William Cheever
William Cheever (fl. 1086) (alias Chievre) (Latinised to Capra, "she-goat",[1] from French chèvre) was one of the 52 Devon Domesday Book tenants-in-chief of King William the Conqueror. He held 46 landholdings in Devon.[2] His lands later formed (together with three of the four Devonshire estates of Ralph de Limesy),[3] the feudal barony of Bradninch, Devon.[4] His brother was Ralph de Pomeroy, feudal baron of Berry Pomeroy,[4] Devon, with whom several of his holdings had been divided into two parts, one for each brother.[1] His sister was Beatrix, who held from him the manor of Southleigh.[5]
Succession
[edit]It is not known whether Cheever married and left progeny; however, his estates escheated to the crown during the reign of King Henry I (1100–1135), who granted them to his own illegitimate son William I de Tracy (died c. 1136).
References
[edit]Sources
[edit]- Sanders, I.J. English Baronies: A Study of their Origin and Descent 1086-1327, Oxford, 1960 (Pages 20–1, Barony of Bradninch)
- Thorn, Caroline & Frank, (eds.) Domesday Book, (Morris, John, gen.ed.) Vol. 9, Devon, Parts 1 & 2, Phillimore Press, Chichester, 1985. (Parts 1 & 2 chapter 19, holdings of William Cheever)