Saswalo, Castellan of Lisle

[david]

Here is an article (borrowed from the Shirley Association website) that discusses a couple of theories regarding the origin of Saswallo, who is occasionally referred to as a possible progenitor of the Sewell/Sewall families:



Saswalo
Castellan of Lisle


Notes on the Descendancy of the Family of Ensor
By Peter Lee
Nuneaton & North Warwickshire Family History Society -
If you visit the village of Ettington in
the south of the county of Warwickshire,
you will find a nineteenth century
mansion that was once the seat of
the Shirley family. Indeed the manor
and the previous house had been in
their family for over 900 years. The
building today is one of England's
grandest hotels. Engraved on a stone
wall is lettering which reads:
"When good St. Edward wore the
crown/ Saswallo here was thane:
His male stem this manor own/ Now
in Victoria's reign"
There are other families who have
claimed descendency from Saswal[l]o
including the families of de Etwall, de
Mungei, de Snitterton and Ible, De
Pecco, de Alfreton, Ingleram, de Ireton
and de Ednesour (from whom the
current family of Ensor now under
review are all descended) - but who
was Saswalo?
The Shirleys believe he was a Saxon
nobleman who for some reason benefited
under the largesse of William the
Conqueror. I beg to differ and here is
the reason. A book entitled 'The Norman
People' published in London
1989 reads : "Shirley: This family descends
from Sasualo, who held vast
estates from Henry de Ferrers 1086.
He had been supposed of Anglo-Saxon
origin, but the name does not occur
amongst the proprietor's t. Edward
Confessor (Domesd.); nor is it probable
that such vast estates (nine
knight's fees) would have been given
to an Anglo Saxon. The name is
probably foreign. Sasualo or Saswalo
was Castellan of Lisle (Keeper of the
castle of L'Isle - or the island - now
Lille in Northern France but then) -
Flanders c.1000 and 1039 founded the
Abbey of Palempin (Albert Miraeus,
Op. Diplom. i. 54) His son, Robert,...
http://www.shirleyassociation.com/Ne...alo_lisle.html


Does any of this ring a bell with anyone?

David Sewall
Maine USA

[John Rees]

If you want details of the Shirley family then Stemmata Shirleiana; or the Annals of the Shirley Family. Lords of Nether Etindon in the County of Warwick, and of Shirley in the County of Derby. 2ed. London: Nichols and Sons, 1873 is the book you need to consult.
Despite my old Mother insisting that "we are connected to Lord Ferrers" I think it was just a family tradition. Though the Sewall name does appear as a Shirley first name I have found no connection (blood-wise) between Henry Sewall and the Shirleys or the Ferrers.

I guess the line you are thinking of reads:
Sasuualo, Lord of Etendone (Eatington). fl. 1079-1086
Fulcher, held lands in Shirley d. by 1165
Sewallis de Syrle. Lord of Eatington, living 1192 m2 Matilda Ridel
Henry, Lord of Eatington fl 1205-6
Sir Sewallis de Eatington, knt. fl 1251-2 m Isabel Meysnyll (widow of John de Neville)
Sir James de Shirley, knt. Lord of Eatington fl. 1278 m Agnes de Walton
Sir Ralph Shirley. knt ob. 1327
etc.

John

[david]

Thank you, John. I am aware of "Stemmata Shirleiana" but have only read excerpts online. In my area I don't think the book is readily available. Does Stemmata S. contain any conclusive evidence about the relationship of Saswallo (or Sasuualo, etc.) to the Sewell/Sewall family? It's interesting that you say your Mother used to refer to a "connection" with Lord Ferrers; maybe you should not dismiss it too casually, unless, of course, you are also aware that notion was originally concocted by someone prone to delusion!

I wonder if the current fad of DNA testing might reveal anything interesting? I notice on the Shirley website that they are pursuing testing.

Sincerely,
David

[John Rees]

The family tradition about the Shirley/Ferrers connection is what prompted me to buy a copy of "Stemmata Shirleiana" but nothing in it casts a glimmer upon any connection that I can spot. I have been off on one or two wild goose chases but no luck so far. The "connection" is also rather muddied by the use of Shirley as a first name amongst some of my Sewell recent ancestors - I think that a co-incidence.

I'll e-mail you a scan of the first tree in "Stemmata Shirleiana" so look out for a pdf in your junk tray.

John

[Alan]

Saswalo the Castelain of Lille died in 1050 and whilst he can and probably is the projenitor of the de Ettingtons but he did not come to England in 1066, but at least one of his descendants did. The Saswalo credited with the 22 lordships is he. He had to be born poss 1026 and another would be necessary to make the tree Stemmata work probably abt 1058 and therefore pre conquest and born in France and went on the first Crusade with Robert of Flanders. ÇI have a candidate

[Alan]

Saswalo the Castelain of Lille died in 1050 and whilst he can and probably is the projenitor of the de Ettingtons but he did not come to England in 1066, but at least one of his descendants did. The Saswalo credited with the 22 lordships is he. He had to be born poss 1026 and another would be necessary to make the tree Stemmata work probably abt 1058 and therefore pre conquest and born in France and went on the first Crusade with Robert of Flanders. ÇI have a candidate

Please view this 8 generation tree to see possible lineage http://alancookson.tripod.com/saswalo

[Alan]

The name Saswalo is very rare and I´ve only found three in the time period we are discussing. The first is Saswalo Castellan of Lisle also known as the Thieron de Fresnes or Saswalo de Phalempin. The second is Saswalo de Bouville at the time of Domesday and a Saswalo de Phalempin shown in a database of Crusaders to the Holy land. The third and the first cannot be the same person as the first would be in his eighties and therefore too old to fight. It is therefore more probable the third was probably grandson to the original so as the name is so uncommon it is believed that all three are relatives. The third Saswalo is believed to have been born circa 1058 and is the same time period as Sewallis de Ettington and ancestor of the de Shirleys. there are three potential people who could be the descendants of this family all named Sewall

1 Sewall de Shirley alive in 1252
2 Sewall de Bovill ( Archbishop of York died 1258
3 Sewal Lord of Tuderinton died 1258
There is no known burial place for the individuals 1 and 3, again the name is well recorded but not common as a forename and there is a strong possibility they are the same person and the surname of individual No. 2 ie Bovill is a known spelling variation of Bouville

[Alan]

Saswalo De Phalempin born 1000 is probably the grandfather of Saswalo De Phalempin born circa 1058 who was a Crusader who went on the first Crusader to the Holyland. This grandson is also believed to be the same Saswalo as that of Saswalo de Ettington the Domesday Tenant of Henry De Ferrers. He is not however the Saswalo De Bouville Domesday Tenant of Geoffrey De Mandeville ' The question now is whether De Bouville is the original Saswalo De Phalempin or his second son?. By following the Ettington line to the |De Shirleys you will find a Sewal De Bovill died 1058. He cannot be in any other line of descent than this and Bouville to Bovill cannot be a mere coincidence and therefore a family member of all the different Saswalo's