General Notes

Alice, widow of Richard de Courcy, daughter and heir of William Paynel of Drax.  [Ancestral Roots]

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He [William Paynel] was twice married; 1stly to a daughter of William son of Wimund, and sister of Robert d'Avranches, by whom he had a family of sons; 2ndly to Avice, widow of William de Curcy, and daughter and coheir of William Meschin, by Cecily de Rumilly, by whom he had an only daughter Alice, Avice m. 3rdly Walter de Percy.  The division of William Paynel's esates both in England and Normandy presents a feudal problem of unusual interest.  It is probable that on William's death King Stephen gave the whole of his barony in England in marriage with his daughter Alice to Richard de Curcy, the sons of his first marriage remaining in Normandy.  After the accession of Henry II, however, the eldest son is found to be in possession, not only of Les Moutiers-Hubert in Normandy, but of West Rasen, co. Lincoln, and Fulk, the second son, in possession of Hambye in Normandy and Drax, co. York; while Robert de Gant, whom Alice the daughter had married as her second husband in or bef. 1153, still held a considerable part of the English lands, including Irnham, co. Lincoln, and East Quantockshead, Somerset.  [Complete Peerage X:319, XIV:520]