Sir John Giffard Lord Giffard of Brimsfield
- Born: 19 Jan 1241, Brimsfield, Gloucestershire, England 160
- Marriage: Maude de Clifford
- Died: 29 May 1299, Boynton, Wiltshire, England at age 58 160
 General Notes:
Weis' Ancestral Roots. . .,
29A:30, Eleanor Gifford, dead by 1324/25, m. Fulk le Strange; 29A:29, Maud de Clifford, dead 1282-1285, m. first, William III Longespeé, Earl of Salisbury, d. 1247; m. about 1257/58, Sir John Gifford, Lord Gifford of Brimsfield, b abt. 1232, d. Boyton, Wilts, 29 May 1299; 122:31, gives daughter, Catherine Gifford, wife of Nicholas Audley, and wife Maud de Clifford, daughter of Walter de Clifford 160
Noted events in his life were:
• Background Information. 779
John Giffard was seventeen when he succeeded his father, Helias Giffard. During his minority, the queen had a grant of his lands, towards the maintenance of Prince Edward. In 41 Henry III, this John Giffard was commanded to be at Bristol with horse and arms, thence to march into South Wales, against Lewelin ap Griffin. In six years subsequently, he was constituted governor of St. Briavel's Castle, and warden of the Forest of Dean, in Gloucestershire. Soon after he was among the rebellious Barons who were excommunicated. He was as the battle of Lewes, under the baronial banner. By adopting a difference course at the battle Evesham, he obtained a pardon for his former treason, in consideration which he then rendered to the royal cause.
In 55 Henry III, Maud de Longespée, widow of William Longespée, and daughter & heiress of Walter de Clifford, having by letter complained to the king that she been taken by force by John Giffard from her manor house, and carried to his Castle at Brimsfield, where she kept her in restraint. He was then summoned before the king, and denied the charges, but confessed to his marriage with the lady without the royal license, he made his peace by paying a fine of 300 marks.
In 10 Edward I, John Giffard was in the expedition made by Gilbert, Earl of Gloucester, against Lewelyn ap Griffith, Prince of North Wales. Having observed that Lewelyn had separated with a small party from the larger body of his army, he joined with Edward Mortimer, and slying the prince, dispatching his head to the king who placed it upon the Tower of London, crowed with ivy.
In 18 Edward I, he was made governor of Dynevor Castle in Wales, and having had summons to parliament as baron, from 24 Jun 1295 until 10 Apr 1299, he died latter that year, and was buried at Malmesbury. His lordship married first, Maud, widow of William Longespée. His second wife was Margaret de Nevile, by whom he had only one son.
~A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Extinct and Dormant Baronetcies of England, Ireland, pg. 231
• Children. 721
His children with Maud Clifford were:
• Catherine, b. 1272; by 1299, Nicholas de Audley
• Eleanor, b. 1275; m. by 1307, Fulk le Strange of Blackmere, who had died by 23 Jan 1323/24
• Maude, b. 1277; d. 1232; m. William Geneville; had no issue
• Elizabeth
Children by third wife, Margaret de Neville:
• Sir John, b. 24 Jun 1287; hanged at Gloucester for treason 1322; m. bef. 6 Nov 1311 Aveline de Courtenay, who d. 27 Apr 1327
~The Medieval English Ancestors of Robert Abell, pg. 123
• Background Information. 141
Sir John Giffard of Brimpsfield, Badgeworth, Stonehouse, Stoke Gifford and Rochampton in Gloucestershire, Elston, Orcheston St. George, Sherrington, Ashton, and Broughton Gifford in Wiltshire, was the son and of sir Elis Gifford of Brimpsfield by his second wife, Alice, sister of Sir John Mautravers, of Lytchet Mautravers, Dorset. John Mautravers, Alice's brother, gave the manor of Ashton and the advowson of the church of S. Peter at Coldord, Wilts, to Elis Giffard in free marriage with Alice his sister, to hold to them and the heirs of their bodies, by the service of a knight's fee. He was about sixteen years old at the time of his father's death.
Along with several other barons, he seized the Bishop of Hereford, 11 Jun 1263, and took him to Eardisley Castle. He was among those who made a treaty with Edward, the King's son on 18 Aug 1263. He also appears in records as being appointed, 7 Aug, 1263, by the advice of the Magnates of the Council, as the Keeper of the forest of Dean, during pleasure, and he was pardoned 18 Sep 1263 for all trespasses committed by reason of nonobservance of the Provisions of Oxford.
On 24 Dec 1263, he was appointed joint Keeper of the counties of Gloucester, Worcester and Hereford. In 1264, he belonged to the baronial party, and in April, being in command at Kenilworth, he surprised and destroyed Warwick Castle, taking the Earl and Countess prisoners. On the fourteenth day of the next month, he was at the battle of Lewes, where he was taken prisoner after he had already taken William la Zouche prisoner.
Sir John was not allowed to take part in the tournament at Dunstaple. He changes sides, together with the Earl of Gloucester and others, and was in the King's army at the battle of Evesham, 4 Aug 1265. In consideration for his services in this battle, he was pardoned, 9 Oct 1265. His pardon was for adhearing to Simon de Montfort at the battle of Lewes, and for all other trespasses committed up to the date of 9 Oct 1265.
Sir John was with the group of Barons empowered 24 Apr 1274, to make peace with Llewely ab Gruffyd, Prince of Wales. He was granted the castle of Dynevor for life as a refuge for he and his men. He was summoned for military service for the King from 18 Jul 1257 up to 7 May 1299. He was summoned to various military councils, and Parliament from 24 Jun 1295 until 10 Apr 1299, all during the reign of Edward I, by writs directed to Johanni Giffard or Gyffard, occasionally with the de Brimmesfeld at which time he became Lord Giffard.
As his first wife, Sir John married Maud, widow of Sir William Longespeé, and daughter and heir of Sir Walter Clifford of Clifford by his wife Margaret, the daughter of Llewelyn ab Iorwerth, Prince of Wales. She was living 1 Dec 1281, and died shortly afterwards. For his second wife, Sir John married, 1286, Margaret, the widow of Sir John de Neville. Sir John Gifford died at Boyton, Wiltshire, 29 May 1299 and was buried 11 Jun 1299 Malmesbury Abbey.
~Cokayne's Complete Peerage, 2nd Edition, (Giffard),Vol. V. pp. 639-644
John married Maude de Clifford, daughter of Sir Walter de Clifford 3rd Lord of Clifford's Castle and Margaret verch Llewelyn. (Maude de Clifford was born in 1234 in Clifford Castle, Herefordshire, England and died after Dec 1282 in Brimsfield, Gloucestershire, England 160.)
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