Walter of Douai

Family

Walter was the son of Urso of Douai, that was then a fiefdom of the counts of Flanders and now is a commune in the Nord département in northern France. Located on the river Scarpe some 40 km from Lille and 25 km from Arras.

He married Emma (or Eddeva) of Devon, and may have had two children: Richilde de Douai and Ralph (of Tintinhull) Lovel. He also had a second wife. His son Robert built Bampton Castle in Devon.

Norman Conquest

Walter likely fought at the Battle of Hastings in 1066, though he is not among those for whom proof of participation has been found.

In the aftermath of the victory, William the Conqueror entrusted the conquest of the south-west of England to his half-brother Robert of Mortain. Expecting stiff resistance, Robert marched west into Somerset, supported by forces under Walter of Douai, who entered from the north; a third force, under the command of William de Moyon, landed by sea along the Somerset coast.

Post Conquest

Following the defeat of the Saxons by the Normans in 1066, various castles were set up in Somerset by the new lords such as that at Dunster, and the manors were awarded to followers of William the Conqueror such as William de Moyon and Walter of Douai.

Walter of Douai was feudal baron of Bampton in Devon and of Castle Cary in Somerset.

After the Norman invasion the land on which Bridgwater stands was given to Walter of Douai,

In the Domesday Book of 1086 Walter was described as holding land in Worle, Somerset, Weare, Sparkford and Bratton Seymour.

Others holdings in Somerset and Devon included: Allerton, Alstone, Alston Sutton, Ansford, Badgworth, Bathealton, Bawdrip, Bradney, Bratton Seymour, Brean, Burnham on Sea, Chilcompton, Crook, Dunwear, Horsey, Huntspill, Pawlett, Sparkford, Stretcholt, Tarnock, Walpole, Watchet, Wembdon Wincanton, Berrynarbor, Coleridge (Stokenham), Combe Raleigh, Dipford, Dunsford, Goodrington, Greenway, Kerswell (Hockworthy), Knowstone, Little Rackenford, Luppitt, Mohuns Ottery, Shapcombe, Spurway, Stoke Fleming, Townstal, Uffculme, Woodcombe and Holacombe. Many of these were let to tenants.

Cary Castle, a motte and bailey castle was built either by Walter of Douai or by his son Robert who also built Bampton Castle in Devon.

References

Bibliography

• Prior, Stuart. (2006) The Norman Art of War: a Few Well-Positioned Castles. Stroud, UK: Tempus. .

References

1. [http://opendomesday.org/name/560800/walter-of-douai/ Open Domesday Online: Walter of Douai]
2. Green p. 66
3. Keats-Rohan page 39
4. Dunning, 1995 page 32-33
5. "The Manor of Bawdrip". Bawdrip Online.
6. (22 March 2016). "Part 1: The Complete and Utter History of Bridgwater with the Celts, Saxons and the Normans". Somerset County Gazette.
7. "Devonshire Manors in the Domesday Book". Hemyock Castle.
8. Prior, pp.74–75.
9. Prior, p.75.
10. Dunning, 2001 p.21
11. Sanders, I.J., ''English Baronies'', Oxford, 1960, pp.5, 27
12. hence becoming known variously as Burgh-Walter, Brugg-Walter and Brigg-Walter, eventually corrupted to Bridgwater. An alternative version is that it derives from "Bridge of Walter" (i.e. Walter's Bridge).Robinson
13. Farr pages 101-116
14. "History". Worle village.
15. "Bratton Seymour". British History Online.
16. Fleming pages 132, 133, 235 & 246
17. "Norman Origins". The Dowie Family Name.
18. "Devonshire Manors in the Domesday Book". Hemyock Castle.
19. "Domesday Somerset". [[Somerset County Council]].
20. Page, William. "The Land of Walter de Dowai". British History Online.
21. "Motte and Bailey Castle, Cockroad Wood, Charlton Musgrove". [[Somerset County Council]].