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Archiver > GEN-MEDIEVAL > 1996-02 > 0823294620


From: Jim Stevens <>
Subject: MORVILLE/ BEAUCHAMP connection
Date: Fri, 2 Feb 1996 15:57:00 EST


Kathleen Much, who occassionally posts to this newsgroup with interesting
info on Scot/ Norman families recently was helping me with info on the
Morvilles. Specifically. I am trying to determine who the Parents of
BEATRICE de Beauchamp, the wife of Hugh de Morville (d. 1162) were. She
pointed out that :

W.H. Turton, _The Plantagenet Ancestry_ (1928, reprinted Baltimore
1968), says Beatrice de Beauchamp was the daughter of Pagan de
Beauchamp and Rohese de Vere; Pagan was the son of Hugh de Beauchamp
(c. 1066) and Rohese the daughter of Alberic de Vere (d. 1141) and
Adeliza de Clare. Of course, you know the pitfalls of believing
Turton.

but Kathleen also said :

Yes, Bello Campo is the Latin form of Beauchamp (beautiful field). You
find both in Norman records. I can't find the reference just now, but
somewhere I found that Beatrice's father was Robert de Beauchamp; I
don't know who her mother was (see below). If Beatrice or her father
had siblings, I didn't collect them. If she was the heiress of her
grandfather, though, she probably didn't have surviving brothers or
uncles. (Granted, her inheritance from her grandfather does not prove
that she got ALL his property, and I haven't traced his holdings to
see.)

There is an anecdote I once saw about Beatrice and Hugh de Morville to
the effect that her lover attacked Hugh with a sword but that she
cried out in English to warn Hugh. It was used as evidence that the
Scoto-Normans could speak English, perhaps in preference to French.
Hugh and Beatrice are commemorated on a plaque at Dryburgh Abbey and
at least Hugh is supposed to be buried there (I think Beatrice was,
too, but it's been years since I was there).

Does anyone out there have any input as to who the father and mother of
Beatrice Beauchamp, granddaughter of Hugh de Beachamp, who accompanied
William the Conquerer from Normandy were ?

Weis' AR7 cites Richard de Morville is as earliest of his line (38:25).

Today is the first day of the rest of your life ! () Jim

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