Golofre

Galofer (Leland): "Guillaume Goulaffre" (Dives Roll). "Roger Gulafre claimed property from St. Evroult, Normandy (Ordericus Vitalis, 483). He was Lord of Mesnil Bernard (lb. 466). William Gulafre had great estates in Suffolk in 1086 (Domesday) and gave tithes to Eye Abbey (Mon. i. 356). Roger Gulafre was of Suffolk 1130 (Rot. Pip.), and Philip Gulafre held four fees in barony in the same county (Liber Niger). The name occurs afterwards in Oxford and other parts of England."—The Norman People. "Fyfield in Berkshire was formerly the property and seat of the family of Golafre. John Golafre was knight) of the shire in 1337. Sir John Golafre was employed in an embassy to France, in 1389. Either this Sir John, or a son of the same name, died seised of the manor of Fyfield, in 1442. The same year a licence was granted by the Crown, for the foundation of a chantry, at the altar of St. John the Baptist, pursuant to the will of Sir John Golafre, who is styled in the charter servant to King Henry V. and King Henry VI. Francis Little, in his MS. History of Abingdon, says that the daughter and heir of the last mentioned Sir John married John de la Pole, Earl of Lincoln, who lost his life at the battle of Stoke, and was attainted of treason. In the N. aisle of the parish church is the monument of this Sir John, who died in 1442. His effigies in armour lies on an open altar tomb, beneath which is the figure of a skeleton in a shroud. The common people call it Gulliver's tomb, and say that the figure on the top represents him in the vigour of youth; the skeleton in his old age; the arms of Golafre are on the tomb, and in the windows of the church."—Lysons. He descended from a younger son of Sir Roger Golafre, dominus de Cercedene (Sarsden), co. Oxon, in the reign of King John; who, with some of his posterity, was buried in the chapter house of Bruern Abbey, of which he was probably a benefactor. Fourth in succession from Sir Roger was the Sir John who married the heiress of Fyfield, and first settled in Berkshire. The last Sir John was illegitimate, the son of "a leman called Johanet Pulham;" but nevertheless inherited the estates, and married one of the co-heiresses of Dunster, Philippa de Mohun.

Sir Roger's eldest son bore his name, and was seated at Norton in Northamptonshire, when William, his heir, acquired Heyford by marriage.

"William was appointed deputy Chamberlain of the Exchequer i or 2 Edward I. by William de Beauchamp, Earl of Worcester. His son 'Master John de Golafre' afterwards executed the same office on the nomination of Guy de Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick, Chamberlain in fee, and retained it till his death, for in 1315 John de Aston, clerk of John de Golafre, deceased, surrendered two great keys and twenty-three lesser keys of the doors of the treasury and coffers of the Exchequer."—Baker's Northamptonshire. There was one other John de Golafre, and then the estate passed to the Mantells.

-- Cleveland