d'Averanches, Simon

- 1214 (1203/4?)

 Set As Default Person

• Name	d'Averanches, Simon
  Gender	Male
  Died	1214 (1203/4?)
  Notes	Simon succeded his father William and confirmed the grants of his father and of Matilda Maud his grandmother to the monks of St Andrews in 1190. He was in account with the exchequer touching certain ships going to the holy land. In 1194 paid £4 15 Shillings towards the KIngs ransom.. He had a dispute with Baldwin Count de Guisness respecting Newington 10 Feb 1201 Recorded in Hasted as Lieutenant of Dover Castle in the reign of William Rufus 1087 - 1100 (this is probably a mis posting, this Simon was Lieutenant 1189 - 1199) According to a plaque in Dover Castle a Simon Avranches was Leiutenand and Deputy Constable from 1100 to 1135 SAINT ANTHONY'S CHURCH ALKHAM In AD 601 Pope Gregory instructed the Christian Missionaries to use the pagan temples in England for Christian worship. It was sometime around that date that Alkham received its name, "Ealh ham", meaning "Settlement by a heathen temple". Soon after the arrival of Christianity the temple would have been replaced with a wooden or stone church. The doomsday Survey of 1086 indicates that a church existed in Alkham and a list of Folkestone's churches in 1093 definitely includes that of "Ealham". Traces of this early church have been identified in the fabric of the present church. In these early years churches were considered to be the property of the family which founded them. In Alkham's case it was the Lords of the Hundred of Folkestone. In 1095 this was Nigel de Muneville, who bestowed Alkham Church and its tithings on the Benedictine Order of monks at Lonley, near Le Mans, Normandy. The Priory of Folkestone, belonging to the same Order, served Alkham Church and a Vatican Register of 1204 confirmed that the Priory still possessed Alkham and received its tithings. However, the presentation was in the hands of Simon de Averanche, Lord of Folkestone, being grandson of Nigel de Muneville. Simon de Averanche presented the first known Rector to the Living of Alkham - Herbert Simon's clerk, and probably his son. He was presented during King John's reign, which commenced in 1195, and before Simon's death in 1203/4. The tomb slab of Bethersden marble, at present lying in the North Chapel, is attributed to Herbert. It bears a floriated cross (now mutilated) and clearly incised thirteenth century Latin inscription which reads, in translation, "Here lieth Herbert, offspring of Simon, a man open-hearted, assured of good things (to come), fluent in the work of faith". It is thought to date shortly before 23rd February 1241, when Cecilia, Simon de Averanche's widow, presented the next Rector, Ralph de Marcy, to the Living. It may well be the oldest tomb slab in Kent. The Lordship of Folkestone passed from the Averanche family, by marriage, to Hamo de Crevecoeur. Towards the end of his life he endowed land in Alcham and the patronage of the Church of "Alcham and of Capella or Mauregce (Capel le Ferne)" to the Praemonstratensian Order of monks at St Radegund's Abbey, "in pure and perpetual Free Alms for the Spiritual welfare of himself, his wife, his ancestors and his successors". However, a descendant of the family, Juliana, claimed the right of patronage against the Abbot, and the case was brought to Court. The matter was settled by the Abbot paying Juliana 80 marks and she renounced her right to the patronage of the Church of "Antoninus, Martyr, of Alcham and the Capella of the Blessed Mary the Virgin of Mauregge appertaining to the same church". St Radegund's Abbey continued to exercise its rights until the dissolution of the monasteries in 1536. St Radegund's Abbey at Bradsole, built on the hilltop just over a mile Southeast of Alkham, would have served Alkham Church daily and the footpath linking the Abbey with Alkham is still known to this day as "The Priest's Walk St Antoninus, or Anthony, martyr, is not the better known St Anthony of Egypt, but of Pamiers. He was martyred at Apamea in Syria in the second century, his feast being the 2nd of September. Is this reference about this Simon? Ralph de Curva Spina, or Crookthorne, as his name was englished, resided at Comford park, in the neighbouring parish of Birling, which manor he likewise possessed; he bore for his arms, in imitation of Simon de Abrinces, or Averenches, of whom, as his chief lord, he held several estates, Azure, five chevrons or, a label of five points gules. (fn. 3) His descendants continued owners of Burham till the reign of king Henry II. when they were succeeded by the family of Magminot; one of whom, Walkeline de Magminot, dying without issue, his sister Alice carried this and other large possessions in this county to her husband, Geof fry de Say; and his descendant, Geossry de Say, in the 8th year of king Edward III. obtained a view of frank pledge and other liberties within all his demesne lands of this manor; and having been frequently summoned to parliament among the peers of this realm, he died in the 33d year of king Edward III. holding this manor in capite, and by the service of repairing a part of Rochester bridge and a certain house in Dover castle. From: 'Parishes: Burham', The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent: Volume 4 (1798), pp. 409-416. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=53819&strquery=averenches. Date accessed: 30 November 2007. William de Auberville, senior, on his foundation of the priory of West Langdon, in 1192, gave to it this church of St. Mary of Ledene, in pure and perpetual alms, which was confirmed by Simon de Albrincis, (fn. 1) and by Sir Simon de Cryoll, great-grandson of the former. After which, archbishop Walter granted licence for the canons of the priory to serve in it themselves, which prevented a vicarage being endowed in it; and the prior and canons thenceforward appropriated the whole profits of this church to themselves. In which state it continued till the dissolution of the priory, which happened anno 27 Henry VIII. when it was suppressed, as not having annual revenues of the amount of the clear value of two hundred pounds, and was given, with all its lands and possessions, to the king, who in his 29th year, granted it, among other possessions of the priory, in exchange to the archbishop. In which state it continues at this time, his grace the archbishop being now entitled to the rectory of this church, with the manor of Liddon appurtenant to it. From: 'Parishes: Liddon', The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent: Volume 8 (1799), pp. 127-132. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=63468&strquery=albrincis. Date accessed: 03 December 2007.
  Person ID	I6197	Hougham
  Last Modified	6 Dec 2007

  
  

  Father	d'Averanches, William Lord of Folkestone           d. 1190
  Family ID	F35	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Living
  Children	+ 1. d'Averanches, William           d. Bef 1230   2. Living   3. Living   4. Living   5. Living
  Family ID	F2444	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Histories

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