Sir Ralph d’Eyncourt Knight

  General Notes:

~Weis' Ancestral Roots of Certain American Colonists Who Came to America before 1700, 8th Edition,, 41:25-26, father of Elizabeth, m. to Alice, and son of Ralph d'Eyncour, of Sizergh, Westmorland and his wife Eleanor le Fleming. ¹⁶⁰

  Noted events in his life were:

• Background Information. ⁹¹⁰
Sir Ralph d'Euncourt of Sizergh was the eldest grandson of Gervase, the knight of William de Lancaster. Sir Ralph's name appears as witness to numerous Westmorland charters during the second quarter of the Thirteen Century. His parentage is proven by a quitclaim of circa 1233-35, by which Roger Abbot released to Ralph "son of Ralph de Ayencurt" property at Levens, Westmorland, with witnesses including Walter de Strickland. [Dodsworth MSS., vol. 149, f. 135 d.] In 1235, Ralph d'Eyncourt and Patrick fitz Thomas (de Curwen) are mentioned holding one knight's fee of the barony of Kendal [Rot. Chart, Rec.Com, I, p. 412] and in 1240, Ralph not having yet become a knight, was granted a respite until the next Feast of Pentecost [Cal.Close Rolls, 1240, p. 343]. Ralph is refered to as Sir Ralph d'Eyncourt in 1242 when he received appointments in Westmorland as conservators of peace [Cal. Patent Rolls, 1242, p. 484].

The rector of the church of Kendal granted Ralph and his heirs the privilege of having a private chapel in their "court at Natland for the celebration of divine service" [Feet of Fines, Westmorland, 31 Henry III, file 4, no. 15], which suggests tha Sir Ralph made his chief seat at Natland, rather than at Sizergh. Sir Ralph was alive in 1251, when he was sued for entering the Abbot of Byland's demesne at Bannisdale, Westmorland, with the force of arms. [Assize Roll, Westmorland, no. 1046, m. 1; no 1048, m. 4d] He must have died soon afterwards, leaving a widow, Dame Alice de "Aynecurt," who circa 1260 was demised property at Sizergh by Robert son of Matthew de "Syzittsergh" which Sir Ralph de "Aynecurt." her late husband, had granted to the said Robert in exchange for land called "Ewode" [Dodsworth MSS, Vol. 149, f. 137d]. It appears probable that it was this Dame Alice who brought to the d'Eyncourts as her maritagium half of the manor of Blecarn, Cumberland, as well as half the manor of Carnforth in Warton, Lancastershire, both holds which were later in the possession of her grandson, Sir Walter Strickland, as part of his maternal inheritance [Cal. Inqs., 5 Edward II, p. 183].

According to entry on the De Banco Roll, Sir Ralph d'Eyncourt was the father of three children, Gervase, his heir who died sine prole; Richard who died without issue; and Elizabeth, the mother of Walter Strickland. Elizabeth, married, Jun 1239, to William, the young son and heir of Sir Robert de Strickland of Great Strickland, Westmorland; and she must have succeeded as heiress of the d'Eyncourt family in or before 1271. Peter de Brus, nephew and one of the co-heiirs of William de Lancaster III, confirmed to William de Strickland and Elizabeth his wife their lands of Natland, Sizergh, Hacktrorpe, etc. Elizabeth died between 1272 and 1276, whe she is referred to as "deceased" in the course of a plea conncerning the manor of Tristermont [Coram Rege Roll, Westmorland, Michaelmas, 4 Edward I, m. I]

The Early History of the Stricklands of Sizergh, pp. 64-67

Ralph married Alice.¹⁶⁰