Eustace Families Association

Eustace FitzJohn

ca. 1100-1157

Eustace FitzJohn, secondson of John 'Monoculous' was born before 1100 and was slain inambush during July 1157 in Wales. He was a close friend of KingHenry I and entered into two marriages through which he acquiredconsiderable land and offices.

In the 11th century, family names had not yet developedand identification was by property, location, or even bynickname. Although apparently unconnected by name, Serlo de Burghand John Monoculous were brothers who had come to England fromNormandy about 1090, and were favourably accepted by King HenryI. Payne FitzEustace, the older son of John Monoculous, inheritedhis father's land, while Eustace FitzJohn inherited Bamboroughfrom his uncle Serlo, who had died without children.

Bamborough, named after Queen Bebba, had been theancient seat of the kings of Northumbria and formed a strongholdon the coast against invading Saxons, Danes, and Vikings. EustaceFitz John followed the custom of the Normans and replaced thewooden palisade with a crenellated wall and later built a keep asliving quarters and a final place for defense. The castle wassurrendered to William Rufus under threat by blinding of the Earlof Northumberland.

Eustace FitzJohn acquired the castle and estates ofAlnwick and Malton as a result of his marriage to Beatrice, onlydaughter of Ives de Vesci and his wife, Alda, only daughter andheiress of William Tyson, Lord of Alnwick and Malton. A son,William FitzEustace, was born to this marriage.

With his marriage to Beatrice de Vesci, Eustace FitzJohn began to develop an even firmer stronghold to add to hisinfluence and powers in the north of England.Upon the death ofBeatrice de Vesci, Eustace married Agnes, also called Maude,daughter of William FitzNigel (Fitz Neel), of an old anddistinguished Norman family who were descendents of a Norsecompanion to Rollo the Viking.

Rollo in 911, became first Duke of Normandy and was anancestor of William the Conqueror. William Fitz Nigel was Baronof Halton, Hereditary Constable and Marshal of Chester and alsoViscount of Coutances, Normandy. This marriage extended Eustace'sinfluence across England from the east coast to the mouth of theRiver Mersey on the west coast which was commanded by the castleat Halton. Eustace held Halton and was constable of ChesterCastle. Eustace Fitz John supported Empress Matilda against KingStephen and Matilda, Countess of Boulogne. He surrendered Alnwickto the invading Scots King but they were beaten at the battle ofthe Standard in 1138. Eustace became reconciled to Stephen andMatilda who allowed him to retain Bamburg and Alnwick. At thelatter he founded Alnwick Abbey of which now only a few ruinsremain.
His second wife, Agnes was daughter of William Fitz Nigel,who had prospered under Henry I and held many manors throughoutEngland and was hereditary constable of Chester Castle. FitzNigel's son died and his daughter became heiress. Through hismarriage to Agnes Fitz Nigel, Eustace Fitz John became Lord ofHalton and constable of Chester continuing the work of fortifyingboth places. The castle at Chester has been upgraded andmaintained throughout the centuries, but Halton castle wasallowed to fall into ruin and in the 18th century a hotel wasbuilt within the castle and doubtless the stones being reused.The village of Halton has now been absorbed by industrial Runcomand as such is dormitory suburb, the development of which hasresulted in a maze of villas.

The completion of nearby Norton Priory was one of theworks that Eustace assumed from his father in-law. The priory wasfinanced by the grant of church rights in many manors throughoutEngland and an interesting coincidence is that Pyrton inOxfordshire was among them. The appointment of a canon of Nortonas priest at Pyrton continued up to the Reformation when thepriory was sold to Sir Richard Brook in 1545.

Among offices and lands bestowed upon Eustace FitzJohnby Henry I were the lands of Knaresborough and Aldborough. Duringthe civil war a few years later, King Stephen attempted to seizesome of Eustace's permanent holdings and to cancel all temporarycustodianships for siding with Empress Matilda during the civilwars. Eustace managed to regain or retain his permanentpossessions, including Alnwick, Malton, Halton, and the Chesterconstableship, but permanently lost Aldborough and Knaresborough.Eustace's aid to Matilda during the wars, contributed to severalof Stephen's greatest setbacks. Although partially reconciledwith Stephen after the war, Eustace continued to be loyal toMatilda and exerted almost complete independence in his northernbarony, even coining his own money.

Children born to Eustace FitzJohn and Agnes FitzNigelincluded, Geoffrey, John, and Richard. In addition to a string ofcastles across the north of England, Eustace Fitz John left threelines of descendants who each took a part in the life,of thecountry. Two lines died out in later centuries but the linefounded by his grandson John Fitz Eustace in Ireland hascontinued with varying fortunes to this day.

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