Raoul de la Pommeraie

Berry Pomeray Castle, Devon
Photo © Derek Harper March, 2005

La Pommeraye, is in the canton of Thury-Harcourt, diocese of Bayeux, Normandy. A small portion of this ancient Norman castle still remains in the Cingueleiz, near Falaise. It is called chateau Ganne. Ralph is written in Domesday as the possessor of sixty manors, principally in Devon, where Berry Pomeroy became head of this barony. His grandson Ethelevard founded Buckfast abbey during the reign of Henry I. Joel de La Pommeraie married an illegitimate daughter of Henry I, the sister of Reginald, earl of Cornwall. Henry, son of joslin de Pomere in 1124, had charge of the castle at Pont-Antou, Normandy, at the confluence of the Risle with the river Antou, for king Henry. There are several grants made by this Henry de Pomere in the time of Henry I recorded in the Monasticon Anglicanum. He was probably the nephew of Ralph de Pommerai of Berry Pomeroy here mentioned. Henry de Pommeraie supported prince John, when king Richard I was imprisoned by the duke of Austria and garrisoned his castle of Berry Pomeroy. The main line became extinct during the reign of queen Elizabeth. Younger branches were at Sandridge and Ingeston, Devon and Rallice, county Cork, from whom descends viscount Harberton. --(This name appears on the Falaise Roll).

The ancient family of Pomeray founded by the Norman continued to possess the Barony of Berry, co. Devon, until the attainder of Sir Thomas Pomeroy is the reign of Edward VI. They had intermarried with heiresses or co-heiresses of Vallefort, Merton, Bevill, and Denzell. The eldest line became extinct temp. Queen Elizabeth, when the heiress is said to have married Penkevil. Younger branches were of Sandridge and Ingeston, Devon, and of Pallice, co. Cork. Samuel Pomeroy, Esq., the representative of the Irish line, left six daughters, his co-heirs, viz., Rebecca, married to Francis Drew, Esq., of Kilwinny and Meanus; Martha, married to Robert Holmes, Esq.; Mary, married to Abraham Lecky, Esq.; Susanna, married to Capt. Thomas Campion; Sarah, married to Daniel Webb, Esq.; and Elizabeth, married to the Rev. John Jones, D.D. --(This name appears on the Battle Abbey Roll).