WILLIAM D'ANNEVILLE.

Wace records, as forming one of a troop or company of Norman knights who charged together, "fearing neither stake nor fosse, and overthrowing and killing many a good horse and man."

This was a noble Norman family which gave its name to, or received it from, the canton of Val-des-Saire, which has at various times been called Ansleville, Ansneville, Aundevyle, and Anneville. Samson d'Ansneville, the first of the family mentioned prior to 1050, was commissioned by duke William to drive from the island of Guernsey, which then belonged to Normandy, some pirates who had established themselves there. He succeeded in doing this, in consequence of which, according to an entry of 1061 in an Exchequer roll at Rouen, duke William gave to Samson d'Ansneville "his squire" and to the abbey of Mont-St-Michel, half the isle of Guernsey, in equal proportions. In 1066 a seigneur d'Ansneville was governor of the Val-de-Saire. Samson had issue first, Guillaume d'Anneville, who was probably the "sire Val-de-Saire" referred to by Wace (l. 13604) as being present at the conquest and who was an under-tenant of Roger de Montgomery in Hampshire, and a second son, Humphrey, who was a sub-tenant of Eudo Dapifer in Hertfordshire.

--(This name appears on the Falaise Roll)