Jean d'Ivri

This family took its name to the castle of Ivry in Normandy and not from Raoul of Ivry, the half-brother of duke Richard I, by the same mother, Sprota, mistress of William Longsword, and of Asperleng, the wealthy miller of Vaudreuil, whom she married after the death of the duke. Alberade, wife of count Raoul, built the famous castle of Ivry, which when completed, was so unequalled in construction in Normandy that the countess Alberade, to prevent another being built of similar or greater strength, had Lanfred, the architect, beheaded. This noble lady eventually met the same fate at the command of her husband. They had issue two sons, Hugh, bishop of Bayeux, and John, bishop of Avranches, later archbishop of Rouen. The fief of Ivry passed to William Fitz Osberne and then to his son, William de Breteuil. John of Ivry, here recorded, was probably the son of Waleran of Ivry, who held one knight's fee in Tinchebrai, Normandy, by service of cup bearer to the duke, and eight and one-half knights' fees in the town and castle of Ivry. This family were not the lords of Ivry but its hereditary castellans. John of Ivry and Robert d'Ouilli, mutually engaged to share in each other's fortunes at the conquest of England. Robert having married the daughter of the wealthy Wigod de Wallingford, gave to John of Ivry the entire barony of Waleries, of which Beckley was the chief seat. This included Ambrosden and its hamlets, Blackthorn, and Arncott, with the villages of Hodley, Notbrook, Mixbury, etc., afterwards known as the honour of St-Valery. John died c. 1079, leaving three sons, Roger, Hugh who received the manor of Ambrosden, and Geoffry. Roger, the eldest, succeeded to the barony and office of cup bearer. Roger's name frequently occurs with that of Robert d'Ouilli as joint owners in Domesday, under Abingdon abbey and in Buckinghamshire, as well as in the annals of Oseney. Roger married Adeline, daughter of Hugue de Grentemesnil, and founded in 1071 the abbey of Ivry. In 1078 he held the town of Rouen for king William against his son duke Robert and defended Ivry against the French in 1087. During the same year he supported duke Robert Courteheuse against his brother William Rufus for the throne of England, for which reason he was banished, had his possessions confiscated and died almost immediately afterwards, for his brother Geoffry held all of his estates and those of his deceased brother, Hugue, in 1088. At this time, duke Robert gave the castle of Ivry to William de Breteuil, which had been erected by his grandmother, Alberade. Asceline Goe1 de Percival, son of Robert of Ivry, lord of Breval, in 1089, seized the castle of Ivry and returned it to duke Robert Courteheuse, from whom William de Breteuil redeemed it for a large sum of money. Later, in 1091, Asceline defeated William in battle, took him prisoner, eventually compelling him to give to him for his freedom the castle of Ivry and his illegitimate daughter, Isabel, in marriage. --(This name appears on the Falaise Roll)