Richard de Montfíchet

   Another name for Richard was Richard de Mountfitchet.

  Noted events in his life were:

• Background Information. ¹⁴¹
Sir Walter de Faucomberge, of Rise and Withernwick in Holderness, son and heir of Sir Piers de Faucomberge, of the same (living Apr. 1230), by his 1^st wife, Margaret daughter of Richard de Muntfichet, of Stansted, Essex.

~Cokayne's Complete Peerage, 2nd Edition, Vol. V, p. 267

• Background Information. ¹²⁰⁷
Richard de Montfíchet succeeded his father, Gilbert, as Baron of Stanstead sometime in the later part of the reign of Henry II. He made gifts to the religious houses founded by his father and his grandfather at Ankerwick and Thremhale. [Monasticon] He attended the Court at Westminster [Rymer's Feodora, I Ric.I], and he accompaned King Richard to the wars in Normandy, for which service he, with other barons, was excused the payment of scutage. [Rot. Pip. 6 Ric. I]

After this, the health of Richard de Montfíchet became infirm. He was unable to attend the Michaelmas Assizes at Hertford in 1198 in consequence; [Rot. Curiæ Regis, 10 Ric. I] and again in May 1199, his health prevented him from being present at Canterbury. [Ibid] Richard is said by the monks of Thremhale [Monasticon, v. iv, p.77] to have gone on pilgrimage to Rome. Dugdale says he died in that city. [Baronage] The monks of St. John Colchester mention his death in their chronicle thus - "Annon 1202, Ricardus de Montfichet moritur." [Leland's Collectanea, v. ii, p.413]

~ Transactions of the Essex Archaeological Society, Volume V, p. 189-191

• Background Information. ¹²¹³
Before the Norman Conquest Letchworth was held by Godwin of Souberie (Soulbury), a thegn of King Edward the Confessor. In 1086 it formed part of the domain of Robert Gernon, and was assessed at 10 hides. Robert Gernon's estates were acquired early in the reign of Henry I by William de Montfitchet, [V.C.H. Essex, i, 347] who with his wife Rohais seems to have been holding Letchworth at the beginning of the 12th century. [Dugdale, Mon. ii, 229] His son William [Dugdale, Mon. ii, 229] succeeded him before 1135 and married Margaret [Ibid. v, 586-7] the daughter of Gilbert Fitz Richard de Clare. [S. Grimaldi, Rot. de Dominabus, 45] His wife outlived him and was still holding some of the Montfitchet lands in 1185. [Ibid] The rest of William's lands seem to have passed about 1167 to his son Gilbert, [Dugdale, Mon. v, 586-7 Red Bk. Exch. (Rolls Ser.), i, 349, 38] whose wife's name was Avelina. [Dugdale, Mon. iv, 231] Gilbert was succeeded by his son Richard about 1190, [Dugdale, Mon. vi, 231 Red Bk. Exch. (Rolls Ser.), ii, 730] whose son, also named Richard, [Dugdale, Mon. iv, 231] was one of the confederate barons of 1215 (Magna Carta Surities) who demanded the Charter of Liberties from King John. [Matt. Paris, (Rolls Ser.), ii, 585] The second Richard died without issue in abt 1258 and the Montfíchet lands went to his three sisters, Margery, Aveline and Philippa.

~ A History of the County of Hertford, Volume III, pp. 118-124

Richard married Milicent.¹²¹³ (Milicent died after 1204.)