William Pantulf Lord of Wemme

  Noted events in his life were:

• Background Information. ¹⁸³
William Pantulf's holding in Domesday read: "The same William hold Weme (under the Earl Roger): Wighe, Leuuius, Alveva, and Ælveva held it (in Saxon times) for four Manors, and were free. Here are IIII hides, geldable. There is (arable) land for VIII ox-teams. In demesne is one team; and there are II Serfs, IIII Villains, and VIII Boors with one team. Here is a Hawks-ærie, a Wood which will fatten 100 swine, and a Haye. In King Edward's time the Manor was worth 27s, (per annum). Now it is worth 40s. He (William Pantulf) found it waste." [Domesday, fo. 257, a, 2.]

There is a good amount of information about William Pantulf because he was a generous benefactor to the "Abbey of St. Évroul of Uticum bespoke the gratitude of a certain contemporary Monk of that House, and because that Monk happened to be the greatest Historian of his day," Ordericus.

The Earldom of Shrewbury was granted to Roger de Montgomery sometime before 1071. Six persons are prominently named as having been entrusted by the new Earl with the governing of his Western province. Of these, Warin, his Sheriff, heads the list, and William Pantulf comes in second. In Normandy, William's possession mainly lay at Noron, a town situated a little to the West of Falaise. In 1073, William Pantulf, "by concession of Earl Roger, his Lord," gave to the Abbey of St. Évroul the two churches of Noron, one dedicated to St. Peter and the other to St. Cry. He was extremely generous in grants that followed to the Chapter of St. Évroul. From these grants we know that his mother was named Beatrix and his wife was Leclina. "All these things," say Ordericus, "did William Pantulf and, his wife, concede and confirm in the Chapter of St. Évroul and before assembled Monks."

William went to Italy, after the dedication of the Abbey of Bec in 1077, with Robert de Grentemaisnil (Grentemesnil), a former Abbot of St. Évroul, now domiciled in Italy. After returning from Italy, "the Countess Mable (Belsme)" was assassinated by William's friend, Hugh de Jalgey (d'Igé). He with his wife and children were sheltered at the Cloisters of St. Évroul because Earl Roger de Montgomery, (Marble's husband) and his sons were convinced William had something to do with the assassination and sought his life. He rewarded the Monks of St. Évroul, for their prayers and assistance, with a present of four altar-cloths, the produce of silk-looms of Apulia.

Robert de Bellêsme succeeded his father to the Earldom, and Pantulf suffered an absolute forfeiture. It is possible that Robert still believed William had something to do with his mother's death. William offered his service and allied with Henry I. This is likely the reason he was able to regain his Domesday possession. William, we are told by Ordericus, died on April 16 and his wife of September 21, but he doesn't give the year of their deaths. They were both buried in the Cloisters of Noron. Their sons were Philip, Robert, Ivo and Arnulf. Philip succeeded to his father's possessions and Robert to his father's English eststes.

~ Eyton's Antiquities of Shropshire, Vol.IX,, pp. 157-161

• Background Information. ¹⁰⁹⁸
William Pantulf is recorded between 1027 and 1035 in Normandy along side Roger de Montgomery. This suggests that the Pantulfs were vassals of Roger. The Pantulf's may not have taken part in the Battle of Hastings, but Roger de Montgomery took renewed interest in the Conqueror's activities in England. William Pantulf was made the first baron of Wem, and was one of Roger de Montgomery's lieutenants in Shropshire.

William spent most of his time in Normandy, and he and his wife, Lesceline were a great benefactor to vaiours religous organization. They were especially generous to Saint Évroul, which provided them sancutary when Roger de Montgomery blamed William for being involved in he death of his wife, Mabel Bellême.

Although William had been acquited of Mabel's death by trail of "the hot iron," Roger de Montgomery and his son Robert Bellême still believed William had been involved in the murder. Each in turn deprived William of his holdings. William's help to Henry I, at the time Robert Bellême rebelled, ended this persecution.

William was last recorded sometime before before his death in or about 1112. He and his wife confirmed all the donations that they had given to St. Évroul. This was confimed by three of their sons, Philip, Ivo and Arnulf.

~ Barons of the Welsh Frontier, The Corbet, Pantulf and Fitz Warin Families, 1066-1272, pp. 23-27

William married Lady Leclina ¹⁸³.^,1098 (Lady Leclina died Sep 21 After 1112 in England/France ¹⁸³.)