There is no evidence of the presence in England of any Beauchamp earlier than Domesday Book; and the only Beauchamp there mentioned by name is Hugh de Beauchamp of Bedford. But the Walter named as a subtenant of some property in Worcestershire, under Urse d’Abitot and others, may be identified, almost certainly, with the Walter de Beauchamp who married Urse’s daughter and succeeded to his great estates, as also to the title and some of the lands of Urse’s brother, Robert the Dispenser. No evidence of any relationship between Walter and Hugh has been adduced as yet.

Of the origin of the founder of the family nothing appears to be known. His name—de Bello Campo, Belcamp, or Beau Champ—is evidently taken from one of the several places of that name, the “Fair Field,” in Normandy or Picardy. Mr. Round ingeniously suggests that it is to be sought in the Calvados.

The Roman figures after the names of the Beauchamps refer to their position in the family table at the end of this memoir. The B. (standing for Bedford), is added after the figure, in order for the future to distinguish them from their contemporaries, the Beauchamps of Eaton Socon, who often bore the same fore-names; that family, it is hoped, will form the subject of a future article by the present writers.

HUGH DE BEAUCHAMP (I. B.)

was the founder of the line. He appears at Domesday (1086) as holding some 43 manors; these lay almost wholly in Beds.; he had, however, a fifteen-hide manor at Linslade, a four-hide manor at Lathbury, and a small holding in Soulbury, all in Bucks.; as well as the six-hide manor of Bengeo, co. Herts.; the fourhide manor of Hunsdon, in Herts., was also “of his fee.” The method by which he acquired the Bedfordshire lands has been discussed in the “ Notes on Domesday” below. Ralf Taillebois, who there is suggested to have been Hugh’s father-in-law, seems to have been succeeded by Hugh in his public capacity of Sheriff, as well as in his lands. Ralf had been Sheriff of Bedfordshire before 1086, but had died before that date; the inference that Hugh succeeded him as Sheriff is strongly supported by two precepts of William the Conqueror.