General Notes

Shrewsbury, Earldom of: In early December 1074 Roger de Montgomery was created Earl of Shropshire or Shrewsbury.  As with other medieval earldoms, little distinction was then made between the county town and county proper when designating a specific name for a title, chiefly because an earl, who was then more or less and official, albeit often hereditary, was inconceivable except as earl of a county.

Roger was son of another Roger de Montgomery, seigneur of the Norman places (St Germain-de-Montgomery and Ste-Foy-de-Montgomery) of that name in the Calvados region.  He was a prominent member of the nobles grouped around William (later William I of England, The Conqueror) of Normandy well before the 1066 invasion of England but stayed behind in Normandy during the actual enterprise.  The year after Hastings he went to England and received land grants in Sussex.  He is thought to have constructed the Castle of Montgomery (now in Powys, but formerly named Mongomeryshire after his family), doing so shortly before the Domesday Survey.  [Burke's Peerage, p. 2604]

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The following additional information was supplied in a post-em by Curt Hofemann, curt_hofemann@@yahoo.com:

Seigneur of Montgomery and vicomte of the Heismois [Ref: CP XI:683]
Earl of Arundel or Earl of Chichester, Earl of Shropshire or Salop, called Earl of Montgomery, Seigneur de Bellesme et d'Alencon [Ref: Watney p696]

Seigneur de Montgomery, Vicomte of Heismois, Earl of Arundel and Shrewsbury, Regent of Normandy and England [Ref: Moriarty p44]

Viscount of the Hiemois, Lord of the West Marches, Earl of Chichester, Shropshire, and Sussex [Ref: Turton]
1048: accompanied Duke William on his expedition against Domfront and Alencon [Ref: CP XI:683]
1066: was with the Duke while preparations were in progress for the invasion of England, but did not accompany the expedition [Ref: CP XI:683]

Dec 1067: accompanied the King to England and thereupon received a grant of Arundel and Chichester [Ref: CP XI:683]
1086: 'Comtes Rogerus' at Domesday [Ref: Watney p696]
1st Earl of Shrewsbury [Ref: Doug Smith <alden@@mindspring.com> message to soc.genealogy.medieval 27 Apr 2002]
Roger Earl of Shrewsbury. Also Roger of Montgomery. From Saint Germain de Montgomery, near Lisieux. Lord of Sussex rape of Arundel, with castle there; Earl of Shrewsbury from 1071-74 to death in 1094. Holdings in 12 counties in south, east and west. [Ref: Domesday Online]

Shropshire and the Domesday Book in 1086:
Roger de Montgomery II, better known as Earl Roger in the Domesday, but officially the seigneur of Montgomery, was the major recipient of Shropshire holdings. An old man of considerable wealth and power, he contributed 60 ships to the invasion fleet and was in command of a wing at the Battle of Hastings. He returned to Normandy with Queen Matilda, and the young Duke Robert as Duke William's representative in Normandy. He became head of the council that governed the Duchy of Normandy in Duke William's frequent absences in England. The Norman Montgomery family ancestry was closely interwoven either by blood or marriage with the Duchy of Normandy. However, the family history in Normandy was not without blemish. Roger had four brothers, Hugh, Robert, William and Gilbert. All four brothers were murdered in revenge for the murder of Osberne de Crepon, guardian of Duke William. Roger was the survivor. Continuing, Roger de Montgomery had four sons. Eldest was Robert, Count of Alencon, and successor in Normandy to his vast estates which he still held for his father Roger as his chief domain. He was followed by second son, Hugh, who inherited the Earldom of Arundel, Chichester and Shrewsbury, the life custodian of the main Montgomery family domains granted in England. These would eventually go to Robert in 1098, purchased from William Rufus for 3000 pounds. Next youngest was Count Roger de Poitou who was made the first Earl of Lancaster by Duke William of Normandy, a less maganamious grant which befitted the third youngest son. Philip, the youngest, remained in Normandy and accompanied Duke Robert on the first crusade to the Holy land, and died there in 1094.

Earl Roger was responsible to Duke William of Normandy as his chief architect in the defence of the middle marches of the border in his defence against the Welsh. He built many castles including Montgomery, Shrewsbury, Arundel, Ludlow, Clun, Hopton and Oswestry. His son, Robert, described at the Conquest as a 'novice in arms', but who might have been 40 by the Domesday, represented his father Earl Roger, and created some confusion in the records. Roger, the father, became the Earl of Shrewsbury and the Earl of Arundel in England, and retained his domains in Normandy at Bailleul (Kings of Scotland), Belmeis (Beaumais), Pantulf, Vimoutiers, Say and Tornai. However, Earl Roger also became confused with Roger de Beaumont in Normandy, who, it is claimed, was also head of the council in Normandy. [found this online but didn't cite URL, sorry.  Try google: keywords: (title above)]

Earl Roger's Shropshire Land Holdings
Alveley, Baschurch, Berwick (Shrewsbury), Cheney Longville, Chetton, Chirbury, Claverley, Corfham, Culmington, Donington, Dudston, Eardington, Edenhope, Edgmond, Ellesmere, Fenemere, Ford, High Ercall, Hockleton, Hodnet, Kingsmordley, Leebotwood, Loppington, Lydham, Minsterley, Montford, Morville, Netley, Oswestry, Poynton, Pulley, Quatford, Quatt, Rhiston, Romsley, Rorrington, Rowton, Rudge, Ruyton, Shavington, Shawbury, Shifnall, Shipley, Shrewsbury, Siefton, Smethcott, Spoonley, Stottesdon, Stretton, The Marsh, Tong Tuange, Walcot, Wellington, Whittingslow, Whittington, Wilderley, Wistanstow, Withington, Woodcote(Newport), Wotherton, Wrockwardine, Ackley, Aston, Basley, Churchstoke

[Ref: http://www.genealogyweb.com/Shropshire.htm]

Regards,
Curt