Gilbert Crispin I came from Livarot or Blangy, near Lisieux, where the Crispins had
large tracts of land. Livarot was a ducal domain, and was fortified from the time when the Mont-Gomeri built their castle.

Its main fiefs were Pont-Aleri, Cheffreville (Chevreville), near Notre Dame-de-Courson, within which was Bellau, held by the Paynels in the 12th century; Les Loges, Lisores (Lizours), Moutiers-Hubert (from whence the Paynels), and Tonancourt.

The Markham family were originally of the family of de Lizours. Roger de Lizours was a mesne-tenant of the great Norman magnate Roger de Busli, and was probably in some way related to him, witnessing many of his charters, and holding land of him in East Markham.

Roger was probably a member of the family of Chevreville, which held land in in Neufchatel-en-Bray, and perhaps a son of ‘Turold de Quievreville’, who signed a charter of Sanct. Trin., circa 1040-1060, as ‘Turoldi de Drincourt’; Drincourt being 3 miles from Busli.

Roger’s son was Fulc de Lizours, 1.e. Fulke de Chevercourt, ‘man of Roger de Busli’.

Roger de Busli founded the Priory of Blithe in 1088, witnesses being: Turoldus de Cheverchort, Fulk de Lisoriis,Thoraldus frater ejus, and Walter de Drincourt.

Roger de Busli took his surname from Bully, near Neufchatel-en-Bray
(Thor. Soc. v. 44-6 p. 15, 1941). His sister Beatrix, married Robert, Earl of Eu.

A charter of 1110 states that Fulc ‘gave to the monastery of St. Mary of Blithe and the monks there a toft’.

He assumed the name of his place of residence, calling himself Fulc de Marcham.

Markam is near Tuxford.

His son was Alexander de Marcham, Castellan of Nottingham Castle, whose son, William Markham,inherited the estates of his father, and married the heiress Cecilia de Lexington, one of six children of Richard de Lexington,
and Matilda de Cauz.

Their son, Robert Markham, married Sarah de Snitterton, heiress of Jordan de Snitterton, in the county of Derby. Their daughter, Bertha Markham, married William de Longvilliers, 1250-1281, Lord of Gargrave, date as inquis.
post mortem.

The Longvilliers acquired a third part of Tuxford by this marriage with Bertha Markham, who had inherited it from her grandmother. William de Longvilliers and Bertha Markham had issue, among which were: Ellota de Longvilliers, who married Richard de Stanhope (Crispin/Colville).

There followed many marriages between the Stanhopes and Markhams.

Mr. Stapleton, Mag. Rot. – ‘In 1195, among those newly indebted we may notice Hugh de Montfort in 70 li. for his pledge as mainpernor for the Constable, and in 20 li. of the issue of Livarot, and in 66 li. 5s. of the issue of Blangy, and in one hauberk and three loriculc e due as a render from the inhabitants of Blangy, and William de Mara
in 17 li. 3s. of the residue of the Tallage of 12d. set in the fief of Montfort’.

Gilbert Crispin 1. was given (under the vassalage of the comtes de Brionne, n.b.) the border fortress of Tillieres. In addition he was given the fortress of Damville, which the Crispins held under Richard FitzGilbert, son of Gilbert de Brionne,  son of Godfrey, illigitimate son of  Duke Richard, “the Great Prince”.

These were extremely important commissions, on which the safety of the Norman regime depended. It was invariably the custom that such duties were given to those somehow related to the ducal family.

The most likely explanation would be for Richard FitzGilbert and Gilbert Crispin 1 to be half-brothers; Gilbert being an illigitimate son.

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