Juhel de Totnes

Citations

1. [S1394] Feudal barony of Barnstaple, source - Sanders, I.J., English Baronies, Oxford, 1960 - At some time before his death in 1100 King William II re-granted the barony of Barnstaple to Juhel de Totnes (d.1123/30), formerly feudal baron of Totnes, from which barony the king had expelled him after the death of his father William the Conqueror in 1087. In about 1107, Juhel, who had already founded Totnes Priory, founded Barnstaple Priory, of the Cluniac order, dedicated to St Mary Magdalene. Juhel's son and heir was Alfred de Totnes.
2. [S1397] Juhel de Totnes, Juhel de Totnes (d. 1123/30) (alias Juhel fitz Alfred, Juhel de Mayenne, Judel, Judhel, Judael, Judhael, Joel, Judhel de Totenais, Latinised to Judhellus filius Aluredi) was a nobleman and supporter of William the Conqueror (1066-1087).
   He originated either in Britanny or northern France. He was the son of a certain Alfred, Latinised to Aluredus, expressed in Anglo-Norman French as fitz Alfred (i.e. Latin filius, modern French fils de, "son of"). He had a brother named Robert (Latin: Rotbertus) named in the foundation charter of Totnes Priory, c. 1087.
   In 1069 Juhel was one of the leaders of the Breton forces on the Norman side, fighting against the remaining forces that had been loyal to King Harold. He had been granted by William the Conqueror the feudal baron of Totnes, Devon, and held many manors in south-west England, at the time of the Domesday Book of 1086, including Clawton, Broadwood Kelly, Bridford and Cornworthy.In about 1087 he founded Totnes Priory. He was expelled from the barony of Totnes shortly after the death of King William I in 1087. According to the historian Frank Barlow (1983), King William II "replaced the Breton Judhel, whom he expelled from Totnes at the beginning of his reign for an unknown reason, with his favourite, Roger I of Nonant". However at some time before 1100 Juhel was granted the large feudal barony of Barnstaple, Devon.
   Juhel had two daughters and a son named Alfred, the latter who died without progeny before 1139.Alfred's two sisters, one of whose name is unknown and Aenor, were his co-heiresses, each inheriting a moiety of the barony of Barnstaple. The unnamed sister married Henry de Tracy whilst Aenor married Philip de Braose (d.1134/55), feudal baron of Bramber, Sussex and a Marcher Lord,[8][9] son of William I de Braose (d.1093/6). In 1206 Juhel's great-grandson William III de Braose (1140/50-1211) regained control of 1/2 the barony of Totnes.
   Juhel was still living in 1123 but had died before 1130.
3. [S1399] A A Pomeroy, History and genealogy of the Pomeroy family, Page 105 - The earliest known charter of Totnes was granted by King John; several more were subsequently given, which are now in possession of the corporation, and are kept in the old Guildhall beside the prison. These buildings are portions of the Priory of St. Mary, which was founded by Judhael de Totnais, who also built the castle. He was one of William the Conquerer's favorite followers who received substantial reward for their devotion, and to Judhael 107 manors were given.
   
   page 166 - Judhael of Totnes gave the parish church, whose tower is a hundred feet
   high, as "ecclesiam Sancte Marie de Tottenes" to the great Benedictine Abbey
   of SS. Sergius and Bacchus at Angers. It was rebuilt in the thirteenth century
   and again in the fifteenth
   
   
   
   page 168 - Juhel, Johel, or Judhel, of Totnes, was himself the son of an Alfred, and
   was succeeded by his son Alfred, who joined Baldwin de Redvers in his defense
   of the castle of Exeter in 1136.
   An early authority alleges that after the death of the Conqueror, William
   Rufus expelled Juhel from Totnes and gave his inheritance to Roger deNonant;
   but Juhel was certainly lord of both Barnstaple and Totnes in 1113, though
   it is possible that Nonant may have been in possession of Totnes under him;
   for in 1123, whilst Johel still held Barnstaple Guy de Nonant apparently held
   Totnes. Henry I must therefore have given Totnes or approved its transfer
   to Roger de Nonant some time before 1123; but not until he had previously
   granted the castle, together with the manor of Cornworthy and Loddiswell,
   to Reginald de Braosse. Roger de Nonant was succeeded by his sons Guy,.