William de Falaise


William de Falaise, also called William of Falaise, was a Norman from Falaise, Duchy of Normandy, today in the Calvados department in the Lower Normandy region of north-western France. He became feudal baron of Stogursey in Somerset and also held manors in Devon.

Biography

William married Geva de Burci, who was the daughter and sole heiress of Serlo de Burcy, feudal baron of Blagdon, Somerset, which barony is sometimes stated to be of Dartington, Devon, as the caput cannot be clearly assigned exclusively to either place. Her dowry consisted of Somerset Manor of Woodspring.
Geva's first husband was "Martin" for whom she produced a son and heir, Robert fitz Martin, who with his descendants were feudal barons of Blagdon.
William's daughter and sole heiress to the feudal barony of Stogursey was Emma of Falaise, who married William de Courcy, to whose descendants the barony of Stogursey passed.
The Devon lands of William of Falaise however passed to the FitzMartin family, feudal barons of Blagdon, who were sometimes seated at his former manor of Dartington.

Landholdings

The Exeter Domesday Book lists him as holding the following 17 Devon manors as a tenant-in-chief of the king:
He is listed as Wilts de Faleise, holding 3 Somerset manors as tenant-in-chief:
  • Stogursey, in Cannington Hundred
  • Wootton, in Carhampton Hundred
  • Woodspring, in Winterstoke Hundred