William de Montfíchet

  Noted events in his life were:

• Background Information. ¹²¹³
Before the Norman Conquest Letchworth was held by Godwin of Souberie (Soulbury), a thegn of King Edward the Confessor. In 1086 it formed part of the domain of Robert Gernon, and was assessed at 10 hides. Robert Gernon's estates were acquired early in the reign of Henry I by William de Montfitchet, [V.C.H. Essex, i, 347] who with his wife Rohais seems to have been holding Letchworth at the beginning of the 12th century. [Dugdale, Mon. ii, 229] His son William [Dugdale, Mon. ii, 229] succeeded him before 1135 and married Margaret [Ibid. v, 586-7] the daughter of Gilbert Fitz Richard de Clare. [S. Grimaldi, Rot. de Dominabus, 45] His wife outlived him and was still holding some of the Montfitchet lands in 1185. [Ibid] The rest of William's lands seem to have passed about 1167 to his son Gilbert, [Dugdale, Mon. v, 586-7 Red Bk. Exch. (Rolls Ser.), i, 349, 38] whose wife's name was Avelina. [Dugdale, Mon. iv, 231] Gilbert was succeeded by his son Richard about 1190, [Dugdale, Mon. vi, 231 Red Bk. Exch. (Rolls Ser.), ii, 730] whose son, also named Richard, [Dugdale, Mon. iv, 231] was one of the confederate barons of 1215 (Magna Carta Surities) who demanded the Charter of Liberties from King John. [Matt. Paris, (Rolls Ser.), ii, 585]

~ A History of the County of Hertford, Volume III, pp. 118-124

• Background Information. ¹²⁰⁷
In the time of King Henry I., William de Montfíchet, in conjunction with Rohais, his wife, and William their son, gave the Church of Letchworth, with it appurtenances, and twelve acres of land in the village of Letchworth, to the Abbey of St. Albans. [Chauncey's Hist. of Herts, p. 384, f. 1700, Monasticon, v. ii, p. 229]

~ Transactions of the Essex Archaeological Society, Volume V, p. 181

William married Rohais. ^1207,1213