Richard de Vernon, Baron of Shipbrook, Cheshire, fl. 1066-1093
Richard de Vernon, Baron of Shipbrook, was the first generation of the Vernon family to have lived in England. He is believed to have accompanied Duke William in the Conquest of 1066 and is mentioned in the Battle Abbey Roll along with Hugh and Walter de Vernon, presumably his relatives.
Whether or not Richard, Walter and Hugh actually fought at the Battle of Hastings, by the Domesday survey of 1086 they had certainly been rewarded by King William, and none more so than Richard.
Hugh (Huard) de Vernon is listed as holding Market Weston in Suffolk. Walter held Fleet Marston, Little Marlow and Hartwell in Buckinghamshire and in Cheshire he held Willington, Eastham, Ledsham, Ness and Prenton. Walter also held land at Churchill in Oxfordshire. Little is known of Hugh, but the land held by Walter at Churchill in Oxfordshire eventually passed to the Vernons of Haddon (the descendants of Richard de Vernon), strongly hinting that the Walter and Richard de Vernon of Domesday were brothers. Walter appears not to have had issue, as his manors of Ness and Prenton were later known to be held by his nephew Walcheline de Vernon (probably son of Richard).
Richard is himself listed in the Domesday survey as holding numerous estates, mainly focused around Cheshire, where he held from the Earl of Chester the manors of Ashton (near Tarvin), Audlem, Bostock, Bredbury, Cogshall, Crewe, Davenham, Hooton, Leftwich, Moulton, Picton, Shipbrook, Shurlach and Wharton. He also held Shropham in Norfolk, also from Earl Hugh of Chester.
Richard was eventually made Baron of Shipbrook, and this became the family's principal seat. Along with several of his Vernon relatives, he was a benefactor of St Werburgh Abbey in Chester, granting to them in 1093 the tithes of Easton and Picton manors.
A charter from the time of Henry I, dated 7 Nov 1106 at Rouen, lists a "Walter, son of Richard de Vernon", suggesting that Richard was still living by then. Given that he was likely of adult age by 1066, it is unlikely Richard lived much beyond that date. Incidentally, this same charter lists as another witness Richard de Redvers, proving beyond doubt that the two contemporary Richard de Vernon (of Shipbrook) and Richard de Redvers also known as Richard de Vernon, were distinct personages.
Whether or not Richard, Walter and Hugh actually fought at the Battle of Hastings, by the Domesday survey of 1086 they had certainly been rewarded by King William, and none more so than Richard.
Hugh (Huard) de Vernon is listed as holding Market Weston in Suffolk. Walter held Fleet Marston, Little Marlow and Hartwell in Buckinghamshire and in Cheshire he held Willington, Eastham, Ledsham, Ness and Prenton. Walter also held land at Churchill in Oxfordshire. Little is known of Hugh, but the land held by Walter at Churchill in Oxfordshire eventually passed to the Vernons of Haddon (the descendants of Richard de Vernon), strongly hinting that the Walter and Richard de Vernon of Domesday were brothers. Walter appears not to have had issue, as his manors of Ness and Prenton were later known to be held by his nephew Walcheline de Vernon (probably son of Richard).
Richard is himself listed in the Domesday survey as holding numerous estates, mainly focused around Cheshire, where he held from the Earl of Chester the manors of Ashton (near Tarvin), Audlem, Bostock, Bredbury, Cogshall, Crewe, Davenham, Hooton, Leftwich, Moulton, Picton, Shipbrook, Shurlach and Wharton. He also held Shropham in Norfolk, also from Earl Hugh of Chester.
Richard was eventually made Baron of Shipbrook, and this became the family's principal seat. Along with several of his Vernon relatives, he was a benefactor of St Werburgh Abbey in Chester, granting to them in 1093 the tithes of Easton and Picton manors.
A charter from the time of Henry I, dated 7 Nov 1106 at Rouen, lists a "Walter, son of Richard de Vernon", suggesting that Richard was still living by then. Given that he was likely of adult age by 1066, it is unlikely Richard lived much beyond that date. Incidentally, this same charter lists as another witness Richard de Redvers, proving beyond doubt that the two contemporary Richard de Vernon (of Shipbrook) and Richard de Redvers also known as Richard de Vernon, were distinct personages.