William Cheever Explained

William Cheever (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 1136).

Sources

Notes and References

  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
  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