Arnold le Boteler
Encyclopedia
Arnold le Boteler, the first recorded 'lord' of the Welsh
village
of Pembrey
, was a late 11th and early 12th century Norman
squire
with a penchant for property development.
He established the manor house and estate which is now known as Court Farm in Pembrey, during the reign of William the Conqueror. Earlier, he had acquired Dundryfan (Dunraven
) manor from his lord, Maurice de Londres, for services rendered and had built the first stone building on the site.
Arnold's service to Maurice de Londres was the defence of Ogmore Castle
while the lord defended against Welsh insurgence, led by Princess Gwenllian ferch Gruffydd
, at Kidwelly Castle
.
The le Boteler/Butler family crest can be seen in plasterwork in St. Illtud
's Church, Pembrey. The le Boteler estate passed to the Earl of Ashburnham
.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
village
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
of Pembrey
Pembrey
Pembrey is a village in Carmarthenshire Wales, situated between Burry Port and Kidwelly, overlooking Carmarthen Bay.-History:The name Pembrey is an Anglicisation of the Welsh, Pen-bre...
, was a late 11th and early 12th century Norman
Normans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
squire
Squire
The English word squire is a shortened version of the word Esquire, from the Old French , itself derived from the Late Latin , in medieval or Old English a scutifer. The Classical Latin equivalent was , "arms bearer"...
with a penchant for property development.
He established the manor house and estate which is now known as Court Farm in Pembrey, during the reign of William the Conqueror. Earlier, he had acquired Dundryfan (Dunraven
Dunraven
Dunraven may refer to:*Earl of Dunraven and Mount-Earl*HMS Dunraven*SS Dunraven*Dunraven school*Dunraven Pass - a mountain pass in Yellowstone National Park...
) manor from his lord, Maurice de Londres, for services rendered and had built the first stone building on the site.
Arnold's service to Maurice de Londres was the defence of Ogmore Castle
Ogmore Castle
Ogmore Castle is located near the village of Ogmore-by-Sea, south of the town of Bridgend in Glamorgan, South Wales. It is situated on the south bank of the River Ewenny and the east bank of the River Ogmore. Cowbridge is nearby. Its construction might have begun in 1106...
while the lord defended against Welsh insurgence, led by Princess Gwenllian ferch Gruffydd
Gwenllian ferch Gruffydd
Gwenllian ferch Gruffydd was Princess-consort of Deheubarth in Wales, and married to Gruffydd ap Rhys, Prince of Deheubarth. Gwenllian was the daughter of Gruffydd ap Cynan , Prince of Gwynedd, and a member of the princely Aberffraw family of Gwynedd. Gwenllian was the sister of Prince Owain...
, at Kidwelly Castle
Kidwelly Castle
Kidwelly Castle is an Norman castle overlooking the river Gwendraeth and the town of Kidwelly, Carmarthenshire, Wales.The present remains of the castle include work from about 1200 to about 1476. Created as a defence against the Welsh, the castle fell to the Welsh several times in the twelfth...
.
The le Boteler/Butler family crest can be seen in plasterwork in St. Illtud
Illtud
Illtyd , was a Welsh saint, founder and abbot of Llanilltud Fawr in the Welsh county of Glamorgan...
's Church, Pembrey. The le Boteler estate passed to the Earl of Ashburnham
Earl of Ashburnham
The title Baron Ashburnham , of Ashburnham in the County of Sussex, was created in the Peerage of England in 1689 for John Ashburnham, grandson of the John Ashburnham who assisted King Charles I to escape from Oxford and Hampton Court Palace...
.