John Devereux (~1137 to 1187)

General Info Crest DNA Study Normandy & Origins Will. Devereux (1037-1110) Treasurers of Normandy Brecon & Bredwardine Walt. Devereux (1070-1130) Walt. Devereux (1105-1165) Elnodestune & Putley John Devereux (1137-1187) Lyonshall & Bodenham Frome Whitechurch Staunton Wexford, Ire. Early Images 1st Earl of Essex 1st Earl Images 2nd Earl of Essex Illegitimate Son of 2nd Earl 2nd Earl Images 3rd Earl of Essex 3rd Earl Images Moses d'Evreux Maryland 1 Maryland 2 Maryland 3 Devericks 1 Devericks 2a Devericks 2b Devericks 2 Images Devericks 3a Devericks 3b Devericks 3 Images Devericks Wills Connecticut Conn Images1 Conn Images2 Conn Images3 Conn Images4 Massachusetts Barbados Random Photos References



John Devereux was born about 1137, the son of Walter Devereux and an unknown woman.

He married Constance (possibly of Castle Frome) about 1171, and had sons:

  • Walter Devereaux (1173 to ~1198)
  • Stephen Devereaux (~1175 to ~1203)

John Devereux would have begun training as a knight about 1151 during the civil war between Empress Maud and King Stephen, and completed this about 1156. This probably occurred under his feudal overlord, Roger fitzMiles, 2nd earl of Hereford.

In January 1153 Henry II landed in England again, and in June John probably was with his father, Walter Devereux, who would have been expected to support the earl of Hereford when he joined in the defense of Wallingford. The two sides finally reach a tentative peace after the death of Eustace, son of King Stephen, and agreed that Henry will be heir. On 25 October 1154, King Stephen died, and on 12 December 1154 Henry II is crowned king. In 1155 Henry II tried to regain control of various castles, and this triggered local revolts by Roger, 2nd earl of Hereford, over Gloucester and Hereford. Hugh Mortimer also rebelled over Bridgnorth, Wigmore, and Cleobury. Henry II finally yielded, but when Roger fitzMiles died later this year his son, Walter, was not allowed to inherit the title of earl of Hereford. The estates were divided between his daughters, Bertha (wife of William de Braose) and Margaret (wife of Humphrey II of Bohun).

John Devereux, and his father, joined the retinue of Humphrey II of Bohun, Lord of Trowbridge. John probably participated in Henry II’s expedition of 1157 against the Welsh, and to Toulouse in 1158. With the death of John’s father, and Humphrey II in 1165, John inherited the Devereux estates and a position in the retinue of Humphrey III of Bohun, Lord of Trowbridge.

John Devereux possibly took part in Henry II expedition to Aquitaine in 1168, and his expedition to Ireland in October 1171. It is unlikely that John participated in the Norman invasion of Ireland under the earl of Pembroke as the Devereux were not part of his retinue at this time, and the earls of Pembroke had been supporters of King Stephen. It was about this time that the nave in Worcester Cathedral was built with a stain glass window showing a knight with Devereux arms supporting Bernard de Neufmarche, which probably would have been commissioned in his honor by his descendants.

In December 1181 Humphrey III de Bohun died while on campaign with Henry the Young King in France. His heir, Henry de Bohun, was under-age. At this time John Devereux joined the retinue of William de Braose Junior, 4th Lord of Bramber, who was another descendent of Bernard de Neufmarche.

About 1186 John Devereux witnessed along with his son, Walter Devereux, a land grant by Maud de Hagarnel to the priory of Brecon.

Devereux granted the church on the family property of Oxenhall in Hereford to the Knight’s of St. John on 1 April 1186. The translation is as follows: John de Evereus gave them the church of Oxenhall, in the county of Hereford; with lands, tithes, and observances, and all else what-so-ever, and the right of the patronage of the church, in the year of our Lord 1186 on the Kalends of April, and the time of King Henry the second, and brother Garner of Naples, then the Prior of the Hospital of St. John in England.

Garner of Naples was Prior of the Hospitallers in England from ~1184 to ~1190. Upon reaching legal age, John’s son (Walter Devereux) filed an assize of mort d’ancestor against the brothers over 2 marks of rent in Oxenhall on 14 September 1194, and this would be heard on 27 October 1194: Assize of mort d’ancestor between Walter Devereux and the brothers of the Hospital of Jerusalem for 2 marks rents in Reneshulle (Oxenhall) in the presence of the Archbishop of Canterbury by his letters sent to the justices itinerant and recognizing their inability to come indicates Henry de Saers to be represented by Walter fitzWalter, and Walter of Wormsley to be represented by Hugh fitzEli.

In English law, the assize of mort d’ancestor (“death of ancestor”) was an action brought where a plaintiff claimed the defendant had entered upon a freehold belonging to the plaintiff following the death of one of his relatives. This assize enabled the heir to obtain possession, even though some other person might have a better right to the land than the deceased. Mort d’ancestor was one of the “petty assizes” established in between 1166 to 1176. According to the Assize of Northampton (1176) the lord must not prevent the heir having seisin forthwith on the ancestor’s death, making this almost the final step in the development of common law heritability. Specifically: Item, if any freeholder had died, let his heirs remain possessed of such ‘seisin’ as their father had… and according to the result of the inquest let restitution be made to his heirs.”

John Devereux died in 1187. During this time Henry II was countering French incursions into Normandy, and a large number of Welsh mercenaries were involved in its defense. He may have died during these efforts, but at 50 years of age he may just have died of old age. During this time William Marshal was beginning to build his own retinue, and John’s son, Walter Devereux, may have come to his attention at this time as he was a teenager in the midst of his training to be a knight.

In 1188 John Devereux was indicated as holding 2 castles at the time of his death, and one was probably Lyonshall. Records indicate that Lyonshall was in the hands of the Sheriff of Hereford in 1188 (Pipe Roll 34 Henry II, page 214) until John’s son, Walter, came of age in 1194.

In the 1190 Pipe Rolls 8 pounds and 13 pence of oblations due the king’s court for the lands of John Devereux in Herefordshire were pardoned. The Oblations of the Court, Herefordshire in Wales. Likewise Concerning the Oblations of the Court. The same sheriff gives account of 8 pounds and 13 pence for the land of John Devereux this year. Pardoned by the aforesaid writ 8 pounds and 13 pence. And it is laid to rest.