Name: William de Lancaster III, Baron of Kendall
Herald date: 1232-1246
Argent, two bars Gules on a canton of the last a lion passant guardant Or.
Born 1182 at Barton in Westmorland, William was the son of Gilbert Fitzreinfrid, one of the barons opposed to King John in 1215.
Name: Simon de Thornton
Herald date: 1234-1241
Argent on a bend Gules three escarbuncles Or
Name: John de Lancaster
Herald date: 1240-1241
Argent, two bars Gules on a canton of the last a lion passant guardant
Name: William de Vesci, Lord of Alnwick
Herald date: 1166-1170
Or, a cross Sable
The de Vesci family were Normans who fought at Hastings and who were granted the lands of Gilbert Tyson, who was killed fighting for King Harold.
William was Sheriff of both Northumberland and Lancashire, and his family were the builders of Alnwick Abbey. Toward the end of his life William joined the monastery, where he died in 1184. He is buried beside his wife by the Chapter House.
William’s son Eustace married Margaret of Scotland, daughter of William the Lion and became a staunch opponent to King John, going so far as to offer the throne to the Dauphin of France after 1215. Eustace was killed laying seige to Barnard castle in 1216 and the family line ended in 1309, the lands and titles eventually going to the Percys.
Name: Ralph Fitzbernard
Herald date: 1174-1185
Vair, on a chief Gules a cross patonce Argent.
Of Kingsdown and Tonge, Kent.
Name: Peter Pipard
Herald date: 1184
Argebt, two bars Azure on a canton of the second a cinquefoil Or
A member of the powerful Pipard family from Buckinghamshire, Peter and his brothers Gilbert and Hugo all held office at one time or another in Lancashire. The family were related by marriage to the Scottish king Duncan II, the founder of Furness Abbey. Gilbert was governor of Ireland for a time during the reign of King John.
Name: Richard de Vernon
Herald date: 1189
A Norman from Shipbrook-on-Weaver
Name: Robert de Vavasour
Herald date: 1196
Argent, a fes dancette Sable
Of Hazelwood near Tadcaster. Robert was the father-in-law of Theobald Walter. He was also High Sheriff of Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire
Name: Richard and William de Vernon
Herald date: 1200-1205
This was Richard’s second term as Sheriff but in his final 6 months in office he shared the role with his brother William. Richard ran foul of the King for not executing his mandates thoroughly enough and was fined 40 marks and a palfrey. William went on to become Sir William and was later employed as a Justiciar.
Name: Reginald de Cornehill
Herald date: 1215
Argent, a sinister arm issuing out of the dexter chief point and extended towards the sinister base the fist clenched in bend Gules.
Originally from the Isle of Thanet, the de Cornhill family were merchants, well versed in maritime trade. Henry de Cornhill was responsible for organising the fleet that took King Richard on Crusade.
For most of John’s reign Reginald was given important taxation and customs duties, but after Gilbert Fitzreinfrid’s revolt in 1215 he was sent to Lancaster. He was already Sheriff of Kent and Constable of Rochester Castle and so John clearly trusted him in this new role.
By September 1215 Reginald was back in Kent and was present when Rochester Castle was laid seige to by the Archbishop of Canterbury. Reginald surrendered the castle without a fight. The king was furious and had Reginald imprisoned after he re-took Rochester.
