Held Knelle manor in Sussex near Beckley as a military fee of the Honour of Hastings from the Count of EU, as per VCH in 1190 and 1212. In the Red Book of the Exchequer V. 2, p. 623, Stephanus de Cnolle held one of the five and a half fees 'super dominio' or of the demesne of the count of Eu.as 'new feoffment'. The others were Hurste, Robert de Crevequer, William de la Wyke, Joceus de Maufe and Robert de Olinton. All of them were free of castle guard in Hasting Castle. In 1166 the knights holding demesne fees in 'old feoffment' (1100-1135) were Alured de St. Martin, Robert de Strabo, Robert de Broc, William de Bosco, William de Lancinges, Daniel de Crevequer, Roger de Freham and Robert de Hastings.
Between 1185 -90 Stephen confirms to the Abbey of Robertsbridge for the health of his soul and the souls of his ancestors all his land which he has below Eures in the morass, which is of 'my fee of Cnelle', except the marsh which Samson de Guestling inclosed for me before this deed. The monks have to pay 2 gold coins yearly to him and his heirs to enclose the land, whereby half of the land remains to him and his heirs. The other half stays with the monks which have to keep up the dykes as protection against sea and river water. For that reason he has received three marks as gersum. This charter is witnessed by Alured de St. Martin, Samson de Guestling, Alan de Lunsford, Robert de Waliland, Michael de Muntes and others. Those witnesses mentioned sign many more deeds whith Alured, the founder of Robertsbridge Abbey. Stephen's seal shows an eagle displayed. Ca.1200 Stephen confirms to Robertsbridge Abbey the land which they hold in the fee of Setelescombe, called WORTH. This fee was held by Stephen until his death. Here his seal shows a fleur de lys. - About the same time Stephen de Cnelle witnesses a grant of Samson de Guestling to Robertsbridge Abbey for the salvation of himself, Maud his wife and Laurencia his daughter.
Ca.1190 Stephanus de Cnelle, witnesses charters in which William de St. Martin, cousin of Alured de St. Martin, puts all his possessions in the Rape of Hastings into custody of the monks except his mill in Hastings. - William at that time was holding Methersham which is situated less than a mile NE of Knelle [VCH), and which he had bought from Gervaise de Ospringe of Kent in 1185. Those charters are also witnessed by Robert de Waliland who himself gave a part of the land to the Abbey which he had been granted by Alured de St. Martin. Robert appears in many charters as witness afterwards. - In the same year Stephen de Cnell witnesses another charter of William de St. Martin granting to Robertsbridge Abbey a virgate of land and rent in Eures in the moor next to the land of Samson de Guestling.
Stephen's donation is contained in the royal charter of King Richard I, dated 9th Nov. 1189, confirming to the abbey their holdings.
Alured de St. Martin, who had founded Robertsbridge abbey in 1176, was sheriff of the rape of Hastings and dapifer to Richard I. He had been a close companion of King Henrty II when he was Duke of Normandy. Alured married Alice, widow of John, Ct. of Eu after her husband had died in 1170. She was a daughter of William de Albini, Earl of Arundel and Adeliza de Louvain, widow of King Henry I. Alured and Alicia had a son Alured.
Henry Count of Eu in 1178 confirmed his mother's donation to Robertsbridge Abbey and gave the manor of Worth in the parish of Brightling for the soul of his brother Robert. He died 16 March 1183. King Richard I died in 1199. - Raoul de Hysoud or Lusignan, Ct of Eu , d. May 1219 in Poitou. His wife Alice, daughter of Henry Count of Eu, had become Countess of Eu in 1186 after her brothers had died. A few years after her husband's death she left England and died in Normandy in 1246 having been deprived of her English holdings in 1225.
Citing VCH:
“In 1210-12 the abbey of Robertsbridge held in free alms of Peter de Scotney,
son of Walter, two-thirds and a quarter of a knight’s fee in Sedlescombe, of which the quarter was WORTH or Wortham, the ‘land of Gencelin’, granted to the abbey at its foundation, and confirmed to them by the Archbishop of Canterbury about 1180. The agreement was later renewed by purchase with Gencelin’s son Gilbert, and confirmed by
Ralph Count of EU c.1197. About 1200 this quarter fee was held by Stephen de Knelle, who then acknowledged the ownership of Robertsbridge, and it was again ratified by Peter de Scotney in 1216 and Robert Basok of Sedlescombe in 1220, after which it was included in the fee of Basok.”
- In 1535-6 a wood was situated in a field called Nollys. (SAS FA 201).
Stephen may have died c.1216, his son Geoffrey donating to Robertsbridge Abbey in 1219.
The author of the Battle Abbey Roll suggests that Stephen was the son of Reginald or Reynold de Ashburnham-Criol - who held 2 knight's fees in Ashburnham in 1166 and donated land to Robertsbridge Abbey in 1194 - He had a son Stephen, (d. 1212) married to Alice. He goes on saying that Stephen confirmed his father's donations to Battle Abbey and gave land to Robertsbridge Abbey as Stevin de Cuell. But this would need further proof as Cuell might have been confounded in the gothic scripture with Cnell. He obviously refers to the inspeximus of Edward III.
There are reasons to believe that Stephen de Cnelle actually was the Stephen de St. Martin who witnessed the foundation charter of Alured de St. Martin to the Abbey of Robertsbridge, together with William de St. Martin. Further donation charters are witnessed by two or three of them, especially the earliest ones. Alured's sister Beatrice had married Lorenzo de Lunsford, and his niece Alice, daughter of his sister Mabel Candeleworth, married Richard de Lunsford, son of Hugo and Agatha, brother of Lorenzo. He also gave land to Marg' de Calcea, another niece at her marriage (Lunsford charters). John de Calceto was a witness to the donation charter of William de Bodiham, son of Henry de Bodiam, to Battle Abbey, by which he gave all his possessions in the fee of Bodiam (Battle Abbey Charters). Reinger de Northeye, son of Ingelram, was another nephew of Alured de St. Martin, whose ward he was during his minority. A later William de Northeye held the land next to Knelle once of William de St. Martin.
Richard de Lunsford's sister Matilde was wife of William de Gulafre. Juliane de Normanville, widow of Richard Gulafre, married secondly William de Bodiham, son of Henry and Margery, another of Alured's nieces. In a Robertsbridge charter this Margeret, widow of Henry, son of William de Bodiham, quitclaims to the monks her tenement in Osinden which Alured de St. Martin, her uncle and Burgonnia, her mother, had given to the monks. I Alured de Sanco Martino gave to Marg' de Calcea my niece for her marriage what I have in Osindone etc. (Coll. Topogr. & Geneal.) 2 May 1199 William de Bodiham versus Margar', daughter of Ade regarding her dower. (William was son of Margaret and Henry son of William de Bodiham). Thus it seems that Burgonia, another sister or relative of Alured de St. Martin, had married Adam de Calcea).
In 1207 William de Bodiham and Juliane his wife sue William de Gulafre, brother of Richard, for 1 hide or 60 acres of land out of Knelle and 31s rent in Beverington near Eastbourne as reasonable dower due to her. He gives them other land in Beverington. In another document Juliane talks about her husband's free tenement there. But that would mean that William Gulafre and Matilde de Lunsford held Richard's part in Knelle after his death.
In 1208 Stephano de Cnelle witnesses a petition by Willelm Gulafre and Matilde (de Lunsford), his wife, against Alice de Lunsford, widow of Matilde's brother, whereby William de Bodiham is the first witness. Ralf de Dene, Ralph de Ickelsham, Ralph de Borne are the other witnesses. William Gulafre cites a charter by Hugh de Lunsford and his son Richard, father and brother of Matilde, which had been witnessed by Alvredo de Sancto Martino, Ralf de Born, Amfrid de Dene, a relative of Ralf de Dene, Stephen de Cnelle, Robert de Waliland, John de Northey and others years ago, Alured having died meanwhile. Amfrid de Dene had witnessed charters by Stephen and Alured de St. Martin.(Robertsbridge charters). Ralph de Borne was overlord of Lunsford.
By those documents it has become clear that Stephen de Cnelle was in the inner circle of Alured de St. Martin, if not related to him in some way. There are several Alureds named after him. Alured son of Alured, Alured de Calcea, Alfred or Alured de Basoc (who both witnessed Robertsbridge charters with Alured de St. Martin) and Alfred or Alured de Cnelle who may be a younger son of Stephen (further Knelle members). C- 1180 John Harengot, son of Stephen, grants land in Hastingsrape to Robert Pollard. The witnesses are Henry Count of Eu, Robert and John his brothers, Alvred, William and Stephen de St. Martin, Alured de Calceia, Reinger de Northey, Adam de Basoc. Alured de Cnelle is acting as attorney for Ralph de Ickelsham's daughter and his son in law Ralph de Harengod. It seems that almost all the persons witnessing the charter of 1208 were related with each others.
Of Stephen de St. Martin nothing is heard later on. He stops witnessing Robertsbridge charters about the time of the death of Henry Count of Eu in 1183. Stephen de Cnelle's first donation dates from about 1185-90. - Alured died in 1199 (CRR and VCH which states that his appointment to look after the castle of Hastings was given to another person in that year) or a short time later. William de St. Martin died in 1208 and Stephen de Cnelle c. 1216. Stephen de St. Martin's parentage has not been proved yet. - Of Alured's son Alured nothing further is known either.
As per Domesday Book the land holdings of the St. Martin family extended into Heighton, Glossams, Iden, Playden in Goldspur Hundred, Guestling, Udimore, Northiam, Bexhill-Bullington, Salehurst, Sedlescombe, Ewhurst (Welland or Wadiland) and Whatlington. The Knelle family held land in most of those places.
Ralph de Lusignan, de Hysoud, Hiemes or Exmes, Earl of Eu in right of his wife Alice, confirms to Robertsbridge Abbey the land which Alured de St. Martin had given them out of his fees in Ore, Icklesham and Guestling and land in Winchelsea and Clivesend.
1219 Godfrey de Cnelle, son of Stephen de Cnelle, to the monks
(of Robertsbridge)
:
Grant, in frankalmoign of 9s yearly rent out of the land of Fugesham. Witnesses: Robert de Hastings, Stephen le Borne, Robert his brother of
Diedsterne (Dixter), Robert Besocher (Basok) of Setelescombe, Laurence de
Mundifeld, William de Kitchinore, Helyas Foleth. At the
same time Robert de Sedlescombe, son of Adam de Basok, confirms to the monks the
land in Worth which Stephen had held. Godfrey's seal: Fleurs de lys semées.
Sigill: Galfridi de Cnell.
William de Lhoses to the Abbey ....Witnesses Geoffrey de Knell and others ( dated 3 June 1219).
Another charter by William L(h)ose is dated 2 Nov. 1229, by which he quitclaims to the Abbey the donation of his tenement in Pirfield, Kent.- Witnesses are Geoffrey de Knell, Robert Basoc, Lawrence de Mundifeld, Manasser de Herst, Elias Foleth (murdered the next year). - Emma, daughter of .William Helte or Cirinthon, held Pirfeld in 1200.
Geoffrey in 1225 witnessed a grant of Mathilde, daughter of Hugh de Lundresford and sister of Richard, when she donates land to Sibille who is to marry Wilhelm de Echingham, against a certain payment every Christmas. Simon, brother of Wilhelm, Laurence de Mundifeld and others are also witnesses. Mathilda was married to William Gulafre.(Lunsford Charters, year 1208). - Maud de Lundresford, widow, grants and quitclaims to Robertsbridge Abbey her whole tenement of Henherst next to the forest of the Count of Eu to hold in frankalmoign, which Alured de St. Martin gave to the monks at the foundation of the Abbey. Seal: a fleur de lys.
Ca.1200 William de Bodiham and Juliane (de Normanville) his wife, widow of Richard Gulafre, asks for dower of half a hide in Knelle from William Gulafre, Richard's brother.. Instead he gives her land and rent in Bevington near Eastbourne for her life. Alured de St. Martin had witnessed pleas of dower of Henry de Bodiham's widow against William de Bodiham in 1199. (CRR). - Richard probably died during the crusade of King Richard first, at the siege of Acre (see above).
MATTHEW SON OF GEOFFREY
13 July 1253 - Exemption for life of Matthew son of Geoffrey de Knolle, from being put
on assizes, juries or recognitions, and from being made coroner (CPR).
In 1255 he received a grant of free warren in his lands outside the King’s forest.
On 6 March of that year he witnessed a royal charter at Westminster with such
notable persons as John de Warenne, Edmund de Lacy, both earls, and John Mansel,
provost of Beverley.
Robertsbridge Charter (c. 1260)
John son and heir of Walter and Burgonia de Walilande to Matthew de
Knelle: Quitclaim in fee of all his right in the half fee of Walilonde formerly held
by his father and mother; to hold of him and his heirs subject to the
yearly payment of 1 pound pepper at the house of Knellee. Consideration money, 60 pounds.- Witnesses: Edme de Knelle
and others.
(This charter was found stabbed in 4 places - Walter and
Burgonia were descendants of Robert de Weliland who witnessed
Stephen's charter.
In 1262 The warden of the Hospital of Playden induced Sybil of Yarmouth to set fire to the buildings and ricks of Mathew de Knoll in Beckley.
Sybil forswore the country.
May 23, 1263 - William de Wilton was appointed to find out who wasted the
manor of Matthew de Knelle in Beckley and carried goods away (CPR).
In 1264 he assisted Simon de Montfort, earl of Leicester, with armed riders at the siege of Rochester Castle, as did Matthew de Hastings. The siege began on the 17th April and lasted to the next day, Good Friday. Thus it may be assumed that he took part in the battles of Lewes and/or Evesham comparing the dates of protections and those of the battles and the court cases.
1266 - Simple protection until the octaves of Michaelmas for Matthew de Knolle. - 1267, July 19 - Simple protection, without clause, for 1 year, for Henry de Frome and Matthew de Knelle, provided that he stand to the award of Kenilworth and redeem his land(CPR). [Dictum of Kenilworth October 1266: Fines were levied for those adherent to Simon de Montford which ranged between one and five years valour of their income in order to be pardoned and have their lands restored]. Matthew consequently was received into the King's peace on condition of future good conduct (27 Dec. 1267).
1268, Thomas Palastre and Joan his wife acquired land in Wittersham from Matthew de Knelle (GBS).
Before 1269 Matthew (de Knelle) witnesses a charter of William de Northeye, kt., granting to Robertsbridge Abbey two acres of land near Mayham Bridge (over the Rother) in Beckley and Robert de Crevequer's charter to the monks, confirming the grant of William de Northeye. Here the name is spelt Cnelle (Robertsbridge Charters) - William de Northye was descendant of a niece of Alured de St. Martin.
1270, Sept. 8 - Simple protection, without clause, for one year, for Matthew de Knelle (CPR).
A writ from the King dating Nov. 1, 1271 - after Matthew had obtained
an adjournment into parliament, orders where issued that land and tenements from Matthew's
lands in the county of Sussex had to be assigned to Robert of Cokefeude
following his part in the baron's war, according to the dictum of Kennilworth. From 'Knights of Edward I': -
In that year Matthew de Cnelle was assured to live peacfully in Sussex (CCR). - A translation of
the latin text reads as follows: Due to Matthew de Knelle's transgressions
during the period of disturbances we conceed to Robert de Cockfield 20 librates
of land and tenements in Sussex according to the Dictate of Kenelworth...Robert
was admonished not to make waste etc. ...According to that document Matthew obviously maintained that during the disturbances he had been in
service with Gilbert de Clare, earl of Gloucester and Hertford, and that he had
adhered to Edward, the King's son, and to the King's cause. A warrant of the
earl was to be presented at the following court. But Matthew came but was not
able to present a document from the earl confirming his plea so that Robert de
Cockfield received seising of the 20 librates of land.
Consequently Matthew had fallen into debt and had to mortgage part of Knelle manor to Robert Paulyn of Rye. He had petitioned King and Council for part payments of the 40 marks owed to the king, with the argument that his land was lying fallow. He was allowed to pay 100s annually (VCH and TNA SC 8/201/10042). - Due to his misfortune he seems to have become a knight of Henry de Lacy earl of Lincoln as on 1 July 1277 he had protection to go with him to Wales.
On 29 Sept.1271 Matthew claims the land which belonged to Amicia de Solincote alleging that he had given the tenement to his son Matthew. The Exchequer wants to have the opinion of jurors as there exists an amercement relating to the tenement. The barons are ordered to demonstrate at what day Matthew's son was enfeoffed in the aforesaid tenement and to give an answer in 10 days from St. Hilary's. - Hillary term 1271-2,St. Hillary 14th Jan. - Order to the barons of the Exchequer concerning Matthew de Knelle: We command those barons to enfeoff the son of Matthew de Knelle immediately against payment of 10 lbs for which he has been amerced in the court of those barons, payable into the hanaper at the next quinzaine of Easter in their court.
1272 The King ordered Master Richard de Stanes to let have Augustine de Auger, his valet, 40 marks out of fines and amercements received in his court instead of the 40 marks out of the redemption which Matthew de Knelle has to pay (CCR).
1272, April 6 - Commission to Hugh de Kendale, king's clerk, to enquire by jurors of Sussex into a complaint by Matthias de Knelle that while he was under the king's protection Matthias de Hastings, William de Echingham and others inflicted diverse grievances upon him, especially in the houses, woods and gardens, belonging to his lands and tenements.They threatened his life and maimed some of his men. Their excuse was that they had done this because of his attitude against the king in the recent disturbances for what he had been amerced (CPR). However, Matthew de Hastings had had his land confiscated by the earl of Gloucester for the same reason having been at Rochester as well but had changed sides at the siege of Dover. He is described as being in company of Joan, wife of Simon de Montfort in the book 'The Baron's War'.
In 1274-5 Matthew was fined for obstructing the way between Cross of Wyte and Maythambridge (VCH).
1278, Feb. 4 The King notifies the treasurer and barons of the Exchequer that Matthew de Knelle may pay the 20 lbs due by 10 marks at easter, 10 marks at Michaelmas and the rest of 10 marks at the following Easter into the Exchecker (CCR).
26 June1278 Matthew was summoned to war as knight of Sussex (CPR) - A French source puts it like that: "On the 26th June 1278 King Edward I convoked for military service the knights from the counties of Surrey and Sussex who possessed at least one knight's fee in chief. Under those were named William de Soknersh, Robert de Burgersh, William de Hastings, Matthew de Knell, Simon de Somery, Richard de Ashburnham etc."
17 Jan.1290 Matthew and his sons Geoffrey, Matthew and James as well as Ralph Benteleye were detained and imprisoned in Brede. They came free having paid a fine. All that came about because they had deseised Edmund de Passele, overlord of Beckley, and Maud his wife of a tenement in Beckley (CFR) - 18 Feb. Order for delivering them from the prison of Reygate for the same purpose (CFR).
Matthew the elder died that year.
He held Knelle manor as one knight’s fee of the barony of Hastings, then in the hands of the king, having succeeded his father in 1290 (VCH). - Cal. IPM. III, and CFR: On 6 April 1295 the king gave order to the escheator south of the Trent, Malcolm de Harley, to conduct an IPM, to be carried out at Knelle, for Galfrido de Knelle deceased, and to see what he held 'in capite' in his bailiwick. This document was issued at Aberconway, where King Edward I stayed that day on account of the rebellion of Madoc ap Llewelyn, son of the late prince of Wales, which had begun on 30 Sept.1294. The army mustered at Worcester beginnung of October and fought their progress to Conway where they arrived on Christmas Eve. On 22 January 1295 there was a skirmish near Conway where the baggage train was lost. The next battle with the Welsh was fought on 5 March at Maes Moydog northwest of Montgomery. Madoc fled but was captured and was sent to the Tower of London. King Edward stayed on for some time in Wales to quelch the rebellion totally. This might suggest that Geoffrey was with the king in Wales and died there from wounds received. A similar writ was issued by the king to the exchequer dated May 13.
On a Friday, the 20th day before the feast of the apostles St. Philip and St.Jacob, May 1, the inquisition was held by 12 jurors at Knelle manor, to which belonged John and Robert Oxebrugg, William de Ketchenor, his immediate neighbours, two Johns de Wodeland, and others. The inquisition shows that he died seised of Knelle manor which he had held as military fee in fee farm from the Count Richmond, but which was in the King's hands at that moment. Besides that he held two and a half acres of land of the manor of Iden which had been of John Tregoz and now were in the king's hand also. The rent of those two and a half acres had to be paid to Robert Paulyn of Rye who at that time was custodian of Iden on behalf of the king. The canons of the royal chapel Beate Marie in Hastings castle owed VIII shillings to Matthias, Galfridos brother, in whose custody the land was, and 12 d to the king. Matthew, his younger brother, was mentioned as sole heir and aged 40 and more. The sum due to the king amounted to 20 pounds and 6d.
Geoffrey died sp, as per fine Roll on 5 April 1295. - Malcolm de Harley belonged to an ancient and prominent Shropshire family.
Succeeded his brother in 1295.The IPM of his brother says that he was then 40 years and upwards.
On 25 June 1295 the escheator on this side of the Trent received order to deliver to Matthew de Knelle, brother and heir of Geoffrey de Knelle, tenant in chief, the lands late of his brother, he having done feality (CFR). He was later enrolled for the defence of the coast. - However, Matthew is not mentioned in the Sussex Subsidy of 1296.
In 1301 Matthew de Knelle was summoned for the counties of Surrey and Sussex to serve against the Scots (CPR), apparently during the struggle with Robert Bruce.
1310 -15 virgates of land were held in Wittersham, Kent, Isle of Oxney, in fee from Matthew (CFF).
1312 - Order to the bailiffs for a fine of 100s made not to destrain for 2 years Matthew de Knelle for not to take the arms of a knight (CFR).
On 25 Jan.1314 Matthew received a commission of 'walliis et fossatis' with John Malemeyns of Stoke and Robert de Echingham for either side of the river (Rother) from Newenden between Methersham and the bridge of Bodiam in the counties of Kent and Sussex.
On May 12, 1316 he was part of another commission with Edmund Passele and Stephen Alard of Winchelsea for controlling the dykes in the marshes of Tillingham, Sussex, to preserve the marshes of this place and of Estwytenham (CPR). In the latter two documents his name is spelled Knolle.
Matthew is mentioned as holding Knelle in 1319 when he received back that half of Knelle manor which had been mortgaged to Robert Paulyn (CFF): Matthew de Knelle and Margaret his wife (by Henry Thurston) v. Geoffrey Solace - half the manor of Knelle - to Matthew and Margery and heirs of their bodies with contingent remainder to right heirs of Matthew. - Matthew seems to have died in 1323 (IPM). - By documents which will be referred to later on it is probable that his wife was Margaret Lyvet.
According to De Banco Roll Hillary 49. E. 3. m. 314 (1375) Henry Auchier and Alice, his wife, and John, brother of Henry, and Joan, his wife, sued William de Welles for a moiety of the manor of Knelle, which Geoffrey Solace gave to Matthew de Knelle and Margaret his wife, and the heirs of their bodies. This moiety had been mortgaged by his grandfather when he had to redeem his land.
JAMES SON OF MATTHEW I
The year 1290 saw him imprisoned in Brede and Reygate with his brothers and his father having deseised various times Edmund de Passele and Maud his wife of a tenemnet in Beckley.
26 Jan.1305 James de Knelle and William de la Hamme acknowledge that they owe to Henry le la Rye 20s; to be levied, in default of payment, of their lands and chattels in Sussex and Kent (CCR).
William is documented in RYE/136 in 1303-4.