Malahide Castle, Dublin - Photo © Jesús Corrius, Oct 2006
The claim is advanced that the family of Talbot is descended from Hugh, bishop of Lisieux, said to have been surnamed Taleboth. He was the younger son of William, count of Exmes, who some time after the death of his brother Godfry, count of Brionne and Eu, came into possession of the latter comte, by which name he was thereafter known. Hugh "Taleboth," c. 1035, granted a charter in favour of Trinite du Mont, Rouen, which was witnessed by Gilbert d'Eu. The author of Norman People states that the latter was Gilbert, count of Brionne and Eu, son of count Godfry, and that he was the brother of Hugh Taleboth. The first part of this statement is correct, since count Gilbert possessed Eu at this time. Nevertheless, he usually designated himself Gisleberti comitis, as he did when he witnessed the charter of the abbey of Fecamp 1032-5. He was not the brother of Hugh Taleboth, but his first cousin, assuming, of course, that Hugh Taleboth and Hugh the bishop were identical. William Talbot, son of Hugh Taleboth, is mentioned in the foundation charter of Treport, executed in 1059 by Robert, comte d'Eu, who, Norman People affirms, was his cousin, but instead Robert was his uncle. William was a benefactor to that abbey. He witnessed as "Willelmi Tallebot" a charter of St. Marie d'Albunivilleand a confirmation of duke William in favour of the abbey of Jumieges before 1079. There is no reason to doubt that Hugh the bishop had a son by this name, since he is recorded in the cartulary of Trinite du Mont at Rouen, as having had one by the name of Roger (Rogerius Hugonis Episcopi filius)." This William Talbot came to England in 1066 with his sons Richard and Geoffry. Richard held as an under-tenant in 1086 (Domesday), in Bedford from Walter Giffard, earl of Buckingham, and was a witness to a charter of the aforesaid earl in the time of the Conqueror." He married the daughter of Gerard de Gournay, baron of Yarmouth, thereby founding the great historical house of Talbot. He had two sons, Gilbert, ancestor of the Talbots of Bashall, and Hugh, castellan of Plessis in Normandy in 1119, and ancestor of the earls of Shrewsbury; he died a monk of Beaubec, Normandy. Geoffry Talbot I, brother of Richard and grandson of Hugh Taleboth was ancestor of the lords Talbot of Malahide, a mesne lord in Essex in 1086 (Domesday) and a benefactor to the church of Rochester." William Aldric held eleven hides of ground of William d'Eu in Wiltshire in 1086 (Domesday). This William d'Eu is possibly identical with William Talbot. --(This name appears on the Falaise Roll).