Sir William de Widworthy (fl. 1240–1272) was a knight during the reign of Edward I of England , based in Widworthy in the Colyton Hundred , Devon. He was the earliest lord of the manor recorded by the Devon historian Sir William Pole (died 1635).[ 1]
Activity
In 1240, William was one of a dozen knights bound by oath to the Sheriff of Devon who set out to settle a land boundary dispute between Richard of Cornwall and four local knights. The party journeyed from Okehampton Castle across Dartmoor , including Cawsand Beacon , Hound Tor and all the way to Dartmeet .[ 2]
In 1246, de Widworthy was witness to a deed for a transfer of land relating to Buckfast Abbey .[ 3]
Holdings
de Widworthy's holdings included the 1272 acquisition of the village of Lustleigh , which stayed in the de Widworthy family until 1413.[ 4]
He was also noted as the holder of Culm Davy in the 13th century Book of Fees .[ 5]
Issue and descent
William's heir was Hugh de Whitworthy , and his daughter and heir was Alice.[ 6]
The family married with Sir William Prouz of Gidleigh Castle .[ 7]
References
^ Pole, Sir William (d.1635), Collections Towards a Description of the County of Devon, Sir John-William de la Pole (ed.), London, 1791, pp.144–5
^ Hamilton, Adam. History of St. Mary's Abbey of Buckfast : in the county of Devon : A.D. 760-1906 . Buckfast Abbey. pp. 111–113.
^ Monday, Alfred James (1885). The history of the family of Yea . Oxford University Press. pp. 2–3.
^ Worthy, Charles (1887). Devonshire parishes; or, The antiquities, heraldry and family history of twenty-four parishes in the archdeaconry of Totnes . Exeter: William Pollard & Co. pp. 183–194.
^ Pole, Sir William (1791). Collections Towards a Description of the County of Devon . p. 202.
^ Wastcote, Thomas (1845). A view of Devonshire in MDCXXX, with a pedigree of most of its gentry . W Roberts. pp. 246–247.
^ Risdon, Tristram (1714). The chorographical description, or, survey of the county of Devon, with the city and county of Exeter .