Honour of Laxton
Assets
The Honour of Laxton has Laxton Castle and the manor of Laxton in demesne, and has subinfeudated 14.5 knight's fees.
The tables show the holders of these subinfeudated fees as of 1166, whether they are of the old enfeoffment (before the death of Henry I in 1135) or new enfeoffment (during the reigns of King Stephen and King Henry II, and (where possible from other documents) where these manors were located.
Old Enfeoffment
| Holder in 1166 | Knight's Fees | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Galf de le Fremont | 2 | Kirkton Wileghby, Walesby, Besthrope, Birchwood | Galf also held fee of new enfeoffment; his brother later sold all these lands to Hugh Bardolf |
| Daniel de Creveceur | 1.5 | ||
| Wife of Robert de Arches | 2 | Grove, near Retford | |
| Jordan de Chevercourt | 1 | Carlton in Lindrick | |
| Thomas de Muscamp | 1 | North Muskham, Little Carlton | |
| Robert de Daniel | 1 | Possibly Walkingham | |
| Ralf de Hamerwych | 1 | ||
| Ralf FitzGeremund | 0.5 | Oxcroft and Avaston, Derbyshire | Granted to Dale Abbey by his descendants |
| Robert de St Peter | 0.5 | ||
| Ralf de Clapole and Ralf de Budington | 1 | ||
| Robert de Bellocampo | 0.5 |
New Enfeoffment
| Holder in 1166 | Knight's Fees | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Galf de la Fremont | 1 | See New Enfeoffment above | |
| Galf de Cauz | 0.5 | Possibly Bradbourne, Derbyshire | |
| Richard Ursel | Robert Ursel (a brother?) may have been the de Caux seneschal in the 1160s | ||
| Aliz, sister of Robert de Caux | Still a minor in 1178 |
History
The honour is a relatively late development, created by Robert II de Caux from 12.5 knight's fees of the honour of Goisfred Anselin. Goisfred's son Ralf Anselin succeeded to the other 25 knight's fees of his father's estate.
Robert seems to have gained these lands before 1130 CE, for in the Pipe Roll of 1130/31 he paid £266 for "land he had with his mother" to Geoffrey de Clinton, a chamberlain of Henry I of England who generally only sued in an official capacity on behalf of the king. Robert paid another 100 silver marks (£66 13s 4d) and one gold mark (£6) for the land of Leowin Chidde. He also paid 200 silver marks (£133 6s 3d) to King Henry at Blythe to be exonerated of other pleas. This comes to a grand total of £471 19s 7d - an enormous sum of money at a time when a knight's fee was valued at £10.
Exactly how Robert de Caux established title to these lands, or how he was able to pay for them, in unclear. That he obtained them "with his mother" Amicia suggests she may have been married to Godfrey Anselin and this was her widow's portion, and Robert her son by later marriage to Robert I de Caux, the Keeper of the Forests of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. If this were the case, it should have reverted to the Anselins on her death, which may be the reason Robert paid King Henry the extra 200 marks at Blythe to be quit of other pleas - he bought the king's approval for what was essentially an unlawful inheritence.
However he achieved it, by Robert II's death c. 1146 CE the core lands of the Honour of Laxton were in his hands - the 12.5 fees of the Anselin honour, plus the lands of Leowin Chidde. His son Robert III de Caux answered for 15.5 knight's fees in the Casrtae Baroni. When Robert III died c. 1168, his daughter Matilda de Caux was a minor. The honour was placed in the custody of Richard de Lucy, Chief Justiciar of England, while his brother Reynold de Lucy assumed the duties of Warden of the Forests, until her majority and marriage to Ralph Fitzstephen in 1177. The honour (and office of keeper) then passed to her and her new husband.
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