Several Histories of the de Busli Family

Back to Roger de Busli of Tickhill, Yorkshire

Bannerman's History

The following summary is extracted from an article by W. Bruce Bannerman published in Miscellanea Genealogica et Heraldica (1908) entitled 'Descent of the Male Line of the Family of Glazebrook from 1065 with Proofs for Each Generation' which starts with 85 pages documenting the de Bueles line.

Roger de Busli and his brother Ernold were sons of the Lord of Buslei-en-Bray near Drincourt (now called Neufchatel-en-Bray) and had recently inherited the family holding. With the Prince of Normandy, William, assembling a huge army for a planned invasion of England, Roger as the eldest brother, sold the tithes of the ville of Buslei to Abbot Rainier of the Holy Trinity at Rouen for 72 pounds of silver and a horse in a document witnessed by his brother Hernaldi and by Prince William (image of document) and joined William’s forces. The Norman army landed at Pevensey on Sept. 29, 1066 catching King Harold busy fighting a Norwegian army at Stamford Bridge in Yorkshire. When their forces met at Hastings on Oct. 14 William was victorious and William the Conqueror now held England. William quickly divided England up for his principle Lieutenants to hold under his authority. His Lieutenants then divided up their holdings under their principle knights and relations who may have subdivided their portion etc. Every holding and sub-holding though was held in capite of King William and were subject to the usual feudal services. The Domesday Book of 1086 records a survey of the resulting landholdings. Roger de Busli was awarded a huge area covering considerable portions of Yorkshire, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire and Leicestershire which would later become called the Hundred of Tickhill and also held parts of Gloucestershire and Leicestershire as a sub-tenant under another Baron and also had charge of the holdings of King William’s niece, the Countess Judith.

He made his Baronial capital at Tickhill where he had built his castle by 1071. The engraving is based on other surviving Norman castles and is probably a good example of the simple ‘keep on an artificial mound with a circular walled bailey and a gate tower’ which Roger built. There are no remains of the castle visible today.

See the full text of W. Bruce Bannerman's article in Miscellanea Genealogica et Heraldica (London, 1908) entitled 'Descent of the Male Line of the Family of Glazebrook from 1065 with Proofs for Each Generation' on pages 268-271 and 311-316 of Volume II and on pages 18-26, 77-85, 106-113, 150-157, 198-203, 254-261, 305-312 and 366-370 of Volume III. Note: there is much useful information in this article but Bannerman confused the de Busli and de Bussei families when he stated on p. 21 of Volume III that William de Buislei was the eldest son of Ernold de Builli when in fact Ernold's eldest son was Jordan de Builli. Possibly it was an assumption that he made in order to explain how a later de Bussei held a half share of an estate in Bedfordshire with Ernold's grandson John de Builli holding the other half as typically two brothers might. However, that situation had risen when John de Builli married Cecily de Bussei, daughter of William de Bussei and Hawise Espec, who brought half of a de Bussei holding to a de Builli. This is best explained by examining the history of Old Wardon Manor (which is also under construction)

Yorkshire. Historic Notices of Rotherham: Ecclesiastical, Collegiate and Civil; Part 1; John Guest; 1879

Archbishop Rotherham, p. 103

Idonea Vipont's possession of Kimberworth outlining how it descended to her upon the partition of the Vipont and Busli estate

Kimberworth, p. 581

A history of Kimberworth from when Roger de Busli held it as part of his honour of Tickhill

p. 582

Richard de Busli and wife Emma's grant of land in Kimberworth to the monks of Kirkstead

p. 583

John de Busli's grant to St John of Pontefract and the descent of Kimberworth from him to Idonea Vipont

Maison de Bully, Notice Historique et Genealogique by J. Noulens; J. Claye; Paris 1874

De Bully: Barons et Seigneurs de Bully, Tikhill, Blyth, Sandfort, Wapentac, Thelon, Kadefort, Frodeston, Cletone, Barneby, Wateley, Appelby, Lactone, Cliffort, Saltebey, Garthorp, Berchassebey, Buggeford, Clippeston, Crokeston, Kymberworth, etc. (en Angleterre), du Hamel, de Duestrame, de Guerame, de Fougeray, du Mesny, de Conjugiville.

Angleterre, Normandie, Picardie.

This 450 page history of the House of Bully contains many references for people named Bully/Builli/Busli in both Normandy and England. He did miss Roger de Busli's brother Ernold de Builli and has Ernold's grandson Richard as Roger's direct son and heir.

Some notes from the book:

p. 6 the Belleme brothers and Roger de Bully were related; Roger de Belleme was his cousin (this is possible but I believe is still unproven; Roger de Belleme was granted wardship of Roger de Bully's young heir Roger II which indicates some relationship)

p. 7 the manor of Sandford in Devonshire given to Roger by Queen Matilda

p. 9 Roger de Bully was listed as the 17th highest official in England in the Domesday Book (#1 The King, #2 Archbishop, #3-#7 Bishops, #8-#11 Abbots, 12 Count Alan, 13 Count Hugh, 14 Ivan Taillebois, 15 William de Warenne, 16 Roger Pictaventis, 17 Roger de Busli)

p. 13 about 1147 Richard de Bully with the consent of his wife granted the manor of Eilrihetorp to Roche Abbey. This charter was signed by Robert de Bully and William de Bully (Richard’s heir) (copy in the appendix)

p. 14 in another charter giving the mill at Northun to St Mary and St John of Pontefract witnessed by Othon (Otto) son of Robert de Bully (attachment 12) and in 1159 another charter (copy in the appendix)

p. 16 continuation of the Bully line in Normandy; Thomas de Bully there in 1234 and on into the 1700’s (p. 55, 93) and 1800’s (p. 99-112)

p. 23 Robert de Vieuxpont built a castle at Powys-Land that Leweline, prince of the Welsh attacked in 1212

Full Copy

Journal of the Yorkshire Archaeological Society Volume IV

p. 142