Walter of Douai
Encyclopedia
Walter of Douai was a Norman
knight, probably at the Battle of Hastings
, and a major landowner in South West England
after the Norman Conquest. He is given various names and titles in different sources including: Walter (or Walschin or Walscin) de Douai. Douai is sometimes written as Dowai. He has also been called Gautier de Douai and later Walter the Fleming.
a commune
in the Nord département in northern France. Located on the river Scarpe some 40 km from Lille
and 25 km from Arras
. He may have had two brothers Fouque and Goselin, who also fought at the Battle of Hastings and another brother Hugh who did not come to England.
He married Emma (or Eddeva) of Devon
, and may have had two children Richilde de Douai and Ralph (of Tintinhull
) Lovel. He also had a second wife.
, as he was not recorded as having been such by contemporary chroniclers, who made notice of only 15 out of the many hundreds there.
In the aftermath of the victory, William the Conqueror entrusted the conquest of the south-west of England to his half-brother Robert of Mortain. Expecting stiff resistance, Robert marched west into Somerset
, supported by forces under Walter of Douai, who entered from the north; a third force, under the command of William de Moyon
, landed by sea along the Somerset coast.
by the Normans
in 1066, various castles were set up in Somerset by the new lords such as that at Dunster
, and the manor
s were awarded to followers of William the Conquerer such as William de Moyon
and Walter of Douai.
Walter of Douai's primary Baronetcy was of Bampton
, Devon with the second most important being Castle Cary
in Somerset.
After the Norman invasion the land on which Bridgwater
stands was given to Walter of Douai, hence becoming known variously as Burgh-Walter, Brugg-Walter and Brigg-Walter, eventually corrupted to Bridgwater. An alternative version is that it derives from "Bridge of Walter" (i.e. Walter's Bridge).
In the Domesday Book
of 1086 Walter was described as holding land in Worle
, Somerset, Weare
, Sparkford
and Bratton Seymour
.
Others holdings in Somerset and Devon included: Allerton
, Alstone, Alston Sutton, Ansford
, Badgworth, Bathealton
, Bawdrip
, Bradney, Bratton Seymour
, Brean
, Burnham on Sea, Chilcompton
, Crook, Dunwear, Horsey, Huntspill
, Pawlett, Sparkford
, Stretcholt, Tarnock, Walpole, Watchet
, Wembdon
Wincanton
, Berrynarbor
, Coleridge (Stokenham
), Combe Raleigh
, Dipford, Dunsford
, Goodrington
, Greenway, Kerswell (Hockworthy), Knowstone
, Little Rackenford
, Luppitt
, Mohun's Ottery, Shapcombe, Spurway, Stoke Fleming
, Townstal, Uffculme
, Woodcombe and Holacombe. Many of these were let to tenants.
Cary Castle
, a motte and bailey castle was built either by Walter of Douai or by his son Robert who also built Bampton Castle
in Devon. He was also holder of the land on which Cockroad Wood Castle
was built.
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...
knight, probably at the Battle of Hastings
Battle of Hastings
The Battle of Hastings occurred on 14 October 1066 during the Norman conquest of England, between the Norman-French army of Duke William II of Normandy and the English army under King Harold II...
, and a major landowner in South West England
South West England
South West England is one of the regions of England defined by the Government of the United Kingdom for statistical and other purposes. It is the largest such region in area, covering and comprising Bristol, Gloucestershire, Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire, Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. ...
after the Norman Conquest. He is given various names and titles in different sources including: Walter (or Walschin or Walscin) de Douai. Douai is sometimes written as Dowai. He has also been called Gautier de Douai and later Walter the Fleming.
Family
Walter was the son of Urso of DouaiDouai
-Main sights:Douai's ornate Gothic style belfry was begun in 1380, on the site of an earlier tower. The 80 m high structure includes an impressive carillon, consisting of 62 bells spanning 5 octaves. The originals, some dating from 1391 were removed in 1917 during World War I by the occupying...
a commune
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
in the Nord département in northern France. Located on the river Scarpe some 40 km from Lille
Lille
Lille is a city in northern France . It is the principal city of the Lille Métropole, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the country behind those of Paris, Lyon and Marseille. Lille is situated on the Deûle River, near France's border with Belgium...
and 25 km from Arras
Arras
Arras is the capital of the Pas-de-Calais department in northern France. The historic centre of the Artois region, its local speech is characterized as a Picard dialect...
. He may have had two brothers Fouque and Goselin, who also fought at the Battle of Hastings and another brother Hugh who did not come to England.
He married Emma (or Eddeva) of Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
, and may have had two children Richilde de Douai and Ralph (of Tintinhull
Tintinhull
This article is about a village in England. For the Australian village, see Tintinhull, New South Wales.Tintinhull is a village and civil parish close to the A303 near Yeovil, south west of Ilchester, in Somerset, England...
) Lovel. He also had a second wife.
Norman Conquest
In 1066 the Normans invaded south-east England, defeating the English forces at the Battle of Hastings. Walter in all probability fought at Hastings, yet he is not one of the proven Companions of William the ConquerorCompanions of William the Conqueror
William the Conqueror had men of diverse standing and origins in France, under his command at the Battle of Hastings in 1066, along with others completing his Norman conquest of England until after the Harrying of the North and before the Anarchy....
, as he was not recorded as having been such by contemporary chroniclers, who made notice of only 15 out of the many hundreds there.
In the aftermath of the victory, William the Conqueror entrusted the conquest of the south-west of England to his half-brother Robert of Mortain. Expecting stiff resistance, Robert marched west into Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, supported by forces under Walter of Douai, who entered from the north; a third force, under the command of William de Moyon
William de Moyon
William de Moyon or William de Moion was seigneur of Moyon and Sheriff of Somerset in 1086. William is mentioned in the Domesday Book where he is shown to control a large number of manors in Somerset centred on Dunster Castle. Manors he controlled included Minehead, West Quantoxhead and Combe...
, landed by sea along the Somerset coast.
Post Conquest
Following the defeat of the SaxonsSaxons
The Saxons were a confederation of Germanic tribes originating on the North German plain. The Saxons earliest known area of settlement is Northern Albingia, an area approximately that of modern Holstein...
by the Normans
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...
in 1066, various castles were set up in Somerset by the new lords such as that at Dunster
Dunster Castle
Dunster Castle is a former motte and bailey castle, now a country house, in the village of Dunster, Somerset, England. The castle lies on the top of a steep hill called the Tor, and has been fortified since the late Anglo-Saxon period. After the Norman conquest of England in the 11th century,...
, and the manor
Manor
-Land tenure:*Manor, an estate in land of the mediaeval era in England*Manorialism, a system of land tenure and organization of the rural economy and society in parts of medieval Europe based on the manor*Manor house, the principal house of a manor...
s were awarded to followers of William the Conquerer such as William de Moyon
William de Moyon
William de Moyon or William de Moion was seigneur of Moyon and Sheriff of Somerset in 1086. William is mentioned in the Domesday Book where he is shown to control a large number of manors in Somerset centred on Dunster Castle. Manors he controlled included Minehead, West Quantoxhead and Combe...
and Walter of Douai.
Walter of Douai's primary Baronetcy was of Bampton
Bampton, Devon
Bampton is a small town in Devon, England close to the south-eastern corner of Exmoor and on the River Batherm, a tributary of the River Exe. It is about 10 km north of Tiverton.-History:...
, Devon with the second most important being Castle Cary
Castle Cary
Castle Cary is a market town and civil parish in south Somerset, England, north west of Wincanton and south of Shepton Mallet.The town is situated on the River Cary, a tributary of the Parrett.-History:...
in Somerset.
After the Norman invasion the land on which Bridgwater
Bridgwater
Bridgwater is a market town and civil parish in Somerset, England. It is the administrative centre of the Sedgemoor district, and a major industrial centre. Bridgwater is located on the major communication routes through South West England...
stands was given to Walter of Douai, hence becoming known variously as Burgh-Walter, Brugg-Walter and Brigg-Walter, eventually corrupted to Bridgwater. An alternative version is that it derives from "Bridge of Walter" (i.e. Walter's Bridge).
In the Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
of 1086 Walter was described as holding land in Worle
Worle
Worle is a village in North Somerset that is now totally absorbed by the seaside town of Weston-super-Mare. Despite this, Worle pre-dates Weston and was mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086. In the book, it is said that Worle was owned by Walter of Douai, and consisted of and valued at 6.5...
, Somerset, Weare
Weare, Somerset
Weare and Lower Weare are small villages in Somerset, England, on the River Axe, south of the Mendip Hills. The parish comprises the villages of Upper and Lower Weare, and the hamlets of Alston Sutton, Brinscombe and Stone Allerton....
, Sparkford
Sparkford
Sparkford is a village and civil parish in the South Somerset district of Somerset, England. The parish includes the village of Weston Bampfylde....
and Bratton Seymour
Bratton Seymour
Bratton Seymour is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated on a tributary of the River Brue south-east of Castle Cary and north-west of Wincanton in the South Somerset district...
.
Others holdings in Somerset and Devon included: Allerton
Chapel Allerton, Somerset
Chapel Allerton is a village and civil parish, south of Cheddar in the English county of Somerset. The parish includes the hamlets of Ashton and Stone Allerton.-History:...
, Alstone, Alston Sutton, Ansford
Ansford
Ansford is a village and parish in Somerset, England, situated on the northern edge of Castle Cary in the South Somerset district. The village has a population of 1,048....
, Badgworth, Bathealton
Bathealton
Bathealton is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated west of Wellington and west of Taunton in the Taunton Deane district. The village has a population of 182.-History:It was recorded in the Domesday Book as Badeheltone...
, Bawdrip
Bawdrip
Bawdrip is a village and civil parish in the Sedgemoor district of Somerset, England. The village is on the south side of the Polden Hills about north-east of Bridgwater. According to the 2001 census the parish had a population of 498. The parish includes the hamlets of Bradney and Horsey...
, Bradney, Bratton Seymour
Bratton Seymour
Bratton Seymour is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated on a tributary of the River Brue south-east of Castle Cary and north-west of Wincanton in the South Somerset district...
, Brean
Brean
Brean is a village and civil parish between Weston-super-Mare and Burnham-on-Sea in Somerset, England. The name is derived from "Bryn" Brythonic and Modern Welsh for a hill....
, Burnham on Sea, Chilcompton
Chilcompton
Chilcompton is a civil parish and village in Somerset, England, situated in the Mendip Hills two miles south of Midsomer Norton and 2.5 miles south-west of Westfield, close to the A37 .-History:...
, Crook, Dunwear, Horsey, Huntspill
Huntspill
West Huntspill and East Huntspill are villages and civil parishes on the Huntspill Level, near Highbridge, Somerset, West of England. The civil parish of West Huntspill contains the hamlet of Alstone, and East Huntspill includes Cote....
, Pawlett, Sparkford
Sparkford
Sparkford is a village and civil parish in the South Somerset district of Somerset, England. The parish includes the village of Weston Bampfylde....
, Stretcholt, Tarnock, Walpole, Watchet
Watchet
Watchet is a harbour town and civil parish in the English county of Somerset, with an approximate population of 4,400. It is situated west of Bridgwater, north-west of Taunton, and east of Minehead. The parish includes the hamlet of Beggearn Huish...
, Wembdon
Wembdon
Wembdon is a rural village near Bridgwater, in Somerset, England.Wembdon is now home to an Anglican church, a small shop , a pub, a small garage and a fruit juice processing and packaging plant.-History:...
Wincanton
Wincanton
Wincanton is a small town in south Somerset, southwest England. The town lies on the A303 road, the main route between London and South West England, and has some light industry...
, Berrynarbor
Berrynarbor
Berrynarbor is a village and civil parish in the North Devon district of Devon, England. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 749. The village is located near Exmoor and is about three miles east of Ilfracombe...
, Coleridge (Stokenham
Stokenham
Stokenham is a village and civil parish in the English county of Devon.Stokenham civil parish includes the settlements of Torcross, Beesands, Hallsands, Kellaton, Kernborough, Dunstone, Beeson and Chillington as well as Stokenham itself. It forms part of the district of South Hams.To the east of...
), Combe Raleigh
Combe Raleigh
Combe Raleigh is a village in the county of Devon, England. It is about 1.5 miles north of the town of Honiton. The word 'Combe' is of Celtic origin meaning 'valley' whilst the name 'Raleigh' comes from the Raleigh family's ownership of the village in the thirteenth century.The 15th century parish...
, Dipford, Dunsford
Dunsford
Dunsford is a village in Devon, England, just inside the Dartmoor National Park.The village has a number of traditional thatched cottages; a primary school which has a swimming pool, climbing wall and sports field; one village shop and post office; a tea room and a public house. St. Mary's Church,...
, Goodrington
Goodrington
Goodrington is a coastal village in Devon, England. It is situated in Torbay and lies between Torquay and Brixham, less than south of Paignton....
, Greenway, Kerswell (Hockworthy), Knowstone
Knowstone
Knowstone is a village and civil parish situated in the North Devon district of Devon, England, halfway between the Mid Devon town of Tiverton, Devon and the North Devon town of South Molton.The hamlet of East Knowstone lies due east of the village....
, Little Rackenford
Rackenford
Rackenford is a village and civil parish in North Devon, England. It is roughly located 7.31 miles North West of Tiverton and 20 miles South East of Barnstaple-All Saints Church:...
, Luppitt
Luppitt
Luppitt is a village and civil parish in East Devon situated about due north of Honiton....
, Mohun's Ottery, Shapcombe, Spurway, Stoke Fleming
Stoke Fleming
Stoke Fleming is a village and civil parish in the South Hams district of Devon, England. It lies on the A379 road about one and a half miles south of the town of Dartmouth, at the north end of Start Bay and within the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty...
, Townstal, Uffculme
Uffculme
Uffculme is a village located in the Mid Devon district, of Devon, England.-History:Situated in the Blackdown Hills on the B3440, close to the M5 motorway, near Cullompton Uffculme is on the upper reaches of the River Culm. Historically, it was a parish in Bampton Hundred, under the Peculiar...
, Woodcombe and Holacombe. Many of these were let to tenants.
Cary Castle
Cary Castle
Cary Castle stood on Lodge Hill overlooking the town of Castle Cary, Somerset, England. It is a Scheduled Ancient Monument.-Details:The motte and bailey castle was built either by Walter of Douai or by his son Robert who also built Bampton Castle in Devon...
, a motte and bailey castle was built either by Walter of Douai or by his son Robert who also built Bampton Castle
Bampton Castle, Devon
Bampton Castle was in the village of Bampton, Devon .In Saxon times a defensive mound was built. On this mound the Normans built a wooden castle about 1067. In 1136 it was besieged by King Stephen and the fortifications were burnt down...
in Devon. He was also holder of the land on which Cockroad Wood Castle
Cockroad Wood Castle
Cockroad Wood Castle was a castle near Wincanton but now in the parish of Charlton Musgrove, Somerset, England.-History:Cockroad Wood Castle was a motte and bailey castle, probably built after the Norman conquest of England in 1066...
was built.