The Battle Abbey Roll. Vol. II.
by
The Duchess of Cleveland.

Prepared by Michael A. Linton
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Moren : a name of frequent occurrence in Normandy. Four Morins—Morin de Vaumeray, Morin de Litteau, Morin d'Auvers, and Morin de la Riviere, took their places among the nobles in. the Assembly of 1789; and the two latter are now represented by the County d'Auvers and the Marquis de la Riviere. The Morins de Tourville, ennobled in 1719, bear Or a cross engrailed Sable.

In England, "Morinus" held a barony in Devonshire, and "Moran" was a tenant of Hugh Lupus in Cheshire.—Domesday. Robert Morin or Mann, in 1165, held six fees of Earl Simon in Lincolnshire, and two others of the Archbishop of York in Richmondshire: and Thomas Morin held one fee of old feoffment of William de Ros in Kent.—Liber Niger. Was this the "Morin de Chitehurst" entered in the same record as the tenant of the Earl of Arundel in Sussex? William de Morin is also to be found there, holding of the Abbey of Winchcomb in Gloucestershire. Thomas and Ralph Morin were joint Sheriffs of Northamptonshire in 1183. Ralph, with Gilbert Morin occur in 1189-90 in Buckinghamshire and Bedfordshire; as does another Yorkshire tenant of the Archbishop's, William Morin, who must have been Robert's son (Rot. Pip.). Ralph Morin was of Bedfordshire about 1272 (Rot. Hundred.). Robert Morin served as High Sheriff of Leicestershire in 1323.

That this family was numerous and influential appears incontestable; but it is somewhat strange how few traces of it survive. Newnham-Murren, adjoining Wallingford in Oxfordshire, was one of their seats; and Richard Morin bequeathed some of his land there, with his body for burial, to Reading Abbey. In Nottinghamshire, three brothers of this name, Robert (perhaps the Leicester Sheriff), Ralph, and William de Moran, married, temp. Ed. I., the three heiresses of Oliver de Lovetot, Lord of Coleston. Joan de Lovetot, who was the wife of Robert, and probably the elder sister, inherited Coleston, and her great-granddaughter Agnes transferred it to the Thurvestons or Thorotons. They gave their name to Moryn's Hall, where John Moren, the father of Agnes, "lived most of his time."—Thoroton's Notts.