Sir William d’Auberville Knight

  Noted events in his life were:

• Family Background. ¹²⁵¹
The first family to hold the manor of Walmer appears to have been the Hugh de Albertivilla of Kent, mentioned in the Pipe Roll of 1130; whose father Roger d'Aubervilled, named in the Dives Roll amongst the Companions of the Conqueror, held the barony in Essex and Suffolk. Hugh who, in all probablity, built the old manorial church at Wlmer, and the castellated mansion, died in 1139, leaving a widow named Wynane and an only son William, a minor. Planché tells us that "Turgisius d'Avranches gave the King 300 silver marks, and one gold marc, and one war-horse," fot his lands and widow, and "22 marks annually" for the wardship of his son.

This William de Aubervilled, afterwards know as Sir William de Auberville, senior, married Maud, eldest daughter of Ralph de Glanville; the later having been Justiciary of the Kingdom from 1180 to accession of Richard I, whom he accompanied to the Holy Land. Sir William's principal seat was at Westenhanger : and he was the pious founder of Langdon Abbey, which in the fourth year of Richard I (1192), he endowed with the manor of Langdon and the churches of Walmer, Oxney, Landon and Lydden. He was besides a great benefactor to Christ Church, Cantebury and was a Justice of the County.

Of the immediate offspring of Sir William de Auberville, senior, who died about the year 1208, there is little to say. The charter by which he endowed the Abbey of Langdon mentioned a son William and daughter Emma, both of whom seem to have been then dead. There was, however, another son, named Hugh, who succeeded his father, but enjoyed his inheritance for a short time only, as he died in 1218. This second son left and heir named William, then under age, and whose wardship appears to have been thought of considerable value : for William de Ainesford who was its first purchser at "one thousand two hundred marks," was able in the following year, to sell it at a profit of another thousand marks to William Brewer. Sir William de Aubervile, junior, as he is usually styled, was the last heir-male, and with his death, which took place in 1245, expired the line of Auberville.

The manor now passed with estates to the family of Criol, or de Criol, at that time one of the most powerful families in Kent : for Joan, the only daughter and heiress of Sir William de Auberville, junior, married first (1247), Sir Henry de Sandwich , of Dent-de-lion, Thanet, by whom she had no (male) issue ; and secondly, Sir Nicholas de Criol.

~The History of Walmer and Walmer Castle, pp. 40-42