Sir Ralph de Wilington Knight

  Noted events in his life were:

• Background Information. ¹⁴¹
Ralph de Wilington, who acquired lands in south-west England by his marriage, is mentioned in two Gloucestershire lawsuits in 1199, while in 1200 he made fine to have the question of his obligation to Stephen de Turnham, a royal justice, judged by the Justiciar. He made payment to the Crown in 1206 to receive control of half the manors of Yate and Ablington, co. Gloucester, and White Ladies Aston, co. Worcester, which had been granted to him by Robert de Everci, to whom his wife was heir; and he had seisin of Robert's lands in those counties in 1208, the latter being then dead. Ralph appears in a lawsuit concerning lands in Imber, Wilts, in 1214; was ordered to conduct a prisoner from Philip Marc to the Earl Marshal, February 1216/7; was appointed custodian of the lands of the Earl of Devon in Hants, Somerset, and Dorset, November-December 1217; and represented the Earl of Gloucester in a lawsuit of 1219, in which year he was also in litigation with the Bishop of Chichester.

Ralph de Wilington was eschaetor in Gloucestershire, 1218 and 1232, and was frequently employed as justice of the peace, of forests, &c., and to collect aids in that co. till 1236. He was in control of Berkeley Castle, co. Gloucester, 1220-23; was associated with Bristol, Mar. 1223/4; and was appointed Constable of Bristol Castle, wherein lived Eleanor, the King's sister, 8 Oct. 1224 till between 16 March and 3 July 1229. As Keeper of the town and castle of Devizes, appointed 6 July 1233, he was ordered, August following, to ravage, in Wiltshire, the property of Gilbert Basset and Richard Siward, two of the leading opponents of the King. He was further appointed, 28 September 1233, to guard Hubert de Burgh, Earl of Kent, in Devizes Castle and was summoned to consult with the King thereon, 1 October. On the disgrace of Piers des Riveaux he was pardoned for having acted as one of his bailiffs, 28 February 1234/5; and he was exempted from all service on juries, assizes or recognitions, 1 May 1236.

Ralph de Wilington married, before Hilary 1198/9, Olimpia, daughter and heir of William Franc Chevaler and heir (circa 1208) of Robert de Everci. Ralph de Wilington was living, November 1236, but died before 1242. Olimpia was holding one knight's fee of the Earl of Warwick in Poulton, co. Gloucester, circa August 1242, but the date of her death is not known.

~Cokayne's Complete Peerage, 2nd Edition, Vol. XII/B, pp. 643-645

• Pedigree. ¹²⁵²
The Pedigree of Wilington fromThe History of the Town and Castle of Tamworth, p. 129:

This Ralph de Willington, father to the next generation Sir Ralph de Willington wo married Joan, daughter and heir of Sir William Champernowne of Umberleigh, Devonshire, settled in Gloucestershire around the time of King John. He founded St. Mary's Chapel in the abbey of St. Peter's at Gloucester, later called the "Lady-Chapel." He married Olimpias daughter and heiress of William, grandson and heir of Sir Humphry Franc.

The pedigree calls him the son of Hugo Willington livin in 38 H. III, who was the son of a Nicholas Willington. This Nicholas Willington is given as the son of another Nicholas Willington who was alive during the reign of King Stephen. Both Nicholas father and son were liberal benefactors of the convent of Repton. The older Nicholas de Willington is given as the son of a John Willington of Willington in the county of Derby.

Ralph married Olimpia Chevaler, daughter of William Franc Chevaler and Unknown.¹⁴¹ (Olimpia Chevaler was born in 1182 in White Ladies Aston, Pershore, Worcestershire, England and died after Aug 1242.)