Henry of Newburgh, 1st Earl of Warwick
Henry was the second of two three sons and third of four children of Sir Roger de Beaumont and Adeline of Meulan, daughter of Waleran III, Count de Meulan. Grandson of Humphrey de Vieilles, born at the castle of Newburg near Louviers, Normandy, which he inherited.
Henry married Margaret, the daughter of Geoffrey de Perche and Beatrix of Montdidier and had five sons:
* Roger de Beaumont, 2nd Earl of Warwick
* Robert de Beaumont, Steward of Normandy
* Rotrou, Bishop of Evreux, Archbishop of Rouen, Chief Justiciar and Steward of Normandy
* Geoffrey de Neubourg, ducal justice in Normandy
* Henry de Neubourg, Henry of Gower, held the Gower lordship
The historian Orderic Vitalis stated Henry was with William II on his 1088 campaign in the Midlands when he was given the charge of Warwick Castle as Constable, and William made him Earl of Warwick the same year and awarded Henry with Warwick Castle, along with it's borough and manor. Henry founded the Church of All Saints within the castle walls by 1119, but the Bishop of Worcester felt it was an inappropriate location for a church and removed it in 1127 or 1128. The castle left the family when his son's wife, Gundred de Warenne, was tricked into believing her husband was dead and turned the castle over to King Henry II's invading army in 1153.
Henry also received an unprecedented group of royal estates in Rutland and the royal forest of Sutton, the current day Sutton Chase, believed to have been an arrangement to protect his earldom between his father, brother and King William. His brother, Robert de Beaumont, Count of Meulan, a proven companion to William at the Battle of Hastings, is mentioned in the Domesday Book with English holdings.
Henry was in high favor at court after he had assisted in the reconciliation of King William and his son, Robert Curthouse in 1081. Both Henry and his brother were also with the royal hunting party at Hampshire that fateful day when William was killed by an arrow. Both Beaumonts swore their allegiance to William's brother Henry I, the few who would remain loyal to Henry as the barons supported Duke Robert Curthose for the throne.
King Henry I awarded Henry with the lordship of Gower, Wales around 1107 where Henry built a castle at Swansea that withstood an attack by the Welsh in 113. Henry also captured the Gower Peninsula in south west Glamorgan. Either Henry or his barons built more castles at Penrhys, Llanrhidian and Swansea, Oystermouth and Loughor, but little remains today besides a mound and keep.
Henry was by disposition quiet and retiring, and was overshadowed by his elder brother Robert de Beaumont, 1st Earl of Leicester, reputedly one of the most brilliant men in England. Odericus recorded that "he earned this honor by his valor and loyalty" and Wace writes he was "a brave man".
Henry retired to the Abbey at Preaux as a monk, where the eighteenth century woodcut of his tomb, and that of his father and brother, can still be seen.
Henry was the second of two three sons and third of four children of Sir Roger de Beaumont and Adeline of Meulan, daughter of Waleran III, Count de Meulan. Grandson of Humphrey de Vieilles, born at the castle of Newburg near Louviers, Normandy, which he inherited.
Henry married Margaret, the daughter of Geoffrey de Perche and Beatrix of Montdidier and had five sons:
* Roger de Beaumont, 2nd Earl of Warwick
* Robert de Beaumont, Steward of Normandy
* Rotrou, Bishop of Evreux, Archbishop of Rouen, Chief Justiciar and Steward of Normandy
* Geoffrey de Neubourg, ducal justice in Normandy
* Henry de Neubourg, Henry of Gower, held the Gower lordship
The historian Orderic Vitalis stated Henry was with William II on his 1088 campaign in the Midlands when he was given the charge of Warwick Castle as Constable, and William made him Earl of Warwick the same year and awarded Henry with Warwick Castle, along with it's borough and manor. Henry founded the Church of All Saints within the castle walls by 1119, but the Bishop of Worcester felt it was an inappropriate location for a church and removed it in 1127 or 1128. The castle left the family when his son's wife, Gundred de Warenne, was tricked into believing her husband was dead and turned the castle over to King Henry II's invading army in 1153.
Henry also received an unprecedented group of royal estates in Rutland and the royal forest of Sutton, the current day Sutton Chase, believed to have been an arrangement to protect his earldom between his father, brother and King William. His brother, Robert de Beaumont, Count of Meulan, a proven companion to William at the Battle of Hastings, is mentioned in the Domesday Book with English holdings.
Henry was in high favor at court after he had assisted in the reconciliation of King William and his son, Robert Curthouse in 1081. Both Henry and his brother were also with the royal hunting party at Hampshire that fateful day when William was killed by an arrow. Both Beaumonts swore their allegiance to William's brother Henry I, the few who would remain loyal to Henry as the barons supported Duke Robert Curthose for the throne.
King Henry I awarded Henry with the lordship of Gower, Wales around 1107 where Henry built a castle at Swansea that withstood an attack by the Welsh in 113. Henry also captured the Gower Peninsula in south west Glamorgan. Either Henry or his barons built more castles at Penrhys, Llanrhidian and Swansea, Oystermouth and Loughor, but little remains today besides a mound and keep.
Henry was by disposition quiet and retiring, and was overshadowed by his elder brother Robert de Beaumont, 1st Earl of Leicester, reputedly one of the most brilliant men in England. Odericus recorded that "he earned this honor by his valor and loyalty" and Wace writes he was "a brave man".
Henry retired to the Abbey at Preaux as a monk, where the eighteenth century woodcut of his tomb, and that of his father and brother, can still be seen.
Henry of Newburgh, 1st Earl of Warwick
Henry was the second of two three sons and third of four children of Sir Roger de Beaumont and Adeline of Meulan, daughter of Waleran III, Count de Meulan. Grandson of Humphrey de Vieilles, born at the castle of Newburg near Louviers, Normandy, which he inherited.
Henry married Margaret, the daughter of Geoffrey de Perche and Beatrix of Montdidier and had five sons:
* Roger de Beaumont, 2nd Earl of Warwick
* Robert de Beaumont, Steward of Normandy
* Rotrou, Bishop of Evreux, Archbishop of Rouen, Chief Justiciar and Steward of Normandy
* Geoffrey de Neubourg, ducal justice in Normandy
* Henry de Neubourg, Henry of Gower, held the Gower lordship
The historian Orderic Vitalis stated Henry was with William II on his 1088 campaign in the Midlands when he was given the charge of Warwick Castle as Constable, and William made him Earl of Warwick the same year and awarded Henry with Warwick Castle, along with it's borough and manor. Henry founded the Church of All Saints within the castle walls by 1119, but the Bishop of Worcester felt it was an inappropriate location for a church and removed it in 1127 or 1128. The castle left the family when his son's wife, Gundred de Warenne, was tricked into believing her husband was dead and turned the castle over to King Henry II's invading army in 1153.
Henry also received an unprecedented group of royal estates in Rutland and the royal forest of Sutton, the current day Sutton Chase, believed to have been an arrangement to protect his earldom between his father, brother and King William. His brother, Robert de Beaumont, Count of Meulan, a proven companion to William at the Battle of Hastings, is mentioned in the Domesday Book with English holdings.
Henry was in high favor at court after he had assisted in the reconciliation of King William and his son, Robert Curthouse in 1081. Both Henry and his brother were also with the royal hunting party at Hampshire that fateful day when William was killed by an arrow. Both Beaumonts swore their allegiance to William's brother Henry I, the few who would remain loyal to Henry as the barons supported Duke Robert Curthose for the throne.
King Henry I awarded Henry with the lordship of Gower, Wales around 1107 where Henry built a castle at Swansea that withstood an attack by the Welsh in 113. Henry also captured the Gower Peninsula in south west Glamorgan. Either Henry or his barons built more castles at Penrhys, Llanrhidian and Swansea, Oystermouth and Loughor, but little remains today besides a mound and keep.
Henry was by disposition quiet and retiring, and was overshadowed by his elder brother Robert de Beaumont, 1st Earl of Leicester, reputedly one of the most brilliant men in England. Odericus recorded that "he earned this honor by his valor and loyalty" and Wace writes he was "a brave man".
Henry retired to the Abbey at Preaux as a monk, where the eighteenth century woodcut of his tomb, and that of his father and brother, can still be seen.
Henry was the second of two three sons and third of four children of Sir Roger de Beaumont and Adeline of Meulan, daughter of Waleran III, Count de Meulan. Grandson of Humphrey de Vieilles, born at the castle of Newburg near Louviers, Normandy, which he inherited.
Henry married Margaret, the daughter of Geoffrey de Perche and Beatrix of Montdidier and had five sons:
* Roger de Beaumont, 2nd Earl of Warwick
* Robert de Beaumont, Steward of Normandy
* Rotrou, Bishop of Evreux, Archbishop of Rouen, Chief Justiciar and Steward of Normandy
* Geoffrey de Neubourg, ducal justice in Normandy
* Henry de Neubourg, Henry of Gower, held the Gower lordship
The historian Orderic Vitalis stated Henry was with William II on his 1088 campaign in the Midlands when he was given the charge of Warwick Castle as Constable, and William made him Earl of Warwick the same year and awarded Henry with Warwick Castle, along with it's borough and manor. Henry founded the Church of All Saints within the castle walls by 1119, but the Bishop of Worcester felt it was an inappropriate location for a church and removed it in 1127 or 1128. The castle left the family when his son's wife, Gundred de Warenne, was tricked into believing her husband was dead and turned the castle over to King Henry II's invading army in 1153.
Henry also received an unprecedented group of royal estates in Rutland and the royal forest of Sutton, the current day Sutton Chase, believed to have been an arrangement to protect his earldom between his father, brother and King William. His brother, Robert de Beaumont, Count of Meulan, a proven companion to William at the Battle of Hastings, is mentioned in the Domesday Book with English holdings.
Henry was in high favor at court after he had assisted in the reconciliation of King William and his son, Robert Curthouse in 1081. Both Henry and his brother were also with the royal hunting party at Hampshire that fateful day when William was killed by an arrow. Both Beaumonts swore their allegiance to William's brother Henry I, the few who would remain loyal to Henry as the barons supported Duke Robert Curthose for the throne.
King Henry I awarded Henry with the lordship of Gower, Wales around 1107 where Henry built a castle at Swansea that withstood an attack by the Welsh in 113. Henry also captured the Gower Peninsula in south west Glamorgan. Either Henry or his barons built more castles at Penrhys, Llanrhidian and Swansea, Oystermouth and Loughor, but little remains today besides a mound and keep.
Henry was by disposition quiet and retiring, and was overshadowed by his elder brother Robert de Beaumont, 1st Earl of Leicester, reputedly one of the most brilliant men in England. Odericus recorded that "he earned this honor by his valor and loyalty" and Wace writes he was "a brave man".
Henry retired to the Abbey at Preaux as a monk, where the eighteenth century woodcut of his tomb, and that of his father and brother, can still be seen.
