Submitted to Bob Pipes in 1999 by Clyde Hathaway from Johnson City, New York
The Pipes Family Home Page 1999
Many thanks to Clyde Hathaway for sending his notes and research summary for the Hathaway family in Early England. As you will see, there is a lot of information about the early family, then a big gap for about 200 years ( from late 1300's to late 1500's) and then we pick up the family again in London with our Nicholas Hathaway, born in 1595.
William, son of Baderon, as stated in the Doomsday Book for Gloucestershire and Herefordshire received many grants of land and manors from William the conqueror after the Battle of Hastings of 1066.
Soon after Monmouth Castle was built, William, his father Baderon and Uncle Wihenoc were placed in charge.
One of William’s (we will call him William I, because there were 10 generations of William's descendants) many manors was Heathway at Ruardean, in the Forest of Dean. This Heathway manor was previously (prior to 1066) owned by a Saxon noble Haedhweg (Hadwic,Hadueie) which translates to Heathway-- by corruption Hathaway. This noble also owned a manor at Wormsley, in an administrative hundred near the Welsh border.
William I married a lady from the manor at Wormsley and thus gained control of this manor.
He decided to make his headquarters at Heathway and thus became known as William de Heathway.
William’s son, Baderon, was given control of Monmouth Castle and was known as Baderon of Monmouth. (You can find more about him on the internet). William I's son, William II, settled in the manor at Little Lydney. He later controlled Heathway Manor. When St. Briavels Castle was built at Little Lydney in 1086 the King appointed William II as Constable of the Forest of Dean- a hereditary title with status of lesser Baron, since he answered directly to the King.
It should be mentioned in passing that William I, Baderon and Wihenoc were Bretons who spoke a language similar to Welsh and were familiar with their customs. William II married a Welsh lady.
After the Castle was built Little Lydney became known as St Briavels. The peerage line continued through 10 generations, but became extinct in 1377, due to the Black Plague.
(Maps of the area of the "Forest of Dean" or "Ruardean" and the town of St. Briavels are on the web page. They are located in the SW of England, where the rivers Severn and Wye come together. RJP)
More Details about the man William Fitzbaderon DeHeathway
(The above name can be translated to 'William, son of Baderon, of Heathway' RJP)
Available data point to the conclusion that this man— described in the Domesday Book for Hereforeshire and Gloucestershire and, to some extent, Mary Morley Hatheway’s book— is the progenitor of the family nameholders "Hathaway" in all its various forms. (Note: I am not familiar with this book, will have to look for it. RJP)
Lets look at some of the documented facts about this man.
First, who was he? The Domesday book says he was the son of Baderon (Batrun or Baderun) and the nephew of Wihenoc (Gueithenauc), Baderon’s brother.
Wihenoc and Baderon are said to be Bretons— from Brittany, near Normandy, in France. The Bretons were closely related to the Welsh by language and custom and there was commerce and other interchange between the two nations.
Apparently these men were highly considered either by William the Conqueror or by his chosen Earl for Herefordshire and the area between the Wye and Severn rivers, to the Usk.
Earl William FitzOsbern.
Earl William was overlord to our William and the Earl was free to distribute lands for King William. (With the King in agreement). King William also made grants in his own right. We should also note that it was probably politically expedient for King William to have men in power along the Welsh border who had some degree of rapport with the Welsh, which would seem to be the case with our Bretons.
Secondly, let's look at the lands and manors held by our William, and, as much as possible, how he obtained them.
The King held some manors and land for his own in this area. (Technically, he held the whole country.). He also determined who would have control of castles and the associated lands to support and feed them.
It is interesting to note how many holdings were reserved for our William on the King’s land. (An interesting area of investigation would be to whom King William’s sisters and daughters were married.)
( Note: I will leave the definition of all of the terms used in the rest of this paper to all of you working on Early english history. Some are obvious and some are not. RJP)
The Domesday Book for Herefordshire lists the following records:
King’s land- William Fitzbaderon DeHeathway held-
in Bromash Hundred— LINTON,
1 virgate of land. (maybe 20 acres ).
Also, Ansfrid of Cormeilles held 2 hides. (about 240 acres )
The church of St.Mary’s of Cormeilles holds the church.
in Winstree Hundred-
(MUCH) MARCLE; 6 acres.
3 acres to church of St. Mary’s of Cormeilles.
in Bromash Hundred— CLEEVE (outlier of WILTON)
1 hide and 3 virgates.
St. Mary’s of Cormeilles holds the church.
in Monmouth Castle-
William has charge of King William’s 4 ploughs.
William has 8 ploughs of his own.
William’s men-at-arms hold 7 ploughs.
Welshmen hold 24 ploughs.
St. Florent’s of Saumur church of Anjou, holds the church. (Department of Maine et Loire. France.)
It should be noted that King William had given control of Monmouth Castle to Earl William FitzOsbern, who gave control to his 3 knights -- Humphry, Osbern and William the Scriptor. After the revolt of 1075 of Earl William’s son, Roger of Lacy, control of the castle was turned over to Wihenoc. He had the church of the castle consecrated, after which he founded a Priory there as a dependency of St. Florent of Saumur He then became a monk in the Priory and turned over control of his manor of Hope Mansell to William Fitzbaderon DeHeathway.
Land of Roger of Lacy (Earl Roger Forfeited his land after revolt of 1675.)
in Stretford Hundred-
WORMELEY
Heathway held it. (before 1656). He could go where he would. 1 virgate of land which does not pay tax. Land for 1 plough.
Heathway held 2 manors -- Heathway Manor at Ruardean and the Manor at Wormsley. Wormsley was in an administrative Hundred - used by the Saxons to exact tribute from the Welsh and take care of other border duties. He must have been a Saxon of some importance.
Mary Morley Hatheway states that William of Heathway married a lady from the Manor at Wormsley, thus gaining control of the Manor. He gave it to his eldest daughter as a wedding dowry.
As references for Monmouth Castle research; Domesday Book lists the following:
The book of Llan Dav.(Welsh)
Mon. Ang. iv p. 596.
Round in VCH
CDF
Marchegay
Land of William, son of Baderon (in his own right).
in Bromash Hundred
HOPE (MANSELL) -
William apparently received this manor from his Uncle Wihenoc. who became a monk in the Priory of the church of Monmouth Castle. William let it out to Salomon.
RUARDEAN (HEATHWAY MANOR)
Heathway held it. William leases to Saloman. (it is my humble opinion that Ruardean did not exist before 1066. At some point a Norman Keep (defensive tower) was erected west of the manor house - a few hundred yards - and was designated "rerewarden" Norman French for "rearguard" - to cover the advance of Earl William and the other Norman forces into Herefordshire.
BICKERTON
Geoffrey holds from William. Adolf held it; he could go where he would. 1 hide which pays tax. In lordship: 2 ploughs, 2 villagers with 1 plough, 2 smallholders and 2 slaves.
in Radlow Hundred
STRETTON (Grandison) -
ThorKell held it from Earl Harold. (The Saxon King who died at Hastings. William the Conqueror wouldn't let anyone call him King.) 3 1/2 hides which pay tax. In lordship 2 ploughs; 7 villagers and 1 smallholder with 7 ploughs; 3 slaves, Meadow, 2 acres;
WHITWICK
Thorkell held it from Earl Harold. 2 hides which pay tax. In lordship 2 ploughs; 1 villager and 2 smallholders with 1 plough, 3 slaves. Meadow, 2 acres.
ASHPERTON
Wulfwy held it from Earl Harold. He could go where he would. 5 1/2 hides which pay tax. In lordship 4 ploughs, 6 villagers and 2 smallholders with 3 ploughs, 13 slaves. Meadow, 20 acres, woodland, 1 league in both length and width.
WALSOPTHORNE
Gerald holds from William. Thorkell. Wulfmer's man held it. He could go where he would. 1 hide and 1 virgate which pay tax. In lordship 1 plough. 3 smallholders and 1 freeman with 1 plough. Meadow, 2 acres.
MUNSLEY
Aelfric held it. He could go where he would. 1 1/2 hides. They pay tax. In lordship; 1 plough, 3 smallholders, and 1 slave. 1 more plough possible there.
in Gloucestershire
LITTLE LYDNEY (later ST. BRIAVELS)
William Fitzbaderon DeHeathway owned the manor at Little Lydney. as mentioned in the Domesday Book for Gloucestershire and in the pamphlet "The Castle of St. Briavels" by Arthur Clark. M.A., published by Youth Hostels Association of South Isles Region. The castle was probably built after 1686, because Domesday still calls it Little Lydney. There is no known reference until 1121. However, the church was built about 1656, according to a pamphlet given out by the church.
The castle was built as a hunting lodge for the king, and to serve as office for the hereditary title "Constable of the Forest of Dean" to administer Justice to deer poachers, those who stole the king's trees and to issue control licenses for the many iron ore deposits. It contained a prison and dungeon and also served as part of the defense system for the Welsh border.
St. Briavels was St. Breock in Cornwall, St. Brieuc in Brittany and St.Briog in Wales.
The possibility exists that early on William was squire to Earl William, or possibly Wihenoc. Earl William’s choice of church donation seems to be St. Mary's of Cormeilles and Abbey of Lire, in Normandy.
Wihenoc and William Fitzbaderon DeHeathway seem to favor St. Florent of Saumur (Anjou). Earl William had given tithes of Little Lydney - later St. Briavels, to the abbey mentioned above. Later, when the castle was built, of which William Fitzbaderon DeHeathway’s son was in charge he gave part interest in the tithe to St. Florent of Saumur.
I have tried to show the possibilities for further investigation by use of internet, large libraries, Castle records, County records, Church records or whatever else your imagination brings forth. Good luck! I will continue searching as long as I am able. Clyde W. Hathaway. June 16, 1997.
( NOTE: Clyde's E-Mail address is: clydew@spectra.net )