General Notes

BURR, NEWLIN, FOSTER, WAITE LINE - 25th ggrandfather

!A feudal baron, the first of this great family that settled in England, was in the Conqueror'r time possessed of six lordships in Essex and 117 in Suffolk. Adhering to the party that took up arms against William Rufus, he fortified the castle of Norwich, and wasted the country around.  At the accession of Henry I, being a witness of the king's laws and stanch in his interests, he obtained gifts of land from the crown and was lord high steward in right of his wife. In 1103 he and his wife founded the abbey of Whetford, in Norfolk, where he was buried in 1107. Wife may be Adeliza/Alice Grentemaisnil (m. bef. 1103) [Magna Charta Barons, p. 77]

Roger Bigot was a man of Calvados, Normandy. His lands in Normandy were of but moderate extent and he made the fortunes of himself and his descendants in England, and through the Conquest. One cannot help suspecting that he was enabled to do this by his Norman overlord, Odo, Bishop of Bayeux, of whom in 1086 he was holding something like 20 manors in Suffolk. [Anglo-Norman Families, pp. 14-15]

Son of Robert Wigot/Bigot; present at Senlac and received large grants for his services at the Conquest, comprising 123 manors in Essex and Sussex, only 6 being in Sussex. It is quite possible that Robert his father was also present at the conquest. Rogert was a young man at that time as he did not die until 1107, when he was buried in the Abbey of Thetford in Norfolk, which he had founded in 1103. He m. Adeliza, dau. of Hugh de Grentemesnil, by whom he had 7 children. William, his eldest son and heir, was dapifer to the king and perished in the wreck of the White Ship and was succeeded by his brother Hugh, who was also steward of the king's household. Father of Maud who m.William d'Aubigny II. [Falaise Roll, p. 6, 98]

In 1086 Hugh de Corbun held Osmondiston (now Scholes), Norfolk, and in Strickland in Yoxford, Suffolk, of Roger Bigot. [Anglo-Norman Families, p. 32]

In 1086 Humphrey de Cuelai held land in Great Massingham and Burnham Thorpe, Norfolk of Roger Bigot. Cully is 9 kil. S of Courvaudon in which was situate the fief of Savenay, held by Roger Bigot of the bishop of Bayeux. There is no evidence that Roger had any interest in Cully, but there is nothing impossible in his enfeoffing in England one who was his near neighbor in Normandy.[Anglo-Norman Families, p. 36]

The family of Bagot descends from Bagod, who held Bramshall in Staffordshire from Robert de Stafford at the time of the Domesday Survey in 1086. He or possibly his son of the same name was living 1129. [Burke's, p. 152]

Roger Bigod, in the reign of William Rufus, gave the church of St. Felix at Walton to the monastery of St. Andrew, Rochester. [Victoria History of Suffolk, p. 80]

Suffolk men fully appreciated the danger from the Danes, and Roger Bigod's new possessions made him responsible for the defence of the southern coast, the usual entrance of the invaders. He, with Robert Malet and Ralph Wader, met Sweyn when he sailed up the Orwell in 1069 and defeated him near Ipswich. [Victoria History of Suffolk, p. 165]

Following Ralph Wader's rebellion and exile, the Bigods rose tremendously in power. He and Robert Malet then wielded the whole county influence. The turbulent reigns of William II and Henry I saw the gradual growth of the power of the Bigods, whose influence became almost paramount after the expedition of Robert of Normandy in 1101 to claim his brother's throne. On the suppression of the rebellion Robert Malet suffered the confiscation of his vast properties, and in consequence the castle and honour of Eye fell into royal hands. Roger Bigod was staunch for Henry and received the castle of Framlingham as his reward. He was in high favour. His eldest son was drowned in the White Ship with Prince Henry in 1120, and Hugh Bigod, the younger son, succeeded to his father's place. [Victoria History of Suffolk, p. 165]

First of this great family to settle in England; possessed of 6 lordships in Essex and 117 in Suffolk; fortified his castle at Norwich; supported Henry I and laws; was lord steward of the king's household in right of his wife. In 1103, he and wife founded the abbey of Whetford in Norfolk where he was buried Sep 1107. M. Alice de Todeni and were parents of Sir Hugh Bigod, knight and ancestor of Hugh & Roger Bigod, Sureties of Magna Charta. Roger's wife survived him. Son of Roger le Bigod. [Charlemagne & Others, Chart 3388b]

m.1 Adelaide; father of Gunnor who m. Robert de Essex. [GRS 3.03, Automated Archives, CD#100]

The manor of Framlingham was given to Roger Bigod by King Henry I in 1101. Roger already held much land in Suffolk and when his son Hugh was created earl of Norfolk by King Stephen in 1140, it was really the old earldom of East Anglia, both Norfolk and Suffolk, which was revived. [Framlingham and Orford Castles, p. 16]

Possessed six lordships in Essex and 117 in Suffolk besides many manors in Norfolk. In 1103 he founded the Abbey of Whetford in Norfolk and was buried there four years later.
   Roger was present at Senlac and received large grants for his services at the Conquest, comprising 123 manors in Essex and Suffolk, only 6 being in the latter county, besides divers manors in Norfolk. Roger adhering to the party that took up arms against William Rufus in the first year of that monarch's   reign, fortified the castle at Norwich, and wasted the country around. At the accession of King Henry I being a witness of the king's laws, and staunch in his interests, he obtained Framlingham in Suffolk, as a gift from the crown. He must have been a young man at that time, as he did not die until 1107, when he was buried in the Abbey of Whetford in Norfolk, which he had founded in 1103. Roger m. Adeliza Grantesmesnil, daughter and co-heir of Hugh de Grantesmesnil, HIgh Steward of England.
   He left two sons and three daughters:
1. William
2. Hugh
3. Gunnor who m. Robert de Essex/Robert FitzSuein, Lord of Rayleigh
4. Maud who m. William d'Aubigny, Master Butler of the Royal Household
5. Cecily who m. William d'Aubigny the Breton
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[1748129.ged]
Custom Field:<_FA#> EARL de EAST ANGLIA