Robert D'Abbeneye

     Robert D'Abbeneye, son of William D'Albini "Brito" III and Margery de Umfraville, was born in 1216 in Belvoir Castle, Leicestershire, England. He was also known as Robert D'Albini of Abney. He was Lord of Hungerton and Wyville (aka Wiwell). He was granted Hungerton and Wyville by his father, William in Leicestershire, England.¹

At Offerton, Derbyshire, England, Robert D'Abbeneye witnessed a grant from Hugh fil [son of] William de Offerton to William fil Philippi de Thornhyl sometime between 1216 and 1272 (the reign of Henry III) of all his land, etc., in Kenteney. Rent, a pair of white gloves. Witnesses Peter de Hyrst, Elyas de Baumford, Elyas de Aston, Robert de Abeney, Peter le Hoare de Hope.²

Between 1220 and 1250 Robert was witness to a gift by Thomas Langesdun son of Robert son of Walthef of Mornesale [Monsal Dale] to God, Blessed Mary and monks of Rufford to all his lands in Brittrichiffeld [Brushfield] which he had by gift of his grandfather Walthef and his father Robert, in frankalmoign and for yearly rent for one mark. WitnessesL Sir Adam of Ednesover [Edensor], Mathew of Langesdon, John of Tadyngton [Taddington], Henry son of Adam of Langisdun, Robert of Abbeney [Abney], William of Langisdun, Eustace of Mornesale and William his son, etc.

About the same time he witnessed a gift William of Langesdun and wife Basilia to God, Church of Blessed Mary of Rufford, and monks serving God there of all lands in Britrichefeld [Brushfield] theirs by gift of Walthef of Morneshale [Monsal Dale] and the gifts and confirmations of his heirs in frankalmoign paying yearly to William, Basilia and their heirs 1 mark of silver within octave of Nativity of St. John the Baptist [24 June]. Witnesses: Thomas of Langisdun, Mathew of the same place, Henry of Thadinton [Taddington], Willliam son of Eustace of Mornesale, John of Thadinton, Robert of Abney, William of Newrlane and others.

Robert's surname is derived from the village of Abney in the Peak District of county Derby. Surnames as we know them today were first assumed in Europe from the 11th to the 15th Century. They were not in use in England or in Scotland before the Norman Conquest, and were first found in the Domesday Book. The Normans themselves had not long before adopted the custom. It became, in course of time, a mark of gentler blood, and it was deemed a disgrace for gentlemen to have but one single name, as the meaner sort had.

The Manor of Abney consists of two separate hamlets - Abney and Abney Grange - which are about a mile apart. Together they form one township in the Union of Bakewell, containing about 1,400 acres. Prior to 1875, when, much against its will, this township was included in the new ecclesiastical parish of Bradwell, it formed part of the large and widely-straggling parish of Hope.

Before the Norman invasion in 1066 it was held by Swain. In the Domesday Book, commissioned in 1086, Abney is included among the numerous manors bestowed by the Conqueror on William Peverel; and is thus described: "In Habenai, Swain had one carucate of land to be taxed. Land to one plough [a "plowland" is the amount of land in which a plowteam of eigth oxen can plow in a year, approx. 100-120 acres]. It is waste."

Presumedly it passed out of the possession of the Peverel family, together with the rest of their vast estates, in 1155, when William, the third of his name, was banished in consequence of the murder of Ranulph, Earl of Chester, of which crime he was accused. During the next four centuries the history of the manor is not very clear. According to the Derbyshire County Council's Manorial Records Guide it for a time belonged to the "Albeney or Albini Family." About half a century after it passed out of the possession of William Peverel it appears to have formed part of the possessions of one Gilbert de Stoke, for among the earliest of the Rufford charters (fol. 129) is one which is dated 2 John (1200), and, as quoted by Mr. Pym Yeatman in his section viii., p. 402, is as follows:- "Gerebertus: de Stoca gave half of Abbeneia to the Abbey of Rufford." Another charter, from the same source, is quoted, in section v., p. 189, to this effect:- "Galfrey Pavelli had license of concord with Eustace de Mortain. Robert Pavelli attested a charter of Amicia, Lady of Stoke, to Rufford, concerning half the manor of Abney - dated 3. John." - (Rufford Charters, 234.)

To this day there is almost conclusive evidence that a portion at least of Abney was held by the Abbey in the word "Grange" attached to the smaller of the two hamlets. A grange, although it signified a repository for grain, was, in feudal times, the term specially applied to an outlying farm-house, with barns, belonging to a religious establishment, or a feudal lord, where crops and tithes in kind were stored; the land attached to the house and buildings being farmed in the interests of the Abbey.

Whether Amicia, Lady of Stoke, owned the manor of Abney in her own right, or in that of her husband, Gilbert, is not clear. Nor is it clear as to the date or manner in which this estate passed into their hands. Mr. Pym Yeatman more than suggests that this Amicia was a member of the Norman Albini family, and obtained the manor of Abney through her father, and sees in this fact another proof that Albini and, Abney were one and the same word, and one and the same family.

According to his pedigree of the Albinis, Amicia, daughter of Henry Albini, Lord of Cainhoe (vita 1107), married Mathew, son of Walthieu de Ponington, and by him, "who gave the whole of Albenya to Rufford", had one daughter and sole heir, Amicia, who married Lancelin de Stokes, son of Lancelin, of whom, in 12 Henry III. (1227), are proved by a fine of that date to have been in possession of the "Manor of Abney".

From another Rufford charter (fol. 127) we obtain the knowledge that Richard de Grey made a grant to the Abbey of "half of the manor of Abney, which he had of the grant of Lancelin de Stokes and Amicia, his wife, and the ancestors of the said Amicia."

From the Manorial Records Guide "in 1317 the lord of the manor was Robert Archer. In 1504 Nicholas Bagshaw was lord of the manor. In 1594 it was purchased by the Bradshaw family, who owned it until the mid-18th century, when it passed by marriage to the Galliard family (of Edmonton, Middlesex). It then passed to Charles Bowles (of East Sheen, Surry) in 1789, whose son, Humphrey Bowles, was lord from 1795 to 1859. It remained with the Bowles family, Humphrey Charles Bowles being said to be lord in 1941."^3,4,5

Robert married Eustacia De Fancourt in 1238 in England. She was the daughter of Gerard de Fancourt. She held Wiwell as her dowry and it fell to her at the death of her husband in 1286.¹

At Eyam, Derbyshire, England, Robert D'Abbeneye was witness between 1216 and 1272 to a grant by Eustace de Moreton to Richard de Straford of three bovates of land in Eyam, one of which Richard, father of the aforesaid Richard, held; another which Adam de Kileburn held; and the third 'quam ei perfeci de ipso dominico meo' [until the end of the domain]; to hold by service of finding a lamp burning before the altar of St. Helen in the church of Eyam during divine services. Witnesses were: Serio de Begete, Peter de Hassop, Robert de Calfhover, Robert de Abeneya, and Oliver de Saucherverol.^6,7

Robert D'Abbeneye was a witness to a grant between 1244 and 1272 in Derbyshire, England, from Richard Daniel of Tideswelle to Richard, his son, Rankelli de Parva Hokelawe of the whole village of Parva Hokelawe as he himself had it by grant from Henry de Laxington, sometime Bishop of Lincoln, [1253-58]. Witnesses: Dom. William de Morteyng, Gervase de Bernak, Richard de Harthul, Robert his brother, knights, Robert de Abbeneye, John Foleiambe, and Robert Foleiambe.⁸

A survey of the fees of Peverel in Derbyshire was entered 10 Oct 1250 and was entered under "oath of approved and lawful persons, viz.-- Nicholas de Knyveton, Robert de Corlaveton, Will de Kilvington, John de Eyleston, Gilbert d Brunesley, Hugo Cost de Hokenallm, Reginald de Afiesleg, Richard de Jorz, John de Leke, and Henry de Byrchewood of the county of Nottingham, and Elye de Bamford, Roger Fuljambe, Robert de Albeney, Peter de Hirst. Adam le Seneschal, Will le Lucy de Pencz, Ralph de Wynefeld, and Peter de Ulkelthorpe Oakerthorpe) of the county of Derby, who say upon their oath that Gerard De Rhodes holds the Manor of Langar.

From a Tithe Roll taken from the Lichfield Records dated 1254 were listed: Wm. de Longsdon and Mathew Mercator in Blakewell, Math. de Langsdon in Ralund, Thos. Longsdon of Wardlow, Robt. le Archer of Hucklow, Galf le Archer of Dadley, and Rob. de Abney of Abany.

Between 1260 and 1272 Robert witnessed a grant in Hucklow from Richard Daniel of Tideswelle to Richard fil. [son of] Rankellii de Parva Hokelawe of the whole vill of Parva Hokelawe [Small Hucklow] as he himself had it by grant from Henry de Laxinton, sometime Bishop of Lincoln [1253-58]. Witnesses: Dom. William de Morteyng, Gervase de Bernak, Richard de Herthul, Robert his brother, knights, Robert de Abbeneye, John Foleiambe, Robert Foleiambe, etc. Late Henry III [1216-1272].⁹

Robert D'Abbeneye was granted land between 1272 and 1307 in Abney, Derbyshire, England. Grant from William de Barkystun and Marjory, his wife, to Robert de Abbeneye, of a bovate of land in Abbeneye. Wtnesses: Oljrver de Langeford, Simon de Gonsyl, John de Baraforde, etc.¹⁰

Robert D'Abbeneye was a juror for an Inquistion taken in January 1275 in High Peak, Derbyshire, England. "Inquisition taken at Darby Wednesday next, after the Epiphany in the 3rd year of King Edward, before Richard de Creping and Thomas de Leuknor, Inquisitors of the King, and by other jurors, namelly, Hugh de Straddely, Thomas de Lodgesdon, Robt. Bozon, Simon de Goushull, Thomas de Stratton, Robt. le Wyne, Will de Longesdon, Wm. de Buxton, Adam de Buggesworth, Peter de Roland, Robt. de Albeny, Ranulf de Winter, for inquiriing concerning the underwritten articles.¹¹

Robert D'Abbeneye died in 1286 in Derbyshire, England.

Robert de Aubeni for himself and Eustacia, his wife, and for William, his father, and Margarie, his mother, made a grant to Belvoir Priory out of Wywell. William de Aubeni also gave what his father Robert had given to Belvoir (in 1286). Eustacia de Fancourt, Robert Aubini's widow, was Lady of Wywell.