Robert de Auberville (de Albervilla, in Latin), of Iham (Higham, in Ickleshami.e. the settlement around the now demolished church of St Leonard, immediately north-west of New Winchelsea. 'Higham, ("Iham" or "Ihomme"), an old name of Winchelsea' - E. Ekwall, The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Place-Names, 4th edition (Clarendon Press, Oxford 1960), p. 238.) and Iden, Sussex, representative of a wealthy Norman family in Kent and Sussex, was a Justiciar in Kent, Constable of Hastings Castle, and Keeper of the Coast to King Henry III of England.
Origins The de Auberville family was seated at Westenhanger, near Stanford, Kent.T. Philipott (with J. Philipott), Villare Cantianum, or, Kent Surveyed and Illustrated (Printed by William Godbid, London 1659), 'Stamford, Folkestone Hundred', p. 302. (Umich/EEBO) William de Auberville the elder, King's Justiciar (son of Hugh de Auberville (the elder) and his wife Wynanc), married Matilda (Maud), eldest daughter of Ranulf de Glanville (Chief Justiciar of England to King Henry II) and his wife Bertha de Valoines. (Bertha's sister was the wife of Hervey Walter, and mother of Archbishop Hubert Walter.)R. Mortimer, 'The Family of Rannulf de Glanville', Historical Research 129, 1981, pp. 1–16; 'Auberville', in J.R. Planché, A Corner of Kent: Or, Some Account of the Parish of Ash-next-Sandwich (R. Hardwicke, London 1864), p. 290-91.
William de Auberville (the elder) was associated with the foundation or patronage of various religious houses including the Augustinian Canons Regular of Butley Abbey (1171)W. Dugdale and C. Dodsworth, Monastici Anglicani, Volumen Alterum, De Canonicis Regularibus Augustinianis (Alicia Warren, London 1661), pp. 245 ff.. and the Premonstratensians of Leiston Abbey (1182)Foundation charters in W. Dugdale & R. Dodsworth, Monasticon Anglicanum, sive Pandectae Coenobiorum, 3 Vols (London (Savoy) 1673), III, pp. 74-76. (in Latin). in Suffolk, both founded by Ranulf, and by his own founding, c. 1192, of West Langdon Abbey in Kent, as from Leiston Abbey, assisted by the priors of both Suffolk houses. The Langdon foundation was confirmed by Simon de Averenches, Lord of Folkestone (died c. 1203'Nova Oblata, Kent, Michaelmas 1203', in The Great Roll of the Pipe for the 5th year of the reign of King John, Michaelmas, 1202-1203, Pipe Roll Society LIV, New Series XVI, p. 27.) who, as his fee-lord, refers to "the charter of my revered knight William de Auberville".Monasticon Anglicanum, (1846 edn), VI Part 2, p. 898. William died c. 1195, and his heirs became wards of Hubert Walter.S.J. Bailey, 'Ranulf de Glanvill and His Children', The Cambridge Law Journal Vol. 15, No. 2 (Nov., 1957), pp. 163-182, at p. 186 note 51.
William's principal heir was his son Hugh (the younger), who inherited from him,R. Taylor, Index Monasticus (Lackington & Co., London 1821), pp. 93-94. but there was also a son William and a daughter Emma.W. Dugdale, Monasticon Anglicanum new edition (James Bohn, London 1846), VI Part 2, p. 898, Langdon, Charters Nos. I and II.Bailey, 'Ranulf de Glanvill and His Children', pp. 163-182; Mortimer, 'The Family of Rannulf de Glanville', pp. 1–16. Hugh de Auberville the younger, together with Robert his brother, were c. 1199-1205 witnesses to a charter of John of Eu, a son of John, Count of Eu, confirming to the Cistercian abbey of Robertsbridge in Sussex their tenements, liberties and customs in his fee of the Rape of Hastings.Calendar of Charters and Documents relating to the Abbey of Robertsbridge Co: Sussex preserved at Penshurst among the muniments of Lord De Lisle and Dudley (Private, 1872), pp. 24-25, no. 76. Hugh died c. 1212,Planché, A Corner of Kent, pp. 290-91 (Internet Archive), as evidenced in T.D. Hardy (ed.), Close Rolls I: 1204-1224 (1833), pp. 123, 214b, 216b (Meckelenburg-Vorpommern). whereupon William Briwere paid 1000 marks for custody of his lands, his heirs and their marriages.T.D. Hardy (ed.), Rotuli de Oblatis et Finibus... tempore Regis Johannis (Commissioners, 1835), pp. 473-74 (Bayerische StaatsBibliothek digital). The inheritance descended through Hugh's son William de Auberville the younger (died by 1248Close Rolls of the Reign of Henry III: 1247-1251 (HMSO, London 1922), p. 105.) to William's daughter Joan, who married Nicholas de Crioll.
Robert de Auberville maintained connections with Robertsbridge Abbey, married the heiress of another of its patron families, and became settled at the western edge of Romney Marsh. Robertsbridge was originally founded in 1176 in the parish of Salehurst by Alvred de St. Martin, Sheriff of the Rape of Hastings, whose wife was Alice d'Aubigny, widow of John, Count of Eu.'Houses of Cistercian monks: Abbey of Robertsbridge', in W. Page (ed.), A History of the County of Sussex, Vol. 2 (VCH, London 1973), pp. 71-74 (British History Online, accessed 22 October 2017).
Marriage
The Sheriff of Sussex was ordered to effect full seisin of the land of "Ihōme" and Iden in eastern Sussex to Robert de Auberville, in the right of his wife Claricia, which had been in the keeping of Hubert Walter, in July 1205.T.D. Hardy (ed.), Rotuli Litterarum Clausarum in Turri Londinensi Asservati I: Ab anno MCCIV ad annum MCCXXIV (Commissioners, 1831), p. 42b (Mecklenburg-Vorpommern). Claricia is identified as a daughter of Robert de Gosteling on the basis of a deed of quitclaim made by her to the priory of Christ Church, Canterbury of lands in the vicinity of Fairfield, Snave and Appledore, on the west side of Romney Marsh, near Iden. This shows her as the wife of Robert de Auberville, who has enclosed 36 acres from the sea.The National Archives, Discovery Catalogue, item description: CCA-DCc-ChAnt/A/117 (Canterbury Cathedral Archives). A further reference to her in the Curia Regis rolls shows that Claricia was the granddaughter of Samson de Gestling.C.T. Flower (ed.), Curia Regis Rolls: 7-9 Henry III (HMSO 1955), p. 325.See a posting by John P. Ravilious in Googlegroups.
Samson and Robert de Gosteling appear frequently as witnesses to the Robertsbridge Abbey deeds. William de Auberville, as justiciar, presided at an early transaction, and Hugh, alone, at another.Charters and Documents relating to the Abbey of Robertsbridge, p. 7, no. 23; p. 18, no. 55. Robert witnessed three other Robertsbridge charters in the Lisle muniments.Charters and Documents relating to the Abbey of Robertsbridge, p. 12, no. 38; p. 54, no. 170; p. 68, no. 207. Sussex Fines of 1219 reflect the dealings of Robert and Claricia with the Abbey respecting lands at Northiam, Pett and Playden.'Sussex Fines: 1-5 Henry III (nos. 138-171)', in L.F. Salzman (ed.), An Abstract of Feet of Fines For the County of Sussex, Vol. 1: 1190-1248, Sussex Records Society (Lewes, 1903), pp. 35-44, nos. 157, 158, 162 (British History Online, accessed 22 October 2017).
Rebellions In 1210 King John took a large army to Ireland in order to suppress a revolt by the Anglo-Norman lords whom he held there in governance.D. Carpenter, Struggle for Mastery: The Penguin History of Britain 1066–1284 (Penguin, London 2004), pp. 280-81. Robert de Auberville fought in Ireland in that year, and Hugh is named in the same entry.G. Paget, "An Official, Genealogical and Heraldic Baronage of England" (1957), 11: 1-2, citing T.D. Hardy (ed.), Rotuli de Liberate ac de misis et praestitis, regnante Johanne (Commissioners, London 1844), (12 John), p. 218 (Internet Archive).
In 1215, following the sealing of Magna Carta at Runnymede, Robert de Auberville was with William d'Aubigny, William de Averenches, Reginald de Cornhill (the High Sheriff of Kent), Thomas de Moletun, Osbert Giffard and a hundred others who held Rochester Castle against King John, until he besieged them there and they were captured.'The Gesta Regum with its continuation' (sub anno), in W. Stubbs (ed.), The Historical Works of Gervase of Canterbury II, p. 110. (Internet Archive) At this time Cecilia, widow of Simon de Averenches, sold her manor of Sutton next Seaford to Robertsbridge,Charters of the Abbey of Robertsbridge, pp. 134-36 no. 368; also pp. 37-38, no. 121; p. 69, no. 208. in order to ransom her son William.
Robert was however loyal to Henry III at the time of the revolt stirred up by William de Fortibus, Earl of Aumale, and in 1221, having been listed for the general levy of scutage,Rot. Litt. Claus., I, p. 475b. he was with the young king at the siege of the Earl's castle at Bytham in Lincolnshire in February and March of that year. After the castle was fired a number of prisoners were taken, and on 15 March the order was given that he and Paul de Tayden should have charge of conducting them in their carts to London.Rot. Litt. Claus., I, p. 453b.J. Wild, The History of Castle Bytham, its ancient fortress and manor (Henry Johnson, Stamford/Houlston & Sons, London 1871), pp. 34-40, at pp. 39-40.
De Auberville was entrusted with a surety for the king by Rosamond, widow of Phillip de Girunde, for a fine of 20 marks to enable her to marry whom she pleased.Fine Rolls, 13 February, 6 Henry III, membrane 6 no. 111 (Henry III Fine Rolls Project). In November 1222 the king paid him to buy horses for the use of Isabella, sister of Alexander II of Scotland when coming into his district.Rot. Litt. Claus., I, p. 519b. In August 1223 his name was listed to defend the king as far as Bedford.Rot. Litt. Claus., I, p. 640.
In 1222 Robert appears among the witnesses to a charter, issued at Westminster, by William, son of Fulco, de Pamele in favour of Saint Peter's Abbey, Ghent.Jules de Saint-Genois, 'Précis analytique des documents historiques, concernant les relations de l'ancien comté de Flandre avec l'Angleterre, conservés aux archives de la Flandre orientale', Messager des sciences historiques, ou Archives des arts et de la bibliographie de Belgique Année 1842 (Léonard Hebbelynck, Ghent 1842), pp. 238-61, No. 19 at pp. 256-57 (Google).
Assizes In 1226 Robert de Auberville and Henry de Sandwich were chosen by the king to replace justiciars in an assize in Canterbury.Cal. Patent Rolls, 1225-1232, p. 151. He sat in an assize in Rochester with justices William de Cyriton, Simon de Chelefeld and Simon de Craye in 1228, and in 1229, with Henry de Cobham, William de Dudinton and Robert de Rokeley, at Greenwich (an assize of Mort d'Ancestor) with Henry de Sandwich, and at Winchelsea with Simon de Echyngham, William de Munceiaus and William de Oym.Cal. Patent Rolls, 1225-1232, pp. 212, 283, 293, 309.
Keeper of the Coast and Constable of Hastings
From July 1225 Robert was Constable of Hastings Castle, and received regular payments for his fees and for works and operations there.(Payments): Calendar of Liberate Rolls, Henry III: 1226-1240 (HMSO 1916), pp. 10, 25, 58, 78, 79, 118, 130, 164.T.D. Hardy (ed.), Rotuli Litterarum Clausarum in Turri Londinensi Asservati II: Ab anno MCCXIV ad annum MCCXXVII (Commissioners, 1833), pp. 48b, 49, 55b, 64b, 90, 115b, 140. (Mecklenburg-Vorpommern) In 1226 he and brother Thomas the Templar were appointed to receive money on behalf of Richard, Earl of Cornwall.Cal. Patent Rolls, 1225-1232, p. 10. He was appointed to the position of Keeper of the Coast, then the name given to the office of Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, in 1228.Cal. Patent Rolls, 1225-1232, p. 180. He was responsible for the general security of the ports between Sandwich and Portsmouth.K.M.E. Murray, The Constitutional History of the Cinque Ports (Manchester University Press 1935), p. 81. He and Bertram de Criol, then Constable of Dover Castle, were favoured by a writ de intendendo issued to the bailiffs and barons of the Cinque Ports in 1229:Cal. Liberate Rolls, 1226-1240, p. 139. Cal. Patent Rolls, 1225-1232, pp. 258-59. in an equivalent writ of 1230, Henry de Sandwich appears in de Auberville's place.Cal. Patent Rolls, 1225-1232, p. 333.