Walter Beke

Walter I Beke (fl. 12th century) (alias Bech, Bek, Beche, Beke, Beek, Bec, etc. Latinised to de Becco[1]), of Eresby in the parish of Spilsby in Lincolnshire, was a prominent Anglo-Flemish[2] landholder.

He held seven knight's fees from the Bishop of Durham as his feudal overlord.[3] At some time after 1167 he gave the Church of Newton to Alvingham Priory, and after his eldest son Hugh was made a knight, he gave lands to Kirkstead Abbey,[4] the cartulary of which records much information relating to his family.

Marriage and children

He married Agnes FitzPinco, daughter and heiress of Hugh FitzPinco, lord of the manor of Eresby, by whom he had four sons:

  • Hugh Beke (d.1189), eldest son and heir apparent, who died unmarried on his return from Crusade.
  • Henry Beke, "weak of understanding", who nevertheless "found a well born and richly dowered bride",[5] Alice de Multon, sister of Thomas de Multon.[6] His son was Walter II Beke,[7] of Eresby, who married Eve de Grey, a niece of Walter de Grey (d.1255), Archbishop of York,[8] and Lord Chancellor, and left three powerful sons:
    • John Beke, 1st Baron Beke (c.1230–1303), of Eresby
    • Thomas Beke (d.1293), Lord Treasurer of England in 1279, Bishop of St David's in 1280, Chancellor of Oxford University in 1289.
    • Anthony Beke (d.1310/11), Prince-Bishop of Durham in 1283, Patriarch of Jerusalem in 1305, "one of the greatest warriors of the day...who died seized of vast possessions in divers counties".[8] He was "one of the chief potentates of his age",[9] whom William Dugdale described as follows: "The prowdest Lorde in Christientie...No man in all the realm, except the King, did equal him for habit, behaviour, and military pomp; and he was more versed in state affairs than in ecclesiastical duties, ever assisting the King most powerfully in his wars, having sometimes in Scotland 26 Standard Bearers, and of his ordinary retinue 140 Knights, so that he was thought to be rather a temporal Prince than a priest or Bishop".[10]
  • Walter Beke, 3rd son, of Lusceby in Lincolnshire,[8] whose grandson Walter Beke was Constable of Lincoln Castle during the reign of King Henry III (1216–1272).[11]
  • Thomas Beke, a priest.[8]

Further reading

Sources

References
  1. Beke, T: "Bech, Bek, Beche, Beek, Bec, de Becco, del Bec, Beck, are met with in ancient records and documents ; Beke, Beeke, Beek, Beak, Beake, in later times. Beke seems to be the most correct form, as well on account of the etymology of the name, as from the fact that it is so spelled in the only original document which I have seen ; namely the charter of John Lord Beke of Eresby"
  2. Beke, T., p.338
  3. As recorded in the Liber Niger, per Duchess of Cleveland
  4. Beke, T.
  5. Duchess of Cleveland
  6. T. Beke, pedigree of Beke
  7. The Pipe Roll of Mich 1222 records the handing over by Henry Beke to Walter II Beke his son of the manors of Eresby, and other lands after the death of Alice, Henry's wife. Walter II Beke had done homage for these lands to the chief lord, the Bishop of Durham and had been allowed to take to wife Eve, "the niece of the Archbishop of York" (Quoted by Rosie Bevan "Walter de Grey, Archbishop of York, is known to have had two sisters as well as his brother Robert de Grey. They were Eve de Grey, wife of William Brito (le Breton), and Agnes de Grey, wife of [Wakelin?] D'Oilly (whose names are given in a charter in J. Raine (ed), The Register of Walter Gray, Archbishop of York, 1215-1255, Surtees Society Publication v.56, p. 227). The Archbishop had been granted the wardship of William Duston's daughters and coheirs, and married two of them to his nephews - Walter de Grey, married to Isabel Duston, and John d'Oyley married to Rose Duston. (Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem, Vol.1, no. 760; Pipe Roll 6 Henry III, p.214-215), quoted at
  8. Cokayne, The Complete Peerage, new edition, Vol.1, p.89, Beke
  9. Duchess of Cleveland
  10. Dugdale, quoted by Duchess of Cleveland
  11. Duchess of Cleveland
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