Note 6.3

Records of the Templars in England in the Twelfth Century, The Inquest of 1185 With Illustrative Charters and Documents, edited by Beatrice A Lees, (published for the British Academy Records of Social and Economic History, Volume ix, London, 1935) gives the following concession and confirmation by William de Braose of his mother's gift (my translation): William de Braose, to all his men of the castelry of Bramber, both clerics and laity, and to all sons of the holy church of God, I greet you and love you in Christ. Let it be known by all of you that I, William de Braose have conceded and confirmed the gift which my mother Anor gave for the soul of my father Philip and for the souls of our ancestors and also for the redemption of our sins to the Knights brothers of the Temple of Solomon namely five acres of her dower at the port of Bramber. I conceded and confirmed also that this gift should be held absolute and quit in alms. Testibus Hugone de Cumbis et Normano Fratre eius, Heueo de Harcourt, et Simone Comite, et Buceo de Sillintona et Oliver Clerico. Aanor does not witness this charter but may be assumed to be present at her son's concession to her gift. Lees links this charter with Philip de Harcourt's gift of Shipley to the Knights Templar and William de Braose's confirmation of this, therefore dating it 1139 or earlier. Aanor gave land from her dower for the soul of Philip, indicating that her husband had died. Philip's son may have taken increasing control of his lands after the blindness described by Gerald of Wales but Aanor's gift from her dower surely marks her husband's death. William de Braose confirmed his father's gifts to Saint Florent Abbey in the presence of Seffrid I, Bishop of Chichester (1125-1147) in a notification dated January 27, 1144 by H E Salter in Facsimiles of Early Charters in Oxford Muniment Rooms (1929), number 5. This would seem to give an indication of Philip de Braose's death and the period of Aanor's gift, except for evidence that William possibly succeeded to his Welsh lands at an earlier date. This may have been because his father was blind or elderly. Alternatively, the troubles of the civil war may account for the confirmation of 1144, leaving the date of Philip de Braose's death unclear. A charter of King Stephen granting the borough and county of Hereford to Robert, Earl of Leicester has been dated 1140-1144 but "probably 1140 at Newton". Here William de Braose appears as "feodo", or holdng from the King. This is reproduced in Regesta Regum Anglo-Normannorum 1066-1154, Volume III, edited by H A Cronne and R H C Davis, Oxford 1968 (number 437, page 165). Saint Mary's House in The Street, Bramber now stands on the site of the Templar property donated by Aanor. A flooded chapel has been discovered beneath the house. It has yet to be investigated and confirmed as part of the Templar building.

home back