RICHARD DE SAINT-CLAIR.

This family derived its name from St-Clair, in the arrondissement of St-Lo, in the Cotentin, Normandy. The site of the castle was still in existence during the time of de Gerville as recorded in his Researches. The "sire de St-Cler" of Wace (l. 13749) was Richard who held lands in Suffolk in 1086 (Domesday), and was succeeded by Hamo de St-Clair, living 1130. Britel de St-Clair, brother of Richard, held in Somerset in 1086 (Domesday), and witnessed a charter of the earl of Mortain, and William, probably his son, held in Dorset, 1130, and had a grant of Rosslyn in Scotland from David I. William St-Clair endowed the abbey of Savigny during the reign of Henry I and in 1139 the priory of Villers-Fossard was founded by a member of the family. A William of this line married Isabel, daughter and heir of Malise, seventh earl of Stratherne and earl of Orkney and Caithness. She traced her descent from Rognavald, the uncle of duke Rollo. The first earl of Caithness of this line married, 1, lady Elizabeth Douglas, a granddaughter of Robert III of Scotland. Richard de St-Clair appears on the Dives roll of Leopold Delisle.

--(This name appears on the Falaise Roll).