General Notes

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Maud de Lacy, widow of Richard, earl of Gloucester, outlive
d her husband by more than a quarter of a century, dying i
n March 1289.  From 1262 until her death she held one-thir
d of the Clare inheritance in dower, although her son Ear
l Gilbert the Red did successfully challenge the original c
omposition of her dower portion, which was readjusted in 12
67. Maud did not remarry, preferring to spend her long wido
whood living off the revenues of her estates, contributin
g handsomely to ecclesiastical foundations, and helping t
o promote her children.  Her activities on behalf of her da
ughters Margaret and Rohese have been noted [see note unde
r her husband Richard], and she also attempted, with less s
uccess, to present her son Bogo to the church of Adlingflee
t in Yorkshire.  Her gifts to religious houses were numerou
s.  In 1248 Earl Richard founded Clare Priory, the first ho
use of Austin Friars in England, and after his death the co
untess continued his generosity with several grants of lan
d to the priory.  In addition, a scheme to found an Augusti
nian nunnery attracted her.  In 1284 she refounded the prio
ry of Canonsleigh in Devon.  Canonsleigh was originally est
ablished for seven Augustinian canons by Walter de Clavill
, a mesne tenant of the honor of Gloucester, but in 1284 Ma
ud
provided an annual gift of L200 for the support of an abbes
s and 40 canonesses of that order.  She had originally ha
d the idea of doing this for
Sandleford Priory in Berkshire, but for some reason the pla
n fell through in 1274, and a decade later she refounded Ca
nonsleigh instead.  By 1286 the new nunnery was in existenc
e, and the dispossessed canons were under
royal protection."
--- Michael Altschul, *A Baronial Family in Medieval Eng
land: The Clares,
1217-1314*, Baltimore MD (Johns Hopkins Press) 1965. p 36-37