Michael Linton's Bayeux Tapestry: 1066 - A Medieval Mosaic and Puzzles

Creuquere :

from Crevecoeur, in the arrondissement of Lisieux; a strong castle which still remains in the valley of the Auge. The "sires de Crievecoer" are among the knights enumerated in the Roman du Rou.

"They settled in England, and were divided into two branches, those of Redburn and Kent, from the time of Henry I. See the endowments of Bullington and Leedes in the Monasticon. Hasted says (though his authority may be questioned) that the family name of Hamo Dapifer or Vice-comes of Domesday was Crevequer. He adds that he was brother of Robert Fitz-Hamon; and here he is supported by a charter of the Conqueror to Saint Denis, existing still at Paris, to which we find as witnesses, "Ego Haimo Regis dapifer"—"Ego Robert frater hujus Haimonis."—See Introd. Domesday, i.432. In the Bayeux Inquest, "Hugo de Crevecuire feodum v. mil."—Taylor's Wace. The Kentish Crevecoeurs were Barons of Chatham, and had great possessions in the county. Robert de Crevecoeur in 1119 founded Leedes Priory, which was richly endowed by himself and his two sons. Daniel, the eldest, was buried there; and desiring to be remembered by a good dinner, left a bequest "to the end that the Canons of that House should have the better Commons on the day of his Obit." Daniel's grandson, Hamon, married Maud de Avranches, the famous heiress of Folkestone, by whom he had a son and four daughters. The son died before him; and a grandson named Robert succeeded; a man of fickle loyalty, twice in arms against Henry III., and twice pardoned and restored—who had "no more sons than one call'd William" with whom the line ended. His great inheritance devolved on the four daughters of Hamon and Maud; Agnes, the wife of John de Sandwich; Isold, of Nicholas de Lenham: Elene, of Bertram Cryol; and Isabel, of Henry de Gaunt. Their Kentish seat was Leeds Castle, built on two rocky islands in a lake of fifteen acres, and afterwards a royal manor. "The earliest masonry in the castle, probably represented by the curious vaulted cellar, is thought to be the work of Robert de Crevecoeur, who founded Leeds Priory in 1119, and afterwards removed three canons into the chapel of his castle."—C. Wykeham Martin. At Dover Castle "the two towers bearing the name of Crevequer mark the position of the great postern, a very curious work. Passing from the north gate of the inner ward, a range of arches cross the ditch and the Outer Ward, and, terminate abruptly in a large low p:er with salient angles to the right and left. Opposite to the pier, and no doubt at one time connected with it by a drawbridge, rise a pair of circular towers (Crevequer) connected by a heavy curtain and flanked by lesser towers (Maminot) at short distances, all forming part of the enceinte of the Outer Ward."^[100]—G. T. Clark.

Of the Lincolnshire branch, seated at Redburn, I have found very few notices.

They also held land in Yorkshire: for Richard Coeur de Lion confirmed to Selby Abbey the church of St. Andrew of Redburn and of Ashby in Yorkshire, given by Reginald de Crevequer, with the consent of his wife and his son Alexander. He granted in addition the town of Redburn and forty acres of his demesne lands.... de Crevequer confirmed this grant, and Simon de Crevequer added "a toft and a culture of land."—Burton's Mon. Ebor. Again, John de Crevecoeur, with the consent of his suzerain, Roger de Mowbray and Matilda his wife, sold to Fountains Abbey his land at Galghagh: his son Robert, and his grandson Hugh, confirmed it to the monks in 1256. William, son of Walter de Crevequer of Stodeley (Studley) gave some of his land to the poor of Studeley.—Ibid.