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

Prepared by Michael A. Linton
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Greile : or Greilly, as Leland spells it, from Gresille, Anjou. "Albert Greslet, Baron of Manchester under Roger de Poitou, occurs in Domesday (270). The name was often written Gredley, Gridley, and Gresley, but was altogether different from that of Gresley" (see Toesni).—The Norman People. Dugdale begins their pedigree with Robert de Greslei, who founded a Cistercian Abbey at Swineshead in Lincolnshire in 1134, and bestowed upon it his mill at Manchester. The next in succession, Albert II., married the sister and co-heir of the Baron of Halton in Cheshire; and was the father of Robert, who in King John's time forfeited all his lands in Lincoln, Norfolk, Suffolk, Oxfordshire and Lancashire (twelve knight's fees in all) by taking part with the rebellious barons. However, he made his peace with Henry III., received them back, and in 1218 "gave five Marks and one Palfrey, for Licence to have a Fair at his Lordship of Manchester." His wife was a niece of Coeur de Lion's famous Chancellor, Longchamp. Their son Thomas, 27 Hen. III., "being in the King's Service beyond Sea, was quit of his Service of Castle-gard to the Castle of Lancaster:" and named Warden of the King's Forests South of Trent some years later. Second in descent from him was another Thomas, summoned to parliament in 1307, who died s. p., leaving as his heir his sister Joan, "who, taking to Husband John the Son of Roger de la Warre, brought a fair Inheritance to that Noble Family."

Ralph de Gresli—evidently a younger son of this house, was among those who took arms against Henry III., and married Isabel, daughter of Robert de Muschamp of Muschamp and Elkesdon in Notts, who brought him three knight's fees held of the Honour of Peverel. He, too, had no son; and his daughter and heiress, Agnes, married Hugh Fitz Ralph.

But the name survived; for temp. Edw. III. Thomas and Avicia de Greyle held part of a fee at Addington, in Kent, of the Archbishop of Canterbury.