Walter I de Claville (floruit 1086) (alias de Clarville and Latinised to de Clavilla) was an Anglo-Norman magnate and one of the 52 Devon Domesday Book tenants-in-chief of King William the Conqueror. He also held lands in Dorset. His Devonshire estates later formed part of the feudal barony of Gloucester.Thorn, part 2, chapter 24
Origins He is believed to have originated at any one of the manors called Claville or Clasville in the Duchy of Normandy, namely:Thorn, part 2, chapter 24 Claville near ÉvreuxHutchins' Dorset (quoted by Cleveland): "Which of the places in Normandy called Claville gave name to this family has not been discovered, but there is a village of that name in the Campagne de Neubourg, a little to the west of Evreux, from which it is rather more probable they sprung than from Claville Motteville in the arrondissement of Rouen, mentioned as their original seat, because a great majority of the followers of the Conqueror were drawn from that part of the Duchy that lies Southwards of the river Seine. Claville-Motteville near Yvetot Clasville near Cany Barville His brother was Gotshelm, also a Devonshire tenant-in-chief, whose estates also later formed part of the feudal barony of Gloucester.Thorn, part 2, chapter 24; Gotshelm's estates listed in Thorn, part 2, chapter 25
Progeny It is not known whether he married and left progeny, however Walter II de Claville (supposed by Cleveland to be his grandsonCleveland, Battle Abbey Roll) in about 1170 gave many of Walter I's former Domesday Book estates to a priory which he established on his estate of Leigh within his manor of Burlescombe, later known as Canons' Leigh Priory.Thorn, part 2, chapters 24,15 Furthermore, several of his estates were held in the 13th century by a certain "William de Claville", as recorded in the Book of Fees (see list below).Thorn, part 2, chapter 24, passim
Succession
Sir William Pole (d.1635) gives the descent of the manor of Lomen Clavill, in the parish of Uplowman, as follows:Pole, William, Collections Towards a Description of the County of Devon, London, 1791, p. 212 Walter I de Claville, Domesday Book tenant William I de Claville Sir Walter II de Claville William II de Claville Sir Walter III de Claville Sir William III de Claville Sir Roger I de Claville, who according to Risdon died sans issue and was succeeded by his nephew William Clavell.Risdon, Tristram, Survey of Devon, London, 1811, with 1810 Additions, p. 69 John I de Claville (brother), heir of Roger I according to Pole. Apparently the John Clavell who according to Risdon was the grandson of William and died in the reign of King Edward III (1327–1377), having been "slain the next day after his marriage, coming from London to these parts, but his wife was conceived with child and brought a son, who had this (Lomen Clavell) and other his father's inheritance".Risdon, p. 69 Risdon however gives his son and heir as William. John II de Claville (son), according to Pole. John III de Claville William IV de Claville (son) William V de Claville (son), died without progeny
According to Sir William Pole (d.1635), the male line of the Clavell family was extinguished during the reign of King Richard II (1377–1399).Pole, William, Collections Towards a Description of the County of Devon, London, 1791, p. 511 The heir to Lomen Clavell was the Beare family, lords of the nearby manor of Huntsham.Pole, p. 511; Risdon, p. 69 There was however at some time a dispute over the inheritance between Thomas Beare and Sir Henry Perchey (alias Percehay).Risdon, p. 69; Pole, p. 212 The hamlets of Lomen Clavell and Bukinton Clavell still retained the family's name in the 19th century.Cleveden, Duchess of, Battle Abbey Roll According to Pole the arms of "Clavill of Burlescombe" were: Or, three keys gulesPole, p. 478 which are thus canting arms alluding to the Latin clavis, meaning a "key".
In Dorsetshire however the family continued longer than the Devonshire branch and according to Hutchins (d.1773) the Dorsetshire historian: "the family of Clavell could boast an antiquity not to be equalled in this county and very rarely in any other", and was carried on in the male line until the latter half of the 17th century.Cleveland, quotingHutchins (d.1773), History and Antiquities of the County of Dorset (1774)
Landholdings in Devon The manors or fees held by Walter I de Claville were recorded as 32 separate entries in the following order in the Domesday Book (with modern-day spellings):Thorn, 2, chapter 24, pp. 1–32; some combined entries expanded into constituent fees Name of feeParishHundredBook of Fees tenant-in-chiefBook of Feesmesne tenantBywoodDunkeswellHemyockHonour of GloucesterJohn de Claville (whose tenant was Dunkeswell Abbey)Brampford SpekeBrampford SpekeWonfordHonour of GloucesterAgnes de Esford (i.e. de Ayshford, see below)Withycombe RaleighWithycombe RaleighEast Budleigh Honour of GloucesterWilliam de ClavilleWest RaddonShobrookeWest Budleighunrecorded TiCunrecordedWashford PyneWashford PyneWitheridgeunknownHerbert de PinuDrayfordWitheridgeWitheridgeHonour of GloucesterJohn le DespencerSydehamRackenfordWitheridgeunknownHerbert de PinuSee Thorn, part 2, pp. 24,5Craze Lowman (Claville Lomene)TivertonTivertonHonour of GloucesterWilliam de ClavilleKidwellUplowmanHalbertonHonour of GloucesterWilliam de ClavilleMurleyUplowmanHalbertonHonour of GloucesterJohn LanceleveeCoombeUplowmanHalbertonHonour of GloucesterRobert AvenelBoehillSampford PeverellHalbertonHonour of GloucesterWilliam de ClavilleAyshfordBurlescombeHalbertonHonour of GloucesterAgnes de EsfordAppledoreBurlescombeHalbertonHonour of GloucesterWilliam de ClavilleCanonsleigh (Leige)BurlescombeHalbertonUnknown(post 1170 Canonsleigh Priory)LeonardHalbertonHalbertonHonour of GloucesterDunkeswell AbbeyBere (possibly Netherton)possibly FarwayColytonunknownunknownBuckland-Tout-Saints(Woodmanstone in Bearscombe)Buckland-Tout-SaintsColeridgeHonour of GloucesterThomas de WodemanestonNorth PoolSouth PoolColeridgeHonour of GloucesterWilliam de BykeleghLupridge (Colemore)North Huish (formerly in Ermington)StanboroughHonour of GloucesterWilliam de BykeleghHeld by same tenant as Pool. Thorn, part 2, pp. 24,20Leigh (All Hallows Leigh/Leigh All Saints)ChurchstowStanboroughHonour of GloucesterGeoffrey de Insula (de L'Isle)One virgate in IddesleighIddesleighShebbearHonour of GloucesterunknownDowlandDowlandNorth TawtonHonour of GloucesterHenry de Nuny and wife MatildaLoosedon (Lullardeston)WinkleighNorth TawtonHonour of GloucesterRoger ColeOne virgate in DowlandNorth TawtonNorth TawtonunknownunknownInstow (DB:Lohannestov (i.e.Johannes Stow, "John's Church")InstowFremingtonHonour of GloucesterJohn de Sancto Johanne (de St John)Thorn, part 2, pp. 24,26 Book of Fees name of manor: JonestoweChetelescote (possibly "Gillscott")possibly Coldridgepossibly North TawtonunknownunknownNimet (Wolvys Nymet/Wolfin)Down St MaryNorth TawtonHonour of GloucesterWalter le Lou (le loup, "wolf")ShobrookeMorchard BishopCreditonunknownunknownBurlescombeBurlescombeBamptonunknowngiven c.1170 to Canonsleigh Priory by Walter II ClavilleThorn, part 2, pp. 24,30Cicletunknownpossibly BamptonunknownunknownVirworthy (held jointly with brother Gotshelm)PancrasweekBlack Torringtonunknownunknown
Landholdings in Dorset In Dorset he held five manors including East Morden, since known as Morden-Maltravers.Cleveland According to Hutchins four of the manors held by Walter de Claville in Domesday "seem to have passed at a very early period to a younger son—perhaps before the time of Henry II. Robert de Clavile held a fee in 'Porbica' in the time of Henry I., of which two hides were given to the Abbot of Tewkesbury, probably about 1106, soon after the Monastery of Cranborne became a priory dependent upon the former house. The gift was conferred by charter of King Henry I. In 12 Hen. II., (i.e. 1166 Cartae Baronum) Radulphus de Clavill held one fee in Dorset of Alured de Lincoln, of the "new feoffment", and Robert de Clavile held another of Gerbert de Perci, of the "old feoffment".Cleveland, quoting from Hutchins Tewkesbury Abbey was founded by the Earl of Gloucester and thus is a link to the Honour of Gloucester to which Walter I's Devonshire holdings passed. The arms of the Clavell family of Dorset were: Argent, on a chevron sable three chapeaux or.Cleveland
References
Sources Thorn, Caroline & Frank, (eds.) Domesday Book, (Morris, John, gen. ed.) Vol. 9, Devon, Parts 1 & 2, Phillimore Press, Chichester, 1985, part 2 (notes), chapter 24 Cleveland, Duchess of (Catherine Powlett), The Battle Abbey Roll with some Account of the Norman Lineages, 3 vols., London, 1889, Vol. III, "Clarvaile" Hutchins, John (d. 1773), History and Antiquities of the County of Dorset, 1774