William Fitz-Ansculf


William Fitz-Ansculf was a Norman-French landowner who succeeded his father, Ansculf de Picquigny.

Birth and early life

William's date of birth is not known, though it was likely in Picquigny, Picardy, now in the Somme department, France, in the mid 11th Century. William inherited many lands in central England that had been granted to his father, Ansculf de Picquigny by William the Conqueror after the Norman conquest in 1066. William made his base at the castle built by his father in Dudley, Worcestershire. He and his successors were overlords of the manors of Selly Oak and Birmingham both of which had previously been owned by Wulfwin. His ownership of Selly Oak was challenged by the Bishop of Lichfield using a nuncupative will made by Wulfwin as evidence. It would appear that William Fitz-Ansculf died during the First Crusade. Henry of Huntingdon in his ‘History of the English People’ writes that: “Then from the middle of February they besieged the castle of ‘Arqah, for almost three months. Easter was celebrated there. But Anselm of Ribemont, a very brave knight, died there, struck by a stone, and William of Picardy, and many others.”.

Lands held

The Domesday Book of 1086 shows William holding from the Crown around one-hundred estates in twelve counties. Many of these were estates formerly held by King Harold Godwinsson, Lady Godiva, Earl Algar and Ulwin, a thegn based in the Midlands. William was either Lord, or tenant-in-chief.
List of land held by William Fitz Ansculf in 1086:
Domesday place nameModern place nameOwner in 1066
AbinceborneAbinger, SurreyKing Edward and a huscarl
BelintonesBellington, WorcestershireAlric and Holland
BerchelaiBartley Green, BirminghamWulfwin
BradefeltBradfield, ReadingKing Edward and Horling
BradewelleBradwell, Milton KeynesAlric son of Goding, Godwin and Sibbi
BremingehamBirminghamWulfwin
CaldecoteCaldecote, BuckinghamshireFour thegns
CatspelleChasepool, Staffordshire
CliveClyffe Pypard, WiltshireAelfric, Burghelm, and Godiva
ContoneCompton Beauchamp, BerkshireKing Edward and Almer
DudeleiDudleyEarl Edwin
ElesberieEllesborough, BuckinghamshireKing Edward and Leofnoth, son of Osmund
EscelieSelly Oak, BirminghamWulfwin
FranchelieFrankley, WorcestershireWulfwin
HadenaGreat Hampden and Little Hampden, BuckinghamshireArchbishop Stigand and Baldwin, son of Herlewin
HoneswordeHandsworth, BirminghamAlfrith and Alwin
HingepeneInkpen, BerkshireKing Edward
MichelhamMitcham, SurreyKing Edward, Brictric and two men
MildetoneMilton, SurreyKing Edward and Wulfric
MolesleiMoseley, WolverhamptonCountess Godiva
MorveMorfe and Little Morfe, StaffordshireThree free men
NevportNewport Pagnell, BuckinghamshireKing Edward and Ulf Fenman
NordfeldNorthfield, BirminghamAlwold son of Erngeat
PadendenePaddington, SurreyKing Edward and a huscarl
PendefordPendeford, WolverhamptonUlstan and Godwin
SeglesleiSedgley, DudleyEarl Algar
StocheBradenstoke, WiltshireStrami
StochesStoke Poges, BuckinghamshireEarl Harold, Tubbi and Sired
TelinghamTyringham, BuckinghamshireAelfeva, wife of Harold; Estan of Farningham, Godric, Godwin the priest, Harold of Tyringham
TichefordeTickford, BuckinghamshireUlf Fenman
TornelleThornhill, WiltshireAelfric, Burghelm and Godiva
WandesordeWandsworth, LondonKing Edward and six free men
WamburneWombourne, StaffordshireThorsten
WavreChurchover, WarwickshireVagn of Wootton
WillingeuuieWillingwick, BromsgroveEarl Edwin, Alwin, Alwold son of Erngeat, Brictred, Earl Edwin's thane, Erngeat son of Grim, Frani son of Erngeat
WlsiestoneLittle Woolstone, Milton KeynesKing Edward and Edward the noble