Trivett Family History 1040 - 2000

This family history has been compiled for the benefit of all Trivett(s) and differentials worldwide whom I believe all originate from this one Trivett family in England c1066, by John E. Trivett of Herefordshire.

With thanks to Charles Trivett, Colyton, Devon, my cousin. He contacted my mother Hilda E. Trivett nee Gore. now deceased, about 1980 giving information to do with the Trivett origins. This caused me to have an unquenchable need to find out as much as I can in my lifetime about our family history. I have collected the following information and I think you will find it interesting.

First I went to Battle Abbey and sure enough there was the shield and mention of the Trivetts. Next I had to search all the different county Domesday books. My brother-in-law David Ewens mentioned out of interest that he had noticed an area just outside of Bridgwater, Somerset called Trivett. That was an important tip. I got hold of the Somerset Domesday book and soon found an area called Chilton Trivett, Chilton meaning Officer to the King.

Although there are the Trivetts who stayed behind in Dives Normandy previous to 1066 and whose descendants are still there I sincerely believe that all Trivetts be it Canada, America, England or Australia etc. are descended from William and his family 1066. Names may differ, be it Trivett, Trevett, Trevatt, Tryvett, Tryvethan etc. Names were not always copied correctly often spelling was guessed.

Going back further I found a grant of arms shield to a Trivett given in pre conquest Dives, Normandy. I went to Dives a few years ago, well worth a visit. The ships were built here and with contradiction against the departure point the main attack force left from here. There is also a Cathedral Des Conquest giving all the names of the men at arms displayed in magnificence on a wall in the Cathedral.

On first visiting the lands that William the Conqueror had awarded Sir William and Sir ? - either father brother or son - it seemed like walking back in time 930 years. Militarily we were here to protect against any attack from Harold's Danish cousins in Ireland via Bridgwater Bay, which incidentally did happen.

Adjacent to our land is Blackmoor Farm recently changed to Manor. According to Domesday they bred beef and horses. If we didn't originally own it we did at a later stage. I will explain - about 1199 it was seized by King John for non-payment of taxes. I do not think we were very well off at that stage in time, our big windfall was to come a little later!

After the seizure Blackmoor was purchased from the crown by Geoffrey of Durleigh in 1201 and given to his son Geoffery of Brymore. By 1214 it was owned by Philip De Burcy, Thurston De Burcy 1295. By 1350 it belonged to Lucy d.c.1370 widow of Richard Malet. She was succeeded by her daughter Margaret, a minor who married in turn (1) Richard Cressebien, (2) Thomas Hatfield, (3) Nicholas More, and finally John Kenne d 1438. Margaret was dead by 1440 when Blackmoor was held by her son Hugh More. By his Will Hugh gave Blackmoor to his wife Gillian for life, and then to the churchwardens of Cannington for one year with reversion to his half brother Robert Kenne d. 1453 and his son John Kenne. He sold the manor in 1476 to Sir Thomas Tremayle (Tremail) d.1508 son of John Tremayle, grandson of Margaret Trivett, wife of Roger Tremayle.

Chilton Trivett manors stayed in our ownership definitely up to c1422 and thereafter by marriage of a Trivett daughter into the Compton family with the manors etc. as dowry. One of our biggest mistakes was not to make the marriages joint names!

Stogursey Castle was built at a later date as a fortress. Well worth a visit. It was in disrepute in 1216 and King John ordered its destruction. In 1537 Stogursey lands passed by gift to the crown. Then granted to a Richard Gresham, then Henry Courtenay, Marquis of Exeter who was disgraced in 1538. Then it was granted to Queen Catherine Howard in 1541, Henry VIII's wife and later to Queen Catherine Parr until her death in 1548. The castle was then called Wyndeats.

Bridgwater Castle Manor, which we previously half owned along with William Brewer and his son William, merged with the crown to Queen Elizabeth who married King Henry VII. Then to Catherine of Aragon as Princess of Wales, then to Anne Boleyn d.1536, Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleves, Catherine Howard d.1542 and Catherine Parr the only one to outlive Henry the VIII. Bridgwater was once a very popular royal residence. The local authorities could very well use this information to increase the income of holidaymakers to the area!The only remaining structure of the Castle is the Watergate which is now part of a public house next to the river. It is unfortunately not kept with any respect as you will see from my photo. The other picture of it was made about 1900.

Onto the story. Battle Abbey Roll states for many successive descents the Manor of Bridgwater Castle in Somersetshire was held by the Trivetts. It was in fact half shared by Sir Thomas Trivett and Sir William Brewer. The Trivett Arms appeared on the coping of the ancient bridge which was started by Sir Thomas Trivett Bridgwater Manor c1200-1270 and completed by the instruction and direction of his son Sir Thomas Trivett 1238-1281 in the time of Edward the 1st.1272-1307. Sir Thomas devised a slogan, Wisdom Begets Wealth, and had it inscribed into the bridge wall.

In 1256 Sir Thomas married a young lady called Eleanor Braunche' daughter of Joan Braunche' grand daughter and heir of Wandrill de Courcelles, descendant of Baron Roger de Courcelles, original name Roger Whiting of Courcelles, who owned approximately 87 manors and estates in Somerset. As a dowry I believe Sir Thomas received approx. twenty manor houses estates and land etc. Better than any win on the pools today. He became a very wealthy and powerful man. Can you imagine the wedding in those days, no doubt the King etc. attended? I have made a separate list of the properties.

Sir Thomas was an itinerant Justice to the King, later to become Lord Chief Justice of England, one of the highest positions in government next to the King. He was a close friend of Edward the 1st. I have found a number of interesting court cases he controlled along with his associate and friend Salomon de Roff also a Justice. They travelled far and wide including this locality Hereford. One of his grandsons William c1259 became Courtier to Edward the 2nd. His great grandson Sir Thomas Trivett 1330-1388, fell out of favour with other ruling Lords supposedly due to his conniving with the King, Richard the 2nd to take their powers away from them.

The Hundred Years War With France 1338-1453

Sir Thomas was the son of Sir John Trivett who represented parliament and nephew to Sir Mathew Gourney. Present day Gurney Manor, Cannington next to Chilton Trivett, was most likely the home of Sir Mathew Gourney. Sir Thomas and his brother Sir John served in the expedition to Spain in 1367.

Thomas was in the Black Prince's company at the battle of Najara on the 3rd April 1367.

John accompanied Edmund earl of Cambridge, to Aquitaine in 1369 and served under Sir John Chandos and Sir Robert Knolles during that year, and in Poitou in 1372; Under the Black Prince the uncrowned Edward the IV, Sir John Trivett fought at the Battle of Crecy and was one of the leading knights who took King John of France prisoner at the battle of Poitiers on September 19th 1356. He was rewarded for his bravery and success with a gift of two thirds of the manor and lands of Fordington, Dorchester.

Whilst At Warwick Castle this last year 1996, I found that the same King John had been put into the dungeons here by the Black Prince to die a horrible death in a cell so small he could hardly move a limb. Harsh days! This differs from the history books, but they vouch for it at the Castle.

At a later date,1385 he was given the whole estate for his lifetime by Richard the 2nd. Sir John died in 1386 leaving lands at Fordington, Dorset. Sir Thomas Trivett also served in Poitou, for when the English cause in that province seemed nearly lost he went there to serve under Sir Thomas Catterton in the Contentin. He continued there for two years, and in 1375 took part in the defence of St. Sauveur and the return of its garrison to England. Sir Thomas Trivett obtained a grant 40 ? per annum for his services. He was most conspicuously distinguished in the reign of Richard II as a military commander of great renown, in the wars with France, Spain, Navarre, and Flanders. He was a great favourite at the court of King Richard 2nd, who after long years of service in 1386, made him Lord High Admiral upon the southern and western coasts of England.

He was commissioner for array for Somerset in July 1377. Commissioners for array were appointed by the Crown to survey the able bodied men between the ages of sixteen and sixty in each hundred, township and shire under the authorization of the Statute of Winchester 1285. The commissioners were normally men of the knightly class who knew what they were looking for and may be presumed to have chosen well.

On the 10th March 1378 he was engaged to serve under Sir Mathew Gourney in Aquitaine with eighty men at arms and eighty archers. The fleet assembled under baron John de Neville at Plymouth reaching Bordeaux on the 8th Sept. Trivett was then engaged to serve Charles of Navarre in charge of Tudela. In October he left Bordeaux with three hundred lances. Marching through Dax, where his uncle Sir Mathew Gourney was captain, he was asked by him to stay and help rid the country of the Breton and French soldiery. The castles of Montpin, Claracq and Pouillon were thus reduced, when in response to an urgent summons from Charles of Navarre, Thomas resumed his march and joined the king Richard the 2nd at St Jean Pied-de-Port. With Charles he marched to Pampeluna, and then the English were sent out into winter quarters at Tudela.

But Trivett not wishing to lose a favourable opportunity offered by the mild winter, determined on a raid into Spain. Setting out on the 24th December he proposed to surprise the town of Soria but they lost their way in a snowstorm and the attempt failed. Trivett however, advanced to Cascante and in January made an attempt on Alfaro on the Ebro, but was repulsed by the valour of its women!?? This raid won Trivett much favour with Charles of Navarre; but though the English were eager for fighting, peace was concluded and in the summer of 1379 Trivett was paid off with 20,000 francs and he returned to Bordeaux.

On his arrival in England Sir Thomas Trivett was well received by the king and in October was one of the knights appointed to go with Sir John Arundell to Brittany. Sir Thomas Trivetts' ship escaped the storm which destroyed most of the fleet and he returned in safety to Southampton.

On 20th March he was commissioner for array in Somerset. He then joined the expedition under Thomas of Woodstock which landed at Calais in July. Throughout the march to Brittany Thomas Trivett served with distinction in the advance guard, taking prisoner the Seigneur de Brimeu at Clery-sur-Somme and routing the Burgundians in a skirmish at Fervaques.He accompanied Sir Thomas Percy and Sir Robert Knolles on their mission to the Duke of Brittany at Rennes in October. Subsequently he served at the seige of Nantes, took part in the second mission to the duke and fought in the skirmish before the town on Christmas eve.

He returned to England in April. He was commissioner for array for Kent on the 14th May 1381. Sir Thomas Trivett was one of the knights who served in command of the so called crusade of Henry de Spencer. With the other soldiers he compelled de Spencer to lay siege to Ypres. The operations were unsuccessful and Trivett, like others of the knights in command, was accused of treachery. After the siege was raised on the 9th Aug. Trivett and other military officers opposed de Spencer in his wish to invade Picardy and withdrew to Bourbourg. After de Spencer was compelled to retire, Trivett and his companions were besieged at Bourbourg.

Knighton relates a story how Trivett proudly thanked the French king for the compliment he paid them by coming to besiege such a small company of English with so great an army. The general report accuses Trivett along with the other commanders of having accepted a bribe from the French to agree to terms.On his return he was accused of treachery and being convicted of having taken bribes, he was imprisoned in the Tower of London! But he obtained royal favour and was released!

Sir Thomas Trivett had property in Kent and Somerset. In 1385 Richard the 2nd quarrelled with William Courtenay, the archbishop of Canterbury, Trivett is said to have restrained the king from open violence. Richard retorted by taunting him as a notorious traitor. Trivett however continued his connection with the court and is said to have advised the king to take the field against the other lords and knights who were rebelling against him as king in 1387. He was accordingly accused by these lords as one of the kings supporters and was arrested on 4th Jan 1388 and committed to prison at Dover Castle. Trivett was not brought to trial and obtained his release on 31st May under sureties.

In the following October while the Parliament were sitting at Cambridge, Trivett whilst riding with Richard the 2nd towards his hunting lodge, was thrown from his horse at Barnwell. His horse then stumbled and rolled on him bursting open Sir Thomas's stomach. He died nine hours later. That same day 6th Oct it had been proclaimed in parliament that if any wished to bring charges against him for his treachery or other notorious crime, they were to appear on the morrow. Many rejoiced at his death by reason of his overweening bearing as well as his evil advice to the king. Two years later his widow Elizabeth daughter of Sir Philip Tymbury was robed by the King as one of the Ladies of the Garter. An unusual distinction. It was and still is the highest honour that can be awarded by the Crown.

It is noted that Sir Thomas Trivett's heirs had to pay a heavy fine before they could obtain their inheritance and lands. I wish to make a statement in protection of our unfairly judged ancestor Sir Thomas Trivett, we are only hearing one side of the story, we are not hearing his side. The most obvious thing to note is that he was a close father like friend of the king and apart from a few arguments stayed his devoted ally right to the end, the king must have thought the same as he would hardly have been riding with him at the time of his death if he had had any mistrust. Eleven years after Thomas's death the king was deposed imprisoned and murdered by his lords in parliament!

By John Trivett

Web Links

Trivett Family History 1040 - 2000: www.john.e.trivett.dial.pipex.com

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