William Cheever

William Cheever (fl. 1086) (alias Chievre) (Latinised to Capra, "she-goat",^[1] from French chèvre) was one of the 52 Devon Domesday Book tenants-in-chief of King William the Conqueror. He held 46 landholdings in Devon.^[2] His lands later formed (together with three of the four Devonshire estates of Ralph de Limesy),^[3] the feudal barony of Bradninch, Devon.^[4] His brother was Ralph de Pomeroy, feudal baron of Berry Pomeroy,^[4] Devon, with whom several of his holdings had been divided into two parts, one for each brother.^[1] His sister was Beatrix, who held from him the manor of Southleigh.^[5]

Succession

It is not known whether Cheever married and left progeny; however, his estates escheated to the crown during the reign of King Henry I (1100–1135), who granted them to his own illegitimate son William I de Tracy (died c. 1136).

References

^ ^a ^b Thorn & Thorn, part 2 (notes) chap.19
^ Thorn & Thorn, part 1, chap.19, 1-46
^ Thorn & Thorn, part 2 (notes) chaps.19; 31
^ ^a ^b Sanders, p.20; Thorn, part 2, chap.19
^ Thorn & Thorn, Chap.19, 46, Beatrix is called "his sister" in the Exon Domesday in the holding of Southleigh

Sources

Sanders, I.J. English Baronies: A Study of their Origin and Descent 1086-1327, Oxford, 1960 (Pages 20–1, Barony of Bradninch)
Thorn, Caroline & Frank, (eds.) Domesday Book, (Morris, John, gen.ed.) Vol. 9, Devon, Parts 1 & 2, Phillimore Press, Chichester, 1985. (Parts 1 & 2 chapter 19, holdings of William Cheever)

[ThornC19-1] Thorn & Thorn, part 2 (notes) chap.19

[2] Thorn & Thorn, part 1, chap.19, 1-46

[3] Thorn & Thorn, part 2 (notes) chaps.19; 31

[SandersThorn-4] Sanders, p.20; Thorn, part 2, chap.19

[5] Thorn & Thorn, Chap.19, 46, Beatrix is called "his sister" in the Exon Domesday in the holding of Southleigh

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