General Notes

WILLIAM SON OF MARTIN, son and heir, by 2nd wife, sometimes more fully described as William son of Robert son of Martin, occurs in the Pipe Rolls from 1176 till the time of John. Between 1170 and 1183 he granted a messuage and land in the manor of Blagdon to the canons of St. Augustine's, Bristol. He confirmed to the church of St. Michael on the Steep Holme a grant of land in Uphill which had belonged to Serlo de Burci at the time of the Domesday Survey. In 1176 he was fined by the justices in Somerset. He witnessed two undated charters of Henry II, and in 1187 was assessed for scutage in Somerset and Devon. In 1194 Richard I confirmed to William son of Robert son of Martin the lands and liberties of Serlo de Burci, grandfather of Robert. In 1198 William made an exchange of lands in Combe Martin, Devon, with Warin de Morcells, who had married his sister Sibyl. In 1207 he gave 20 marks that his bailiff might be liberated and his manor of Pidel' (Puddle Waterson, Dorset) be restored.

He married Ankaret, daughter of Rhys ap GRUFFYDD, prince of South Wales, but in 1191 Rhys, contrary to his oath, expelled William from the castle of Nevern, giving it to his own son Griffin; later another son, Maelgwn, held it under Llewelyn. He died in 1208 or 1209, when William his son and heir owed 300 marks as relief. His widow died in or shortly before August 1226.  [Complete Peerage VIII:532, (transcribed by Dave Utzinger)]