Feudal barony of Plympton

History

Domesday Book origins

• Robert d'Aumale, who lands are listed in 17 entries in the Domesday Book of 1086. who was lord of Aumale in Normandy, now in the département of Seine-Maritime, France.
• William de Poilley.

Descent

de Redvers

• Richard de Redvers, was granted the barony by King Henry I, of which king he was a most trusted supporter. The lands comprising the barony were before this time part of the royal demesne of King William the Conqueror, as recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086.
• Baldwin de Redvers, 1st Earl of Devon, son and heir, created first Earl of Devon by the Empress Matilda during The Anarchy.
• Richard de Redvers, 2nd Earl of Devon, son.
• Baldwin de Redvers, 3rd Earl of Devon, son, died childless.
• Richard de Redvers, 4th Earl of Devon, brother, died childless.
• William de Redvers, 5th Earl of Devon, uncle
• Baldwin de Redvers, 6th Earl of Devon, grandson. He was a minor at the death of his grandfather and thus became a ward of the king, who in 1218 granted possession of the barony to:
• * Falkes de Breauté, who married Margaret, mother of his ward the 6th Earl. His estates were confiscated in 1224 and remained in the king's hands until Baldwin attained his majority in 1238.
• Baldwin de Redvers, 7th Earl of Devon, son, died childless.
• Isabel de Redvers, 8th Countess of Devon, sister. She was married at a young age to William de Forz, 4th Earl of Albemarle. She was predeceased by all six of her children by William de Forz. After her death in 1293 aged 56 the feudal barony of Plympton and eventually the earldom of Devon passed to her 17-year-old second cousin once removed Hugh de Courtenay, feudal baron of Okehampton, Devon, who in 1335 was declared Earl of Devon. He was the great-grandson of Mary de Vernon and her husband Robert de Courtenay, feudal baron of Okehampton. In 1314/15 he petitioned parliament, unsuccessfully, claiming his right to the lordship of the Isle of Wight and to the adjacent manor of Christchurch, Hampshire, as heir of Isabella.

Courtenay

• Robert de Courtenay, feudal baron of Okehampton, son of Reginald de Courtenay by his wife Hawise de Curcy, heiress of Okehampton. He married Mary de Vernon, daughter of William de Redvers, 5th Earl of Devon, feudal baron of Plympton. From this marriage the Courtenays later inherited the barony of Plympton in 1293 and in 1335 were declared Earls of Devon.
• John de Courtenay, who married Isabel de Vere, daughter of Hugh de Vere, 4th Earl of Oxford
• Sir Hugh de Courtenay, who married Eleanor le Despenser, daughter of Hugh le Despenser, 1st Earl of Winchester.
• Hugh Courtenay, 9th Earl of Devon,. In 1293 on the death of his cousin Isabella de Forz, Countess of Devon he became heir to the feudal barony of Plympton, and in 1335 was declared Earl of Devon. The descent of the feudal barony of Okehampton thenceforth follows the descent of the earldom of Devon. In 1539 King Henry VIII seized the lands of the barony and had Henry Courtenay, 1st Marquess of Exeter executed for treason. The Earldom of Devon became forfeit, and the Courtenay lands in Cornwall escheated to the crown to be held by the Duchy of Cornwall.

List of constituent manors