3] Beauchamp inherited most of d'Abetot's lands and the office of sheriff of Worcestershire when Roger d'Abetot, Urse's son, forfeited his lands and offices after being exiled by Henry I for murder.[7] King Henry I of England granted Beauchamp the right to hunt wolves and foxes in the royal forests of Worcestershire.[8] Along with the right to hunt in the royal forests, came a grant of the right to keep pheasants on Beauchamp's own lands, and the right to fine anyone hunting the birds without Beauchamp's permission.[9] He probably held the office of royal forester for Worcestershire as well as sheriff, for after Walter de Beauchamp's death and during the time of King Stephen of England, Stephen's rival for the throne of England, Matilda granted Walter's son William the farm of the forests of Worcestershire at the same rate as was held by William's father.[8] The historian Judith Green felt that Walter de Beauchamp might possibly have held the office of constable, which had been held by his father-in-law,[6] although the historian C. Warren Hollister felt that Beauchamp definitely did hold the office.[10] He was also a dispenser,[11] an officer in the royal household. While a member of the royal household, Beauchamp witnessed a number of royal charters, mainly when the king was in England.[10]
Beauchamp and the Bishop of Worcester had a dispute over the lands that Beauchamp inherited from d'Abetot. The dispute caused the two sides to agree to the creation of the Worcester Survey.[12]
Sometime between 1130 and 1133, Beauchamp died and his heir was his son William de Beauchamp.[3] Stephen de Beauchamp, a tenant on the Beauchamp lands and a friend of Robert of Gloucester, was likely a younger son of Walter's.[4]
Another daughter of Urse d'Abetot's married Robert Marmion, but the two brothers-in-law disagreed about the division of the lands, leading to a long dispute between the two families that was only settled in the late 12th century.[13]