General Notes

The following is excerpted from a post to SGM, 14 Aug 2002, by Rosie Bevan:

From: "Rosie Bevan" (rbevan@@paradise.net.nz)
Subject: Re: Eleanor de Vitre
Newsgroups: soc.genealogy.medieval
Date: 2002-08-14 19:21:07 PST

. . . William Paynel and Eleanor his wife gave their moiety of the church of Ryes to the abbey of Longues in the Bessin [Their gift was confirmed by Henry II, 1185-89 - Delisle and Berger, Recueil des Actes de Henri II, ii, no. 757].  Eleanor married secondly, Gilbert de Tillieres who died in the Holy Land in 1190, leaving issue; thirdly William of Salisbury who died in 1196, leaving an only daughter; and fourthly Gilbert Malmains; she died 1231-33 and was buried in the abbey of Mondaye near Bayeux [Rot. Scacc. Norm. ii, p. xlivn where there is a long note on Eleanor and her connections. See also F.M.Powicke, Loss of Normandy, p.516.]" . . .

Eleanor de Vitre had a son and two daughters by Gilbert de Tillieres - Gilbert VI, who died s.p.,  Juliana and Joan. Juliana married Baldwin Rastel and became Lady of Tillieres on her brother's death. Juliane left a daughter Hilaria who was married to Sir James de Bovelingham who became lord of Tillieres in her right. They appear not to have issue. Eleanor de Vitry made a donation for her daughter Juliana's soul at the abbey of St Martin at Mondaye. Joan, the younger daughter, married Thomas Malmains (Eleanor de Vitre's stepson by her fourth husband). King John granted the manor of Burton Latimer to Thomas Malmains in the right of Joan his wife on 29 Aug 1216 [Rot. Pat. ed. T.D Hardy 1835 p.195 ; M. Jackson Crispin, Falaise Roll, p.188 ;  VCH Northants, v.3, p.181/182.]

Below is a reconstruction of Eleanor's immediate descendants

1.Eleanor de Vitre b.c.1165 d.1231/33
+ 1.William Paynel d.1184
........2. William Paynel c1181-1188 s.p.
+ 2.Gilbert V de Tillieres b. c 1185 d.1190
........2.Gilbert VI de Tillieres d.s.p.1222
........+..da. of Phillipe, Lord of Creully
........2. Juliana, Lady of Tillieres b.c 1187
........+ Baldwin de Rastel d. by 1227
................3. Hilaria, Lady of Tillieres d. by. 1247 d.s.p.?
................+ Sir James de Bovelingham d. by 1247
........2. Joan de Tillieres b. c. 1189 d.1221
........+ Thomas Malmains (stepson of Eleanor de Vitre) d.1219
................3. Nicholas Malmains b.1204 d. by 1240
................+ Beatrice
........................4. Ela Malmains
........................+ Robert de Plessy
................3. Hilaria Malmains (had lands in Burton Latimer, Northants. as a marriage portion. These had been originally granted to Alan de Dinant by Henry I)
................+ Walter de Godardville
+ 3. William, earl of Salisbury d.1196
........2. Ela, Countess of Salisbury d.1261 Had issue
........+ William Longespee d.1226
+ 4. Gilbert Malmains d.1217

The fact that Eleanor's marital life is so well documented and her families are so intertwined, leads me to believe that the charter relating to the gift of Canford church to Bradenstoke priory must be an amended copy. This is because the gift was confirmed by Henry II before his death in 1189 at a time when Eleanor was still married to Gilbert de Tillieres. It is possible the original charter of gift mentioned the soul of William's countess without actually naming her, and the monk rewriting/copying the charter obligingly inserted the name of Ela's mother. This may indicate, as we might expect, that William earl of Salisbury had a previous wife/wives. It also makes one wonder how many other Bradenstoke charters were reinvented.....

Cheers

Rosie