General Notes

William Beauchamp, d. 8 May 1411, Lord Abergavenny; m. Joan fitz Alan, b. 1375, d. 14 Nov 1435, daughter of Richard fitz Alan (son of Sir Richard Fitz Alan, KG) and Elizabeth de Bohun.  [Magna Charta Sureties]

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This William [Beauchamp] was first cousin once-removed to the 3rd Earl of Pembroke (of the 1339 creation) through his mother Katharine Mortimer, sister of Agnes Mortimer who had married the 1st Earl of Pembroke of the 1339 creation.  It has been asserted that there was no connection between him and the Walter de Beauchamp or Hugh de Beauchamp who had been in possession of Abergavenny over 200 years earlier.  On the other hand it has been suggested that Walter and Hugh were sons of Walter de Beauchamp of Elmley, Worcestershire and brothers of William de Beauchamp, Sheriff of Hereford 1160-69.  Now the William Beauchamp who came into possession of Abergavenny in 1389 was fourth son of Thomas Beauchamp, 11th Earl of Warwick (of the 1088 creation) who descended from William de Beauchamp, of Elmley, Worcestershire, who flourished in the early 13th century. Some blood connection between the two lots of Beauchamps may therefore have existed.

Sir William Beauchamp, 1st Lord Bergavenny, KG (1375 or 1376); b c1330-40; served Hundred Years War; Capt Calais 1383, called to Parliament by writ 23 July 1392 as Lord Bergavenny, Justiciary South Wales and Govenor of Pembroke 1399, entailed 20 Feb 1395/6 Abergavenny Castle on himself and his wife and their male issue with remainder to his brother Thomas, de facto 12th Earl of Warwick, and the latter's heirs male in perpetuity.  [Burke's Peerage]

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William Beauchamp, cousin (ie. son of a sister of the grandmother) (c) of the last owner, (but in no way connected with any of the former owners previous to the marriage of his maternal aunt with the then lord), Succeeded to the Castle and Honour of Abergavenny by virtue of the entail, made by John Hastings, Earl of Pembroke.  He was 4th son of Thomas, Earl of Warwick, by Katharine, daughter of Roger (Mortimer), Earl of March.  He served under the gallant Chandos, and subsequently, in the wars with France, with great distinction, and in 1375/6 was, by Edward III, nominated K.G.  In 1383 he was Captain of Calais.  Having succeeded, as above mentioned, to the lands of Abergavenny, he was summoned to Parliament 23 July 1392-18 December 1409 as a Baron [Lord Bergavenny, or Beauchamp de Bergavenny], all the writs being directed "Willelmo Beauchamp de Bergavenny," appointed Justiciary of South Wales and Governor of Pembroke in 1399; by deed, 20 February 1395/6, he entailed the Castle, &c., of Abergavenny on himself and his wife, and their issue male, with remainder to his brother Thomas, Earl of Warwick and his heirs male forever. 

He m. Joan, sister and eventually (1415) coheir of Thomas FitzAlan, Earl of Arundel, daughter of Richard, Earl of Arundel, by Elizabeth, daughter of William Bohun, Earl of Northampton.  He d. 8 May 1411.  Will dated 25 Apr 1408, in which he directs to be buried at the Black Friars, Hereford, probated at Lambeth.  Inq.p.m. 5 June 1411 at Hereford.  His widow, who was b. 1375, held the Castle and Honour of Abergavenny in dower till her death.  She d. 14 Nov 1435.  Will dated 10 Jan 1434, probated 19 Nov 1435.  In it she directs to be buried by her husband.  Inq.p.m. at the Guildhall, London, 15 Dec 1435.  [Complete Peerage I:24-6, (transcribed partially by Dave Utzinger)]

(c) His precise relationship to the Earls of Pembroke is that his mother's sister, Agnes Mortimer (wife of Laurence, Lord Hastings, created Earl of Pembroke), was mother of John, Earl of Pembroke (who, in 1372, executed in his favour, the deed of entail), and grandmother of John Hastings, who d. unmarried in 1389.