Appleby Castle - Cumbria - England
Genealogy Index | Orme in Europe
According to the fortunes of war, Appleby Castle was sometimes in Scotland and sometimes in England. Many of the local people were of Norwegian extraction and nearby is a place called Great Ormside.
Photo attribution: Simon Ledingham. Source: Wikipedia
Gospatric, son of Orm, was fined for surrendering Appleby Castle to William the Lion, King of Scotland, in 1174.
The fine appears in Henry II's Pipe Roll for Everwicher (Yorkshire) from 1176. Gospatric son of Orm, was fined 500 marks, Robert son of Coleman 10 marks, and William Breton of Colby 40 shillings.
Gospatric's father was the Baron Orm of Kendal and his mother was Gunilda, daughter of Gospatric the Earl of Dunbar. Gospatric, Earl of Dunbar, was married (second marriage) to Ada - the daughter of William the Lion, King of Scotland. It is easy to understand why there was no attempt defend the castle against the Scots.
The event was recorded by Jordan Fautsome in Norman-French:
"He (King William the Lion) did not harm Robert
But went to Appleby; there he took his march
There were no people, so he took it quickly.
Gospatric the son of Orme, an old Englishman with grey hair
Was the Constable; he soon cried mercy."
"Ne fist a cele feiz a Robert nul contraire
Ains alad a Appelbi, la endrait tint sun lire.
N'i aveit nule gent: si fud tut desguarni.
Gospatric le fiz Norm, un veil Engleis fluri
Estiant li cunstable; si cris tost merci."
The Barons of Kendal
Guillaume Ive Raoul de Taillebois was "left hand brother" to Fulke, Count of Anjou. Whether he was born out of wedlock, or whether he was a half-brother from his mothers previous marriage is uncertain, but the result was that Ivo was not in a position to inherit and went with William to England. It has been suggested that he was related to William's father, therefore to William. Ivo was given lands in Lancaster and became the Baron of Kendall, he was also made Earl of Holland in Lincolnshire. Ivo married Lucia, daughter of Thorold, Lord of Spalding and Count of Mercia. After Lucia's death, Ivo married a daughter of King Eadgar of Mercia, their son was Eldred (sometimes spelled Elftred).
Eldred became the 2nd Baron of Kendall and married Edgitha who was the granddaughter of King Ethelred II. Their first son, Ketel, became the 3rd Baron of Kendall; the other sons were Gilbert and William. Ketel married Christiana and they had a son Orm who became the 4th Baron of Kendall. Orm's first wife died and he then married Gunilda, daughter of the Earl of Dunbar. They had two sons Gospatric Ormson (or FitzOrme) 5th Baron of Kendall and Robert Ormson (or FitzOrme). Robert married Christina, daughter of Anketin de Meynwarin.
Additional Links