Benedict Gernet Lord of Speke in Lancastershire

  Information about this person:

• Background Information. ⁷²⁹
The derivation of Speke Lordship by Norres from Gernet, through the intermediate Houses of Molynex and Erneys, there can be no doubt. Records prove decisively that the Norman family of Gernet held Speke in capite from the Honor of Lancaster, of which Domesday proves "SPEC" to have been a complonent part under the grand of land between Ribble and Mersey made to Roger Pictavensis. Such tenure is recognized in the Inquisition taken after the eath of Sir Roger Gernet (male heir of this family), 36 Henry III, with regard to the paramount interest of continuing, by feudal usage, in the heirs of the grantor.

The estate he held Speke, Whiston, Parr and Skelmersdale in Derby Hundred, Fishwick in Amounderness, and Halton and Heyseysham in Lonsdale, in fee, by forester's service, as guardian of vert and venison in Lancashire Forests, from William Earl of Ferrers; and that William Molyneux held Speke under him by frank marriage, the said Roger Gernet receiving nothing therefrom. [Inq. p.m. 36 Henry III, Tower Records]

~Ormerod, "Memoir of the Lancashire House of Le Noreis or Norres, and of it Speke Branch in Particular," Transactions of the Historic Society of Lancashire and Cheshire, ser.1 v.2 1849-1850, 152-153

• Background Information. ¹⁰⁴⁵
Benedict Gernet held the serjeanty of the forest for all of Lancashire in the first year of King John. For this he was given an annual payment of £26 13s 4d.

~The Royal Forests of England, p. 99

• Records and Notes. ¹⁰⁴⁶
Between 1189 and 1206, a grant was made by Benedict, son of Adam Gernet, to the abbey and monks of St. Mary of Furness, of four acres of meadow in Nithinghou given by his father to the said monks, paying one pound of wax on Easter day to the church of Halton.

~Annual Report of the Deputy Keeper of Public Records, p. 167

Benedict married Mabel Fitz Urse, daughter of Richard Fitz Urse and Maud de Boulers.¹⁴¹