Joan de Criel

  Noted events in her life were:

• Manorial Estate, After 1305, Berewick [Berwick] Manor, Lympne, Hythe, Kent, CT21, GB. ³ BEREWICK, now called Berwick, is a manor here, which lies about half a mile northward of Limne church, in the valley between it and Newin-green. It was given before the Norman conquest, by king Knute, to Eadsy, a priest, who in the year 1032 gave it to the monastery of Christ-church, in Canterbury. The copy of the grant of it may be seen in Somner's Roman Ports, a curious specimen of the manner of the donations of that time; among other revenues of the priory it was allotted to the archbishop, of whom it was afterwards held by knight's service, and continued so till after the Norman conquest. Accordingly it is entered in the record of Domesday, under that general title, as follows:

In Estraites hundred, Wills de Eddesham holds of the archbishop, Berewic as one manor. It was taxed at half a suling. The arable land is three carucates. In demesne there are two, and nine villeins, with nine borderers having one carucate and an half. There are eighteen acres of meadow, and wood for the pannage of twenty bogs. In the time of king Edward the Confessor it was worth sixty shillings, and afterwards twenty shillings, now seven pounds, and yet it yields eleven pounds.

After which this manor appears to have come into the possession of the family of Auberville, in which it remained till Joane, daughter and heir of William de Auberville, marrying Nicholas de Criol, entitled him to it as part of her inheritance. At length his descendant Bertram de Criol dying s. p. Joane his sister carried it in marriage to Sir Richard de Rokesle, whose daughter and coheir Joane, about the middle of king Edward II.'s reign, marrying Thomas de Poynings, he became in her right possessed of it, and in his descendants it continued down to Sir Edward Poynings, of Westenhanger, on whose death in the 14th year of king Henry VIII. without legitimate issue, and even without any collateral kindred, who could make claim to his estates, this manor, among the rest of them, escheated to the crown.

• Manorial Estate, After 1305, Capell Manor, Tonbridge, Kent, TN12, GB. ⁴ THE MANOR OF CAPELL, called likewise the manor of St. Mary le Merge, was antiently part of the possessions of Nigell de Muneville, whose descendant William de Muneville leaving an only daughter and heir, she carried it in marriage to William de Albrincis, or Averenches, whose son, of the sams name, leaving likewise an only daughter and heir Matilda, she entitled her husband Hamo de Crevequer to it. He left four daughters, of whom Elene, married to Bertram de Crioll, on the partition of their inheritance, entitled her husband to this manor, and he died possessed of it in the 23d year of Edward I. leaving two sons John and Bertram, who both died s.p. and a daughter Joane, who upon the death of the latter became his heir, and carried this manor, among the rest of her inheritance, in marriage to Sir Richard de Rokesle, whose eldest daughter and coheir Agnes entitled her husband Thomas de Poynings to the possession of it; in whose descendants it continued down to Sir Edward Poynings, of Westenhanger, governor of Dover castle and lord warden, who in the 12th year of king Henry the VIII.th's reign gave it in marriage with Mary, one of his natural daughters, to Thomas Fynes, lord Clinton and Saye, to whom this manor was confirmed in the 30th year of it.

• Manorial Estate, After 1305, Criols Court, Shadoxhurst, Ashford, Kent, TN26, GB. ⁵ CRIOLS-COURT, now usually called Crayals, is an estate in this parish, which was once the patrimony of the eminent family of Criol, and was one of the several seates of theirs in this county, which took their name from them. Bertram de Criol died possessed of it in the 23d year of king Edward I. and his son John dying in the 34th year of that reign s. p. left Joane his sister his next heir, then married to Sir Richard de Rokesle. His eldest daughter and coheir Agnes, married Thomas de Poynings, and by it entitled that family to this among the great inheritance which devolved to her in right of her mother; and in their descendants this estate continued down to Sir Edward Poynings, a man much in favour with king Henry VII. and VIII. under both of whom he enjoyed many important offices of trust and honor.

• Manorial Estate, After 1305, Criols Manor, Borden, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME10, GB. ⁶ CRIOLS, alias KYRIELLS, with an appendage to it, called Poyles, the very name of which has been long since forgotten, is a manor here, which in early times was in the possession of the eminent family of Criol, who fixed their name on it, as they did on other estates belonging to them in different parts of this county.

Bertram de Criol died possessed of it in the 23d year of king Edward I. anno 1294, whose son John de Criol dying in the 34th year of that reign, s. p. Joane his sister, married to Sir Richard de Rokesle, became his heir, and entitled her husband to this manor.

He left by her two daughters his coheirs, of whom Agnes, the eldest, married Thomas de Poynings, who in her right became possessed of it, and in his name and descendants it continued down to Sir Edward Poynings, governor of Dover-castle, and lord warden, and he died possessed of it in the 14th year of king Henry VIII. anno 1522, not only without legitimate issue, though he had several natural children, but without any collateral kindred, who could lay claim to his estates, so that this manor, among others, escheated to the crown.

• Manorial Estate, After 1305, Criols Manor, Brenchley, Tonbridge, Kent, TN12, GB. ⁷ CRIOLS is another manor here, lying about a mile and a half south west from Brenchley village, which in the reign of king Henry III. was in the possession of the eminent family of Criol, in which reign Bertram de. Criol held it, as half a knight's fee, of Alicia de Waltham, as she again did of the earl of Gloucester. He resided, at Ostenhanger, in this county, which seat he rebuilt, and being much in the king's favor, among other offices of trust, was made sheriff of Kent in the 16th and 26th years of that reign, and had the custody of the castles of Dover and Rochester committed to him. His great grandson, John de Criol, died in the 34th year of king Edward the 1st.'s reign, leaving Joane his sister his next heir, married to Sir Richard de Rokesle, who in her right inherited this manor. His eldest daughter and coheir Agnes, married Thomas de Poynings, and intitled him to this manor, in whose name and descendants it continued down to Sir Edward Poynings, a man much in favor with king Henry VII. and VIII. being governor of Dover-castle, lordwarden of the cinque ports, and knight of the garter, and he died possessed of it in the 14th year of the latter reign, anno 1522, not only without legitimate issue, but without any collateral kindred, who could make claim to his estates.

• Manorial Estate, After 1305, Eshmerfield Manor, Waltham, Canterbury, Kent, CT4, GB. ⁸ ASHENFIELD, as it is now usually called, but more properly Eshmerfield, is another manor, lying at the southern boundary of this parish, in Wye hundred, which was formerly part of the possessions of St. Augustine; accordingly it is thus entered, under the general title of their lands, in the survey of Domesday:

In Wy hundred, the abbot himself holds Esmerefel, and Anschitil of him. It was taxed at one suling. The arable land is one carucate, and there is in demesne. . . . with five borderers and six acres of meadow. Wood for the pannage of ten hogs. In the time of king Edward the Confessor it was worth forty shillings, and afterwards twenty shillings, now forty shillings.

Anschitil above-mentioned, appears to have held this manor of the abbot in fee, by a certain rent in lieu of all service, &c. as did after him Ralph Fitzbernard, of whom it was again held by Bertram de Criol, who gave it to his younger son John, and he died possessed of it in the 48th year of Henry III. during whose time Richard de Clare, earl of Gloucester, lord of Tunbridge, and founder of the priory there, vir nobilis & omni laude dignus, died, as it was thought, of poison, in 1262, on a visit to him at this manor-house. His son Bertram left two sons, John and Bertram, and a daughter Joane, who afterwards married Sir Richard de Rokesle, and on both her brothers deaths, s. p. became their heir, and this manor afterwards descended to her two daugh ters and coheirs, Agnes, wife of Thomas de Poynings, and Joane, wife of Sir William le Baud; and upon the division of their inheritance, Joane had this manor allotted to her.

• Manorial Estate, After 1305, Ostenhanger Manor, Stanford, Ashford, Kent, TN25, GB. ⁹ WESTENHANGER is an eminent manor here, which was once a parish of itself, though now united to Stanford: Its antient and more proper name, as appears by the register of the monastery of St. Angustine, was Le Hangre, yet I find it called likewise in records as high as the reign of Richard I. by the names both of Ostenhanger and Westenhanger, which certainly arose from its having been divided, and in the hands of separate owners, being possessed by the two eminent families of Criol and Auberville. Bertram de Criol, who was constable of Dover castle, lord warden of the five ports, and sheriff of Kent, for several years in the reign of king Henry III. who from his great possessions in this country, was usually stiled the great lord of Kent, is written in the pipe-rolls of the 27th year of that reign, of Ostenhanger, where it is said he rebuilt great part of the then antient mansion. He left two sons, Nicholas and John, the former of whom marrying with Joane, daughter and heir of Sir William de Aubervilse, inherited in her right the other part of this manor, called Westenhanger, as will be further mentioned hereafter. John, the younger son, seems to have inherited his father's share of this manor, called Ostenhanger, of which he died possessed in the 48th year of king Henry III. as did his son Bertram de Criol in the 23d year of Edward I. leaving two sons, John and Bertram, who both died s.p. and a daughter Joane, who upon the death of the latter became his heir, and carried Ostenhanger, among the rest of her inheritance, in marriage to Sir Richard de Rokesle, seneschal and governor of Poictu and Montreul in Picardy, a man of eminent character in that time, having been created a knight-banneret by king Edward I. at the siege of Carlaverock, in Scotland. He died without issue male, leaving his two daughters his coheirs, of whom Agnes, the eldest, married Thomas de Poynings; and Joane, the youngest, first Hugh de Pateshall, and secondly Sir William le Baud, and upon the division of their inheritance, Ostenhanger was wholly allotted to Thomas de Poynings, who died anno 13 Edward III. bearing for his arms, Barry of six, or, and vert, over all a bend, gules. He left three sons, Nicholas, Michael, and Lucas de Poynings, all three summoned at different times to parliament, among the barons of this realm. The descendants of the latter being summoned as barons Poynings de St. John, which barony became vested in the late duke of Bolton. Upon the division of their inheritance, this manor was allotted to the second son Michael, who died anno 43 king Edward III. and left two sons, Thomas and Richard. Thomas de Poynings, the eldest son, possessed it on his father's death, but he died anno 49 Edward III. s.p. having bequeathed his body to be buried in the midst of the choir of St. Radigund's, of his own patronage, before the high altar, appointing that a fair tomb should be placed over his grave, with the image of a knight made thereon. Upon his death, Richard de Poynings, his youngest brother, succeeded to it, and died possessed of it in the IIth year of king Richard II. as did his son Robert anno 25 Henry VI. having had two sons, Richard de Poynings, who died in his life-time, leaving a sole daughter and heir Alianore, who married Sir Henry Percy, afterwards earl of Northumberland...

• Manorial Estate, After 1305, Paddlesworth Manor, Folkestone, Kent, CT18, GB. ¹⁰ The manor or Padlesworth was antiently part of the estate of the great family of Criol, one of whom, Bertram de Criol, died possessed of it in the 23d year of king Edward I. whose two sons dying without issue, Joane their sister became possessed of this manor, with the rest of her brother's inheritance, which she carried in marriage to Sir Richard de Rokesle, who left his two daughters his coheirs, of whom Agnes, the eldest, married Thomas de Poynings, and entitled her husband to the possession of this manor. He died anno 13 Edward III. and in his descendants it continued down to Robert de Poynings, who lived in king Edward IV.'s reign, and was, as his several ancestors were, summoned to parliament among the barons of this realm, and he passed it away by sale to Sir Thomas Fogge, of Repton...

• Manorial Estate, After 1305, Seaton Manor, Boughton Aluph, Ashford, Kent, TN25, GB. ¹¹ SEATON is a small manor in this parish, which was held by knight's service in grand sergeantry, to provide one man, called a vautrer, to lead three greyhounds when the king should go into Gascony, until he had worn out a pair of shoes of the price of four-pence, bought at the king's cost; by which service John de Criol, younger son of Bertram, held it at his death in the 48th year of king Henry III. whose grand-daughter Joane becoming heir to her brother's inheritance, who died s. p. she carried this manor in marriage to Sir Richard de Rokesle, who was found to hold it by the like service, in the 11th year of king Edward II. His eldest daughter and coheir Agnes married Thomas de Poynings, and entitled him to the possession of it. In whose descendants it continued till Alianore, daughter of Richard de Poynings, marrying Henry, lord Percy, eldest son of Henry, earl of Northamberland, he, in her right, became entitled to this manor among her other great inheritance in this county and elsewhere.

• Manorial Estate, After 1305, West Shelve Manor, Lenham, Ashford, Kent, GB. ¹² THE MANOR OF WEST, alias NEW SHELVE, so called from its situation in regard to the others, and to distinguish it from the adjoining manor of Old Shelve, became part of the possessions of the family of Criol, one of whom Bertram de Criol held it in the reign of Henry III. in whose descendants it continued down to John de Criol, who dying s. p. in the reign of king Edward I. Joane his sister became his heir, and carried this manor among the rest of her inheritance, in marriage to Sir Richard de Rokesle, seneschal and governor of Poitou and Montreul, in Picardy, who left two daughters his coheirs, of whom Agnes the eldest married Thomas de Poynings; and Joane the youngest, first, Hugh de Pateshull, and secondly, Sir William le Baud, nevertheless, they did not inherit this manor, which descended to a younger branch of the family of Rokesle, and it afterwards, on failure of issue, devolved as next of kin, in like manner as Ruxley heretofore described, by reason of the above marriage to the family of Poynings, in which it continued till Sir Ed Poynings, dying in the 14th year of Henry VIIIth's reign, without legitimate issue, and even without any collateral kindred who could make claim to his estates, this manor among the rest of his possessions escheated to the crown.

• Manorial Estate, After 1305, Westwood Manor, Preston-next-Faversham, Kent, ME13, GB. ¹³ WESTWOOD is an eminent manor in the south-east part of this parish, which was antiently part of the possessions of the family of Rokesle, by whom it was held of the barony of Crevequer, by the tenure of performing ward to Dover castle. In the reign of Edward II. Sir Richard de Rokesle became by inheritance the owner of it, holding it by knight's services of the before mentioned barony. He died without male issue, leaving by Joane, sister and heir of John de Criol, two daughters his coheirs, of whom Agnes, the eldest, married to Thomas de Poynings, seems to have entitled her husband to it, who in the 2d year of Edward III. obtained a charter of free warren for all his demesne lands in this manor of Westwood among others.

In his descendants it continued down to Robert de Poynings, who died in the 25th year of king Henry VI. He had two sons, of whom Richard, the eldest, died in his life-time, leaving a daughter Eleanor, married to Sir Henry Percy, afterwards earl of Northumberland, and Robert de Poynings, the younger son, became entitled to this manor, and was succeeded in it by his son and heir Sir Edward Poynings, who was much in favor with king Henry VII. and VIII. being lord warden of the five ports, and knight of the garter. He died in the 14th year of the latter reign, 1522, not only without legitimate issue, but without any collateral kindred, who could make claim to his estates, so that this manor, among his other estates, escheated to the crown, and was afterwards granted to Thomas Cromwell, earl of Essex.

• Inquisition: Post mortem, 28 Apr 1306. ¹ Writ, 28 April, 34 Edw. I.

KENT. Inq. made at Wy, 31 July, 34 Edw. I. Pottebery in Estwelle. 12a. arable, 20a. pasture, 1a. 1r. meadow, and 18d. rent, held in a gavelkind of Robert de Bourhasse, as of the manor of Bocton Alouf which is of the honour of Boulogne, by service of 6s. yearly, and suit at his court of Bocton Alouf every three weeks. His sister, Joan the wife of Sir Richard de Rokesle [alias de Rokesleg], knight, aged 28, is his next heir.

KENT. Inq. made at Wy, 22 July, 34 Edw. I. Setene. The manor (extent given) held of the king in chief by the serjeanty of finding the king when he goes into Gascony (Wasconiam) a man called 'vautrier' to lead three of the king's greyhounds until he shall have worn out a pair of shoes (sotularum) price 4d. at the king's cost. Heir as above.

KENT. Inq. 2 Aug. 34 Edw. I. Boytone. A messuage, 32a. arable, 2 1/2a. 1r. meadow, 20a. fresh marsh, 16a. pasture in a salt marsh, 1 1/2a. wood, 17s. rent and 3 1/2 hens, held of the archbishop of Canterbury by service of 6s. 1d., and suit at his court of Recul vre every three weeks. Heir as above.

KENT. Inq. 20 July, 34 Edw. I. Niewenton by Hethe. A moiety of the manor (extent given) held jointly with Petronilla his wife of Sir John atte Belhous by service of 4d. yearly; which they acquired of Eleanor de Criel, as appears by a charter made between them, for 10l. to be yearly paid to the said Eleanor for life, to hold to them and the heirs of the said Bertrand (sic) with reversion, if they should die without heir of their bodies, to the said Eleanor and her heirs; and they had peaceful seisin jointly until the said Bertrand's death. Heir as above.

HERTFORD. Inq. made at Prince's Laungel(e) on Friday after the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, 34 Edw. I. Aldebury. The manor (extent given) held of the rector of Asserugge and the brethren there by a fee farm of 8l. of the gift of Edmund, earl of Cornwall, the king's kinsman, and by the king's confirmation, for the support and repair of the chapel of Hameldene, and of a chaplain celebrating there for the souls of the said earl and his heirs. Heir as above, aged 20 and more.

C. Edw. I. File 122. (5.)

• Inquisition: Post mortem, 6 May 1321. ¹⁴ Writ, 6 May, 14 Edward II.

KENT. Inq. Saturday after St. Dunstan, 14 Edward II. (defaced.)

Terlyngham. The manor, acquired by the said Richard with Joan his wife, by the licence of King Edward I, of Eleanor de Cryel, to hold to them and their heirs, and held of the king in chief by service of 1/8 knight's fee; and a messuage and a carucate of land similarly acquired of Anthony de Bek, to hold to them and the heirs of the said Richard, and held of the archbishop of Canterbury by 1/4 knight's fee and suit at his court of Canterbury.

[Totyn]ton. The manor (extent given), similarly acquired in November, 23 Edward I, of John de Rokesle, and held of Lady Isabella queen of England as of the barony of Crevequer by service of 1/4 knight's fee.

Ecclosse. A carucate of land, similarly acquired of John de Rokeslee, and held of Robert de Insula by service of 1/2 knight's fee; and 30a. land similarly acquired of the said John, and held in gavelkind of Richard le Grey by service of 10s. yearly at his manor of Eylesford.

Of all which the said Joan is now seised by virtue of the said enfeoffments.

Westwode in Preston. The manor (extent given), whereof the messuage and 160a. land, 16a. wood, 14l. rent, and a windmill are held of Queen Isabella as of the barony of Crevequer by service of 1/2 and 1/4 knight's fee, 60a. land are held of the abbot of Faresham in gavelkind by service of 40s. yearly, 30a. land are held of the prior of Christ Church, Canterbury, in gavelkind by service of 10s. yearly, and 10a. land are held of the abbot of St. Augustine's, Canterbury, in gavelkind by service of 2s.

Rokeslee. The manor (extent given), held of the said queen, as of the barony aforesaid, by service of a knight's fee; 100a. land held of the abbot of Lesnes in gavelkind by service of 8s. 4d. yearly; 30a. arable held of the prior of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem in England by service of 15d. yearly; and 5a. meadow held of John le Fuller in gavelkind by service of 16d. yearly.

His daughters, Joan aged 25, the wife of Walter de Pateshulle, knight, and Agnes, aged 22 and more, the wife of Thomas de Ponynges, are his next heirs.

C. Edw. II. File 66. (23.)

• Inquisition: Post mortem, 3 Nov 1322. ² 424. JOAN, LATE THE WIFE OF RICHARD DE ROKESLE

Writ, 3 November, 16 Edward II.

KENT. Inq. Tuesday after the Circumcision, 16 Edward II.

Terlingham. The manor (extent given), held of the king in chief by service of 1/8 and 1/16 knight's fee, 7s. 6d. for the guard of the castle of Dover, and 10s. by the hands of the sheriff for the king's portion of the hundred of Folkestane.

Folkestane. The hundred held of the said Joan, with John de Segrave and Juliana his wife as of the right of the said Juliana, of the king as pertaining to the said manor.

Joan, the wife of Walter de Pateshulle, aged 26 and more, and Agnes the wife of Thomas de Ponynges, aged 23 and more, are her next heirs.

Totyngtone. The manor (extent given), held for life, by the gift of John de Rokesle to her and the said Richard to hold to them and the heirs of the said Richard, in part of Isabella queen of England, of Ledes as of the honour of Crouker, by service of 1/4 knight's fee, and the rest of Aymer (Odimaro) de Walencia by two parts of a knight's fee, and there are due 3s. yearly for the guard of the castle of Rochester, 10s. yearly to Richard de Grey, and 20d. to the heirs of William Peverel.

Horsmunden. The manor (extent given), held for life of William de Ore by service of a cap (capellam) of peacocks' feathers, by the gift of Anthony de Beck, sometime bishop of Durham, to the said Joan and Richard and the heirs of the said Richard.

Westwode. Two parts of the manor (extent given), held in dower by the assignment of the said Walter and Thomas, in lieu of dower out of the manors of Rokesle and Westwode. The whole manor is held by two parts of a knight's fee of Ledes as of the honour of Crouker, and by suit of court, of the abbot of Faveresham by service of 62s. and suit of court, and of the prior of Christ Church Canterbury by 6s. 11d.

Heirs as above, daughters and heirs both of the said Joan and Richard.

• Inquisition: Indenture of partition of lands, 20 Jul 1323. ¹⁵ 521. RICHARD DE ROKESLE and JOAN DE ROKESLE, sometime his wife.

Indenture of partition of lands &c., knights' fees, and advowsons of churches, which were of the said Richard and Joan, deceased, made in the king's chancery with the consent of Walter de Pateshill and Joan his wife, elder daughter and heir of the said Richard and Joan, and Thomas de Ponyngg' and Agnes his wife, younger daughter and heir of the same: pourparty assigned to the said Thomas and Agnes, 20 July, 17 Edward II, and enrolled in the Roll of Fines (defaced).

KENT.

Terlingham manor. The hall, chapel, lands &c. (extent given with field names and names of tenants) including a moiety of the wood of Reyndon, 14l. 13s. 11 3/4d. rents, saving a moiety of the rents in Schaddred, and rents in Alkham.

Hastingleye. The advowson of the church, with the glebe &c.

Westwode. The manor, with the advowson of the free chapel there.

Canterbury City. A messuage &c.

Codham and Chelsham. 40s. rent receivable from Walter de Huntingfeld from a tenement called Jorieslond.

Cherringg. 24s. rent receivable from William de Newent near Cherringg.

The (sums due for the) guard of the castle of Dover and for Romescot of the church of Folkstan, are to be equally paid by both parties; and the profits of the half hundred of Folkstan, wrecks, and anything herein omitted, and any reversions which may happen, are to be equally divided; and it was agreed that certain lands &c., which after the death of the said Richard, who predeceased the said Joan, were delivered to the said heirs, should be resumed into the king's hand, and (with) the other lands now in the king's hand by the death of the said Joan, be delivered to the heirs according to the tenor of these pourparties.

(See Nos. 273 and 424.)

C. Edw. II. File 86. (3.)

Joan married Richard de Rokesle, son of John de Rokesle and Unknown. (Richard de Rokesle was born before 16 Nov 1278 ¹ and died before 6 May 1321 ¹⁴.)