WADARD.

Wadard came to England in 1066 with duke William and held estates under Odo, bishop of Bayeux, in Kent and several other counties. His name is clearly woven in the Bayeux tapestry and the question arises as to the identity of this personage who was not mentioned by the historians of the period, to whom such prominence is given in this ancient souvenir. He is depicted as directing the foraging of the duke's troops. His arms and his roll indicate him to have been a superior officer, entrusted with the sustenance of the invading forces. It has been suggested that he was a Norman established in England in the neighbourhood of Hastings, who brought duke William the news of the coming of Harold. It is more probable that he came from Bayeux, where he was of much consequence and well known, having been charged with the general supervision of the army. It would have been his duty to arrange for the assembling of the supplies at Saint-Valery and to see them safely placed on the ships. A very vital part of the expedition. It will be noted that the eminent commentators, Fowke, Freeman and Steenstrup, all consider one proof that the tapestry was designed and made shortly after the conquest, when the personages represented thereon were living, or in memory, is the fact that the names of Turold, Vital and Wadard are inscribed upon it. They may perhaps have been persons of no very great importance, but had made themselves extremely popular by the distinguished services which they had rendered to the army. They would have been forgotten twenty or thirty years later, since no contemporary historians have recorded their deeds. Henry and Simon Wadard in 1278 in Essex were distrained to compel them to be knights. Hence the family of Woodward.

--(This name appears on the Falaise Roll)