rUSHFORTHS OF THE WAKEFIELD AREA OF YORKSHIRE
ORIGINS
In medieval Europe people had a first, given, or Christian name which was the name they were called. They then added surnames or second names sometimes using the place where they lived with a 'de' (meaning from or of); or they added their father's given name with a 'son of' designation such as 'fitz, son, sen, off, ov or O'. They sometimes used descriptors of appearance or character such as 'Long Sword', Rufus(red), Unready,Bald , Bluetooth, or Lionhearted. Or they used occupations such as Taylor, Fuller,Fowler, Smith, Bowman, Archer, Baker etc.
If the residence name was used as an identifier, this place name would change as the chief residence changed, or it might stay the same even though the subject had several places of residence and many other properties... So we have Hubert de Rye, Hubert St. Clair, and son Hubert fitzHubert.
The name Rye comes from the small Norman village of Rye, 7 Km north of Bayeaux, Calvados, Normandy, France. It is occasionally referred to as 'castle' but this in medieval times meant home place and defended area whether small or grand.
Norman French names were often Latinized or anglicized with the move to England as in Hrolf the Viking, becoming Rollo, Rolph, Ralph, Ralphus, Ranolph etc. ; as Eudo de Rye , Eudo fitzHubert, and Eudo or Odo Dapifer (French pronunciation of
' eu' is close to 'o')- dapifer his position as steward to the King; and Warren, Warreune, and Walderne.
Spelling of course was completely random, usually phonetic, varying with local pronunciation, custom and changes of dialect over time. Spelling also varied according to the whim and skill of the person doing the writing and according to the occasion and purpose of the document. So we have Rye, Rie, Risseworth, Ryesworth, Riseworth, Rishworth, Rishwrth, Richewrth, Ryeseworth, Risswode. .
In the 10th Century Vikings from Denmark and Norway were attacking and settling in Normandy, France. Also, the Danish Viking settlement in Yorkshire England was in turmoil in 911 as the Norse Vikings from Dublin, Ireland were attacking, seeking to expand their control, and many of these Vikings sought settlement elsewhere including Normandy.
With the Treaty of Sainte-Clair sur Epte the Franks gave the lands from the River Epte to the Sea to Rollo (Ganger-Hrolf) Rognvaldsson the Viking (Norwegian or Danish) in 911. The larger area of the Bessin(Bayeux area) was conceded in 924. ( It was in this area that the land holding of Rye was located and where the village of Rye is still found today). Rollo then parcelled out lands to his men in exchange for loyalty and military obligations. It is likely that the Viking father or grandfather of Geoffrey de Rie was in receipt of 'Rye' estate in the Bayeux/Caens area at this time and so established his home place or 'castle' there.
Geoffrey de Rie (GjirdNwg )(Guthfrithr) b c 944 Calvados region, Normandy; d 980 Ries, Calvados,Normandy \son Eudes FitzGeoffroi de Ries b 973 Ries, Bayeux, Calvados,Normandy; d 1027 Ries-1027
\son Hubert (Humbert)de Rie (Saint- Clare) Steward of Normandy, d 1008 Rie, Calvados, d 1086 capelle-les- Grandes,Eure,Upper Normandy, mar.Albreda de Harcourt, mar. Margaret FitzRoscelin, mar. Beatrix de Grentmesnil, dtr of Robert Grantmesnil & Emma
\ son Radulph(Ralph,Ranalphus) Fitzhubert, castellan of Nottingham (Robert or Robertus?)
\son Adam Fitzhubert de port de Rye
\son Eudo Fitzhubert de Rie, (also Dapifer, St.Clair, Sire de Preaux) , d 1120 mar. at Rycote to Rohaise 1067-1121, \ Eudo son Robert de Rie, Bishop of Seez, dtrs Margaret, Albreda
, \son Adam
\son William de Rye, Lorde Bardsley of Hertfordshire
\son Hubert II de Rye 1063-1127
\son Julien . de Rye
\dtr. Albreda dtr. married Peter de Valognes, sons Peter, Roger
\dtr. Muriel married an Osborne.
\dtr. Azaline Taillebois
\son, Hubert I's brother, Warreune(Walderne,Warren)earl of St.Clare(Sinclair)
\Richard
\Britel St.Clair
\William de Warren, Earl of Surrey, mar Elizabeth de Vermandois
Hubert I Saint-Clair, de Rye, born 1008 at Rye, near Bayeux, Normandy, died in 1086 at ‘Capilleiles Grands’, Eure, Normandy.(Saint-Clair became Sinclair), sometimes referred to as the Earl of Rye.
Hubert II de Rye(Ries) born 1063 at Ries,Normandy and died 1127 at Hockering, Norfolk, England, married Agnes de Toeni. He was elder brother to Ranalphus de Praeux, Lord of Stoke, Goderic?? , Eudo FitzHubert de Rie, Albreda de Rie, Robert de Rie, and Adam de port de Rie(William?).
Hubert III de Rye was born 1090 at Hockering, Norfolk.
Excerpt from ‘The Sinclairs(St.Clares) of England’ Chapter I:
"Before the Conquest, in Norman France, Duke William faced treachery by a rebel knight; ‘Upon this, he changed his course, and turned toward the coast in the direction of Falaise, his birthplace, and the town most devoted to his interests. The dawn of morning found him with his horse so weary that it could hardly stand, at the entrance of a small village, still at a considerable distance from Falaise, and ignorant of the road. At that moment a gentleman came out of the principal house, and the instant he beheld the young horseman, travel-stained and covered with dust as he was, he exclaimed, "St. Mary, my Lord, what can have brought you here in such a condition?" "Who are you, who know me so well?" asked William. "By my faith," was the answer, "I am called Hubert de Ryes. I hold this village of you under the Count de Bessin. Tell me, boldly, what you need; I will help you as I would help myself." Accordingly, Hubert de Ryes took William into his house, gave him some refreshment, and provided him with a fresh horse, and sent his three sons with him as guides, whilst he himself remained to misdirect the pursuers. William safely arrived at Falaise, and, in memory of his escape, is said to have caused his path to be traced out by a raised bank of earth, part of which is still in existence.'
Hubert I’s four sons were boys or very young men when he(aged c40) aided Duke William in his flight from Valonges,
c 1048, and young men when the father and four sons went on to fight in the Battle of Hastings. Battle Abbey Roll lists Hubert de Rie, Hubert de Rie le Jeune, Raoul de Rie, and Eudes Dapifer the Sire de Preaux. Another source, 'Famille de Rie sure 106: A Medieval Mosaic ' lists Hubert, Ralph, Adam and Eudo as taking part in the Battle and receiving generous grants from the Conqueror for their service. Hubert’s brother Warren would have been close in age to him and his three sons would have been similar in age to Hubert’s 4 sons at the time of the battle. and they are listed as taking part in the battle beside Hubert de Rie and his sons.
The Battle Abbey Roll by the Duchess of Cleveland also speaks of Hubert's Rie or Rye as being 3 leagues North of Bayeux. It mentions Geoffrey de Rie having lived about 980, and his son of Odo Fitz Geoffrey. It also mentions Hubert de Rie as having saved Duke William from attackers in 1047 and having aided in negotiations. Some time after the Battle it says he was by then an old man and he returned to Rye in Normandy though his sons remained with their large grants of manors in England.
C 1079. Peter of Valognes married Albreda, a daughter of Hubert de Rye and thus a sister of Eudo the Dapifer (Sire de Preaux by 1070). Peter and Albreda had children named Robert, Roger and Muriel. [Sire De Preaux is cited as participating in the Battle of Hastings.]
Hubert de Rye “is legendarily known as the loyal vassal who hosted Duke William of Normandy prior to his flight from Valognes during a revolt [in] 1047.” Hubert de Rye is also known to have acted as Duke William's ambassador to King Edward the Confessor persuading him to appoint William as his successor the English throne. Hubert apparently had in total, six sons and at least two daughters: Albreda and Muriel (married to an Osbert).
1. Ralph (Ranulf) FitzHubert was castellan of Nottingham and also held land at Crick in Derbyshire and also in Staffordshire, Leicestershire, Nottingham, Lincoln and Whitwell and became Viscomtes du Bessin in Normandy. The senior male line ended with his grandson Hubert who left only two daughters, Julian and Muriel. Whitwell stayed with a junior branch of the family until 1583 when Edward Rye sold it and is lost to history.
2. Hubert FitzHubert founded another baronial family of short duration, held the Honour of Hingham in Norfolk, put down a small rebellion and was made castellan of Norwich; His cousin Richard ( son of Warren) , hero of Hastings, went with him. Hubert II married Agnes de Todeni who brought him several manors. They had a son and a grandson, Hubert, but that direct line expired in 1188.
3. Adam FitzHubert de port de Rie held estates in Kent under Bishop Odo and was one of the compilors of the Domesday Book. Little is known of his line except for Robert de Rie of Kent who was mentioned in Pipe Roll of 1189.
4. Eudo Fitzhubert(Eudo Dapifer) received princely possessions in many counties and became famous as ‘the King's Steward’ .He married Rohaise FitzRichard de Clare, (born 1067 at Tunbridge,Kent, died 1121 at Rycote, Oxfordshire),who was the daughter of Richard FitzGilbert of Tonbridge; Rohaise was the mother of Margaret de Rie and Albreda de Rie. Eudo founded the Abbey of St.John’s at Colchester; had a castle at Preaux Normandy and holdings in Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hartfordshire, and Norfolk. He also held Eaton Socon in Bedfordshire. He witness a donation to the church at Bayeux( the family's home area) in 1074. He was noted for acting quickly upon the death of William as Dapifer by securing the king's treasury and key defensive locations to ensure the peaceful succession of William Rufus to the throne. He was rewarded with a grant of the town of Colchester. He died in 1120 in the family's home area at Preaux in Normandy. . He left only one daughter Margaret who married William de Mandeville and had one son, Geoffrey de Mandevilled, Earl of Essex.
5. Robert FitzHubert was appointed Bishop of St.Gervais , also reported as Bishop of Seez, Normandy.
6. William FitzHubert was lord of Bardley in Hertfordshire.
Earl Warren, Warreune, brother of Hubert de Ryes was rewarded for service to William I with grant of huge estate of Wakefield, Yorkshire and more holdings over 13 counties, aka Lord of Sussex and Earl of Surrey. Warenne's vast lands included manors in Norfolk, a manor and 28 townships at Conisburgh,Yorkshire, and Castle Acre in Norfolk.
Following are connections between the Sinclair and the Rye families:
C1086 The St.Clairs were former tenants of Eudo Dapifer, son of Hubert St.Clare, Earl of Rye) both in England and in their birthplace Saint-Clair sur Elle , Department of Manche, Normandy. Bretel, son of Warren, nephew of Hubert de Rye, and his ancestors were tenants of Eudo Dapifer in France and later in England. In 1086 Hubert of Saint Clair, Earl of Rye, was a tenant of Count Mortain in Somerset and Dorset. William de Mandeville(d 1130) married Margaret daughter of Eudo Dapifer(Eudo de Rie). Lords of Saint-Clair fought at Hastings beside Hugh Mortain.
Preaux Abby in Normandy was held in 1070 by Eudo Rye( Dapifer) who died there. Included in the list of families giving gifts to Preaux were the Warrens and the St.Clairs. Steve Sinclair in his 'The Sinclairs, The Templars, and DNA' writes that benefactors of religious houses are kin to the founder of the house. The establishing of religious houses by families and the giving of gifts by family members takes place so that the founders and the ensuing donors will be remembered in the prayers.
Names deriving from Rye, Ries, or Ryes with various suffixes arose in many locations in the north of England giving rise to many theories about its origin. William I awarded lands in a dispersed manner so as to prevent any vassal from becoming too powerful. Hubert de Rye , his brother Eudo Dapifer/Odo the Steward, and his cousin Warreune/Warren obtained widely dispersed properties in England. This would likely have lead to the prefix Ry, Ri or Rys being used in many different locations in England.
England was divided into: land held directly by William I, land given to the church, and land given to Tenants-in-Chief or Barons, including Yorkshire Barons Lacy and Percy. The over 100 baronial lands were then portioned out to their vassals, Norman knights such as Hubert de Rye and his sons, who then protected and held the allegiance of their peasant farmers, some of whom had been wealthy English landowners before the conquest. And these lands would have then been tenanted as opportunities presented themselves .
Dr. David Faux says descendants of Richard Beaufour, Ralph of Beaufour in Calvados, Normandy, became Lord of Hockering in Norfolk, England after The Conquest. He married Agnes de Beaupres , Agnes de Tosny, daughter of Robert de Tosny. Despite Beaufour having two sons, Richard and Ralph, on his death Hockering went to Agnes' second husband, Hubert I de Ryes and his descendants. Hubert de Ryes, (II?)who held land in the Wakefield area was also called the castelan of Norwich, and was then tenant-in-chief of Hockering. He was the 2nd husband of Agnes who brought land at ‘Aslackby, Lincolnshire’ (pro: aze-ul-be) to the marriage. Agnes’ grandson was named Hubert II (or III ?) de Ryes who inherited Aslackby in 1166..
Keats-Rohan also notes that Agnes, wife of Radulf, remarried and had a son Henry de Ryes who was an adult by 1127. This author also writes that Hubert de Ries 1063-1127 was born in Ryes, Normandy and died at Hockering and also that Hockering passed to the descendants of Hubert de Ryes.
The first Hubert of Ryes is known in legend as the loyal vassal who saved the life of Duke William of Normandy (before he became William the Conqueror) during his flight from Valognes during a revolt in 1047 when he was struggling to take and hold Normandy. Hubert was the father of Eudo Dapifer, The Steward. A man by the same name in 1164 donated the church of Aslackby,[aze-ul-be] Lincolnshire, to the Knights Templar.(There is an unsubstantiated reference to a Knight Templar called Lord of Ryes.)
'Of those lithe athletic figures in armour on horseback around William, Duke of Normandy, on that famous October day in 1066, Hubert (St.Clare)Sinclair, Earl of Rye was still in the strength of manhood,(aged c 55?) though he had near him his four sons in the flower of warriorhood. Radulph was the eldest, Hubert second, Adam third, and Eudo, the youngest. The Earl of St.Clare(Sinclair), Wareune(Warenne)(Warren),the 1st Earl of Surrey, the brother of the earl of Rye was also there with his three sons, Richard, Britel, and William.'
After the Conquest the lands of England were awarded to Normans who had served William well, were loyal, and were prepared to continue to serve by fighting, or by providing mercenaries. Lands were received directly from the new King and were returned to the crown in the case of treason, disfavour, or death leaving no male heirs.
The Norman Rye family, included Beatrix de Rye and son William de Rye with horse(knight?) and a Julien de Rye and Hubert. Hubert(Humbert) de Rie, or de Ryes was a steward of Normandy, who aided Duke William and so was rewarded with land (born c 1008 d 1086); There is a reference to a Knight Templar called Lord of Ryes, but this is not substantiated yet. Hubert de Ryes, father of Adam de Ryes and Eudo the Steward, was listed as a major landowner in the Domesday Book.
The fourth son of Hubert de Ries, Eudo Dapifer (fitz Hubert, de Rie, anglicized to Odo), and Sire of Preaux (listed as taking part in the Battle of Hastings ) took possession in 1070 of St.James Church, Aslackby, Lincolnshire.
In 1070 Rodbertus Hubertii de Ria was appointed Bishop of Saint Gervais, Normandy for 12 years.
King Henry I (1100-1135?) confirmed grant to Hubert de Rie of tithes in Swanton, Hockering, Depham, village and hall of Aldeby, and 100 acres of arable land, 100 sheep, a marsh for pasture, etc., etcs., on petition of Henry de Rye son and heir of Hubert and Agnes.
In 1164 Hubert de Rye provided a church and round chapel at Aslackby Lincolnshire for the Templars there and in 1194 Robert de Rye founded the preceptory.
Hubert de Rye gave a manor to the See (Bishopric)of Sarum, which used the revenues to endow a prebend. There is a Rye River in North Yorkshire; also a Risborough, Ryther , Rishworth and a Ryhill. A Frances Ryes was in Normandy near Caen, near Bayeux, just south of Arromanches-les-Bains, Coleville sur Mer. One of the Rishworth’s holdings in northern England was Coley.
In addition to the Ryes of Whitwell in Derbyshire there were numberous other liines. William de Rye was Conservator of York in the eventful year of 1287 , a year of major floods and of persecution , murder, and ousting of the Jews. Ranulph fe Rie held several manors plus Quadryng in Lincolnshire of the Honour of Richmond. John de Rye fought with Simon de Montfort and was taken prisoner in 1267. He held estates in Lincoln and Oxford and he gave hismanor of Rye to St.John's Abbey . Nicholas de Rye was Sheriff of Lincoln in 1276. Ralph de Rye of Gosberkirk, Ralphf de Rye of Whitwell and William de Rye were present at the Dunstable tournament in 1309. Roger Ree or Rye was sheriff of Norfolk in 1461. This line then disappears into history but the name lives on in many individuals in the area today
I
In 1166 Ralph Beaufour held 5 fees of Hubert II de Ryes in Lincolnshire and Rutland.
A connection between the village of Rye on the south coast of England with the village of Rye across the Channel in Normandy is entirely logical and possible but not yet substantiated. Eleventh century Rye village in England was situated on a small river which emptied into the English Channel and became successful as a port, one of the crown's Cinque Ports. However, after a few hundred years the river silted up, the village was no longer a port and it fell into decline. The village of Rye in Normandy still exists today.
In medieval Europe people had a first, given, or Christian name which was the name they were called. They then added surnames or second names sometimes using the place where they lived with a 'de' (meaning from or of); or they added their father's given name with a 'son of' designation such as 'fitz, son, sen, off, ov or O'. They sometimes used descriptors of appearance or character such as 'Long Sword', Rufus(red), Unready,Bald , Bluetooth, or Lionhearted. Or they used occupations such as Taylor, Fuller,Fowler, Smith, Bowman, Archer, Baker etc.
If the residence name was used as an identifier, this place name would change as the chief residence changed, or it might stay the same even though the subject had several places of residence and many other properties... So we have Hubert de Rye, Hubert St. Clair, and son Hubert fitzHubert.
The name Rye comes from the small Norman village of Rye, 7 Km north of Bayeaux, Calvados, Normandy, France. It is occasionally referred to as 'castle' but this in medieval times meant home place and defended area whether small or grand.
Norman French names were often Latinized or anglicized with the move to England as in Hrolf the Viking, becoming Rollo, Rolph, Ralph, Ralphus, Ranolph etc. ; as Eudo de Rye , Eudo fitzHubert, and Eudo or Odo Dapifer (French pronunciation of
' eu' is close to 'o')- dapifer his position as steward to the King; and Warren, Warreune, and Walderne.
Spelling of course was completely random, usually phonetic, varying with local pronunciation, custom and changes of dialect over time. Spelling also varied according to the whim and skill of the person doing the writing and according to the occasion and purpose of the document. So we have Rye, Rie, Risseworth, Ryesworth, Riseworth, Rishworth, Rishwrth, Richewrth, Ryeseworth, Risswode. .
In the 10th Century Vikings from Denmark and Norway were attacking and settling in Normandy, France. Also, the Danish Viking settlement in Yorkshire England was in turmoil in 911 as the Norse Vikings from Dublin, Ireland were attacking, seeking to expand their control, and many of these Vikings sought settlement elsewhere including Normandy.
With the Treaty of Sainte-Clair sur Epte the Franks gave the lands from the River Epte to the Sea to Rollo (Ganger-Hrolf) Rognvaldsson the Viking (Norwegian or Danish) in 911. The larger area of the Bessin(Bayeux area) was conceded in 924. ( It was in this area that the land holding of Rye was located and where the village of Rye is still found today). Rollo then parcelled out lands to his men in exchange for loyalty and military obligations. It is likely that the Viking father or grandfather of Geoffrey de Rie was in receipt of 'Rye' estate in the Bayeux/Caens area at this time and so established his home place or 'castle' there.
Geoffrey de Rie (GjirdNwg )(Guthfrithr) b c 944 Calvados region, Normandy; d 980 Ries, Calvados,Normandy \son Eudes FitzGeoffroi de Ries b 973 Ries, Bayeux, Calvados,Normandy; d 1027 Ries-1027
\son Hubert (Humbert)de Rie (Saint- Clare) Steward of Normandy, d 1008 Rie, Calvados, d 1086 capelle-les- Grandes,Eure,Upper Normandy, mar.Albreda de Harcourt, mar. Margaret FitzRoscelin, mar. Beatrix de Grentmesnil, dtr of Robert Grantmesnil & Emma
\ son Radulph(Ralph,Ranalphus) Fitzhubert, castellan of Nottingham (Robert or Robertus?)
\son Adam Fitzhubert de port de Rye
\son Eudo Fitzhubert de Rie, (also Dapifer, St.Clair, Sire de Preaux) , d 1120 mar. at Rycote to Rohaise 1067-1121, \ Eudo son Robert de Rie, Bishop of Seez, dtrs Margaret, Albreda
, \son Adam
\son William de Rye, Lorde Bardsley of Hertfordshire
\son Hubert II de Rye 1063-1127
\son Julien . de Rye
\dtr. Albreda dtr. married Peter de Valognes, sons Peter, Roger
\dtr. Muriel married an Osborne.
\dtr. Azaline Taillebois
\son, Hubert I's brother, Warreune(Walderne,Warren)earl of St.Clare(Sinclair)
\Richard
\Britel St.Clair
\William de Warren, Earl of Surrey, mar Elizabeth de Vermandois
Hubert I Saint-Clair, de Rye, born 1008 at Rye, near Bayeux, Normandy, died in 1086 at ‘Capilleiles Grands’, Eure, Normandy.(Saint-Clair became Sinclair), sometimes referred to as the Earl of Rye.
Hubert II de Rye(Ries) born 1063 at Ries,Normandy and died 1127 at Hockering, Norfolk, England, married Agnes de Toeni. He was elder brother to Ranalphus de Praeux, Lord of Stoke, Goderic?? , Eudo FitzHubert de Rie, Albreda de Rie, Robert de Rie, and Adam de port de Rie(William?).
Hubert III de Rye was born 1090 at Hockering, Norfolk.
Excerpt from ‘The Sinclairs(St.Clares) of England’ Chapter I:
"Before the Conquest, in Norman France, Duke William faced treachery by a rebel knight; ‘Upon this, he changed his course, and turned toward the coast in the direction of Falaise, his birthplace, and the town most devoted to his interests. The dawn of morning found him with his horse so weary that it could hardly stand, at the entrance of a small village, still at a considerable distance from Falaise, and ignorant of the road. At that moment a gentleman came out of the principal house, and the instant he beheld the young horseman, travel-stained and covered with dust as he was, he exclaimed, "St. Mary, my Lord, what can have brought you here in such a condition?" "Who are you, who know me so well?" asked William. "By my faith," was the answer, "I am called Hubert de Ryes. I hold this village of you under the Count de Bessin. Tell me, boldly, what you need; I will help you as I would help myself." Accordingly, Hubert de Ryes took William into his house, gave him some refreshment, and provided him with a fresh horse, and sent his three sons with him as guides, whilst he himself remained to misdirect the pursuers. William safely arrived at Falaise, and, in memory of his escape, is said to have caused his path to be traced out by a raised bank of earth, part of which is still in existence.'
Hubert I’s four sons were boys or very young men when he(aged c40) aided Duke William in his flight from Valonges,
c 1048, and young men when the father and four sons went on to fight in the Battle of Hastings. Battle Abbey Roll lists Hubert de Rie, Hubert de Rie le Jeune, Raoul de Rie, and Eudes Dapifer the Sire de Preaux. Another source, 'Famille de Rie sure 106: A Medieval Mosaic ' lists Hubert, Ralph, Adam and Eudo as taking part in the Battle and receiving generous grants from the Conqueror for their service. Hubert’s brother Warren would have been close in age to him and his three sons would have been similar in age to Hubert’s 4 sons at the time of the battle. and they are listed as taking part in the battle beside Hubert de Rie and his sons.
The Battle Abbey Roll by the Duchess of Cleveland also speaks of Hubert's Rie or Rye as being 3 leagues North of Bayeux. It mentions Geoffrey de Rie having lived about 980, and his son of Odo Fitz Geoffrey. It also mentions Hubert de Rie as having saved Duke William from attackers in 1047 and having aided in negotiations. Some time after the Battle it says he was by then an old man and he returned to Rye in Normandy though his sons remained with their large grants of manors in England.
C 1079. Peter of Valognes married Albreda, a daughter of Hubert de Rye and thus a sister of Eudo the Dapifer (Sire de Preaux by 1070). Peter and Albreda had children named Robert, Roger and Muriel. [Sire De Preaux is cited as participating in the Battle of Hastings.]
Hubert de Rye “is legendarily known as the loyal vassal who hosted Duke William of Normandy prior to his flight from Valognes during a revolt [in] 1047.” Hubert de Rye is also known to have acted as Duke William's ambassador to King Edward the Confessor persuading him to appoint William as his successor the English throne. Hubert apparently had in total, six sons and at least two daughters: Albreda and Muriel (married to an Osbert).
1. Ralph (Ranulf) FitzHubert was castellan of Nottingham and also held land at Crick in Derbyshire and also in Staffordshire, Leicestershire, Nottingham, Lincoln and Whitwell and became Viscomtes du Bessin in Normandy. The senior male line ended with his grandson Hubert who left only two daughters, Julian and Muriel. Whitwell stayed with a junior branch of the family until 1583 when Edward Rye sold it and is lost to history.
2. Hubert FitzHubert founded another baronial family of short duration, held the Honour of Hingham in Norfolk, put down a small rebellion and was made castellan of Norwich; His cousin Richard ( son of Warren) , hero of Hastings, went with him. Hubert II married Agnes de Todeni who brought him several manors. They had a son and a grandson, Hubert, but that direct line expired in 1188.
3. Adam FitzHubert de port de Rie held estates in Kent under Bishop Odo and was one of the compilors of the Domesday Book. Little is known of his line except for Robert de Rie of Kent who was mentioned in Pipe Roll of 1189.
4. Eudo Fitzhubert(Eudo Dapifer) received princely possessions in many counties and became famous as ‘the King's Steward’ .He married Rohaise FitzRichard de Clare, (born 1067 at Tunbridge,Kent, died 1121 at Rycote, Oxfordshire),who was the daughter of Richard FitzGilbert of Tonbridge; Rohaise was the mother of Margaret de Rie and Albreda de Rie. Eudo founded the Abbey of St.John’s at Colchester; had a castle at Preaux Normandy and holdings in Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hartfordshire, and Norfolk. He also held Eaton Socon in Bedfordshire. He witness a donation to the church at Bayeux( the family's home area) in 1074. He was noted for acting quickly upon the death of William as Dapifer by securing the king's treasury and key defensive locations to ensure the peaceful succession of William Rufus to the throne. He was rewarded with a grant of the town of Colchester. He died in 1120 in the family's home area at Preaux in Normandy. . He left only one daughter Margaret who married William de Mandeville and had one son, Geoffrey de Mandevilled, Earl of Essex.
5. Robert FitzHubert was appointed Bishop of St.Gervais , also reported as Bishop of Seez, Normandy.
6. William FitzHubert was lord of Bardley in Hertfordshire.
Earl Warren, Warreune, brother of Hubert de Ryes was rewarded for service to William I with grant of huge estate of Wakefield, Yorkshire and more holdings over 13 counties, aka Lord of Sussex and Earl of Surrey. Warenne's vast lands included manors in Norfolk, a manor and 28 townships at Conisburgh,Yorkshire, and Castle Acre in Norfolk.
Following are connections between the Sinclair and the Rye families:
C1086 The St.Clairs were former tenants of Eudo Dapifer, son of Hubert St.Clare, Earl of Rye) both in England and in their birthplace Saint-Clair sur Elle , Department of Manche, Normandy. Bretel, son of Warren, nephew of Hubert de Rye, and his ancestors were tenants of Eudo Dapifer in France and later in England. In 1086 Hubert of Saint Clair, Earl of Rye, was a tenant of Count Mortain in Somerset and Dorset. William de Mandeville(d 1130) married Margaret daughter of Eudo Dapifer(Eudo de Rie). Lords of Saint-Clair fought at Hastings beside Hugh Mortain.
Preaux Abby in Normandy was held in 1070 by Eudo Rye( Dapifer) who died there. Included in the list of families giving gifts to Preaux were the Warrens and the St.Clairs. Steve Sinclair in his 'The Sinclairs, The Templars, and DNA' writes that benefactors of religious houses are kin to the founder of the house. The establishing of religious houses by families and the giving of gifts by family members takes place so that the founders and the ensuing donors will be remembered in the prayers.
Names deriving from Rye, Ries, or Ryes with various suffixes arose in many locations in the north of England giving rise to many theories about its origin. William I awarded lands in a dispersed manner so as to prevent any vassal from becoming too powerful. Hubert de Rye , his brother Eudo Dapifer/Odo the Steward, and his cousin Warreune/Warren obtained widely dispersed properties in England. This would likely have lead to the prefix Ry, Ri or Rys being used in many different locations in England.
England was divided into: land held directly by William I, land given to the church, and land given to Tenants-in-Chief or Barons, including Yorkshire Barons Lacy and Percy. The over 100 baronial lands were then portioned out to their vassals, Norman knights such as Hubert de Rye and his sons, who then protected and held the allegiance of their peasant farmers, some of whom had been wealthy English landowners before the conquest. And these lands would have then been tenanted as opportunities presented themselves .
Dr. David Faux says descendants of Richard Beaufour, Ralph of Beaufour in Calvados, Normandy, became Lord of Hockering in Norfolk, England after The Conquest. He married Agnes de Beaupres , Agnes de Tosny, daughter of Robert de Tosny. Despite Beaufour having two sons, Richard and Ralph, on his death Hockering went to Agnes' second husband, Hubert I de Ryes and his descendants. Hubert de Ryes, (II?)who held land in the Wakefield area was also called the castelan of Norwich, and was then tenant-in-chief of Hockering. He was the 2nd husband of Agnes who brought land at ‘Aslackby, Lincolnshire’ (pro: aze-ul-be) to the marriage. Agnes’ grandson was named Hubert II (or III ?) de Ryes who inherited Aslackby in 1166..
Keats-Rohan also notes that Agnes, wife of Radulf, remarried and had a son Henry de Ryes who was an adult by 1127. This author also writes that Hubert de Ries 1063-1127 was born in Ryes, Normandy and died at Hockering and also that Hockering passed to the descendants of Hubert de Ryes.
The first Hubert of Ryes is known in legend as the loyal vassal who saved the life of Duke William of Normandy (before he became William the Conqueror) during his flight from Valognes during a revolt in 1047 when he was struggling to take and hold Normandy. Hubert was the father of Eudo Dapifer, The Steward. A man by the same name in 1164 donated the church of Aslackby,[aze-ul-be] Lincolnshire, to the Knights Templar.(There is an unsubstantiated reference to a Knight Templar called Lord of Ryes.)
'Of those lithe athletic figures in armour on horseback around William, Duke of Normandy, on that famous October day in 1066, Hubert (St.Clare)Sinclair, Earl of Rye was still in the strength of manhood,(aged c 55?) though he had near him his four sons in the flower of warriorhood. Radulph was the eldest, Hubert second, Adam third, and Eudo, the youngest. The Earl of St.Clare(Sinclair), Wareune(Warenne)(Warren),the 1st Earl of Surrey, the brother of the earl of Rye was also there with his three sons, Richard, Britel, and William.'
After the Conquest the lands of England were awarded to Normans who had served William well, were loyal, and were prepared to continue to serve by fighting, or by providing mercenaries. Lands were received directly from the new King and were returned to the crown in the case of treason, disfavour, or death leaving no male heirs.
The Norman Rye family, included Beatrix de Rye and son William de Rye with horse(knight?) and a Julien de Rye and Hubert. Hubert(Humbert) de Rie, or de Ryes was a steward of Normandy, who aided Duke William and so was rewarded with land (born c 1008 d 1086); There is a reference to a Knight Templar called Lord of Ryes, but this is not substantiated yet. Hubert de Ryes, father of Adam de Ryes and Eudo the Steward, was listed as a major landowner in the Domesday Book.
The fourth son of Hubert de Ries, Eudo Dapifer (fitz Hubert, de Rie, anglicized to Odo), and Sire of Preaux (listed as taking part in the Battle of Hastings ) took possession in 1070 of St.James Church, Aslackby, Lincolnshire.
In 1070 Rodbertus Hubertii de Ria was appointed Bishop of Saint Gervais, Normandy for 12 years.
King Henry I (1100-1135?) confirmed grant to Hubert de Rie of tithes in Swanton, Hockering, Depham, village and hall of Aldeby, and 100 acres of arable land, 100 sheep, a marsh for pasture, etc., etcs., on petition of Henry de Rye son and heir of Hubert and Agnes.
In 1164 Hubert de Rye provided a church and round chapel at Aslackby Lincolnshire for the Templars there and in 1194 Robert de Rye founded the preceptory.
Hubert de Rye gave a manor to the See (Bishopric)of Sarum, which used the revenues to endow a prebend. There is a Rye River in North Yorkshire; also a Risborough, Ryther , Rishworth and a Ryhill. A Frances Ryes was in Normandy near Caen, near Bayeux, just south of Arromanches-les-Bains, Coleville sur Mer. One of the Rishworth’s holdings in northern England was Coley.
In addition to the Ryes of Whitwell in Derbyshire there were numberous other liines. William de Rye was Conservator of York in the eventful year of 1287 , a year of major floods and of persecution , murder, and ousting of the Jews. Ranulph fe Rie held several manors plus Quadryng in Lincolnshire of the Honour of Richmond. John de Rye fought with Simon de Montfort and was taken prisoner in 1267. He held estates in Lincoln and Oxford and he gave hismanor of Rye to St.John's Abbey . Nicholas de Rye was Sheriff of Lincoln in 1276. Ralph de Rye of Gosberkirk, Ralphf de Rye of Whitwell and William de Rye were present at the Dunstable tournament in 1309. Roger Ree or Rye was sheriff of Norfolk in 1461. This line then disappears into history but the name lives on in many individuals in the area today
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In 1166 Ralph Beaufour held 5 fees of Hubert II de Ryes in Lincolnshire and Rutland.
A connection between the village of Rye on the south coast of England with the village of Rye across the Channel in Normandy is entirely logical and possible but not yet substantiated. Eleventh century Rye village in England was situated on a small river which emptied into the English Channel and became successful as a port, one of the crown's Cinque Ports. However, after a few hundred years the river silted up, the village was no longer a port and it fell into decline. The village of Rye in Normandy still exists today.
