RAOUL LE VENEUR.

The name is derived from the office of veneur, or venator (a huntsman), of the dukes of Normandy and the ancient seat of the family was Venables, near Evreux. Walter de Veneur distinguished himself at the battle of the Fords between Lothaire, king of France, and the Normans, and the name occurs about this time in charters of the Gallia Christiana. Three brothers of the family came to England at the period of the conquest. Gilbert Venator, or de Venables, another brother, probably ancestor of the Butlers of Chester, barons of Warrington, and Raoul, a baron of Chester, who held in capite from Hugh Lupus. He was a witness to the foundation charter of Chester abbey and a benefactor to it, and the ancestor of the celebrated Grosvenor family of Chester, as well as the marquesses and dukes of Westminster, earls of Wilton and lords Ebury. The name occurs on the lists of Holinshed and Leland.

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