The church at Kingstone. Caption 2. |
Until now, Hubert de St. Clair has not been given proper recognition as one of the St. Clair family's important early ancestors, alongside Richard and Bretel. This may be because few historians have been looking for anyone other than William de St. Clair, either asserting he went to Scotland in 1067, or confusing him with William, one of Hubert's sons.
Hubert, like Bretel, was a tenant of Robert, the count of Mortain, in Dorset and Somerset. According to the Domesday survey in 1086, he held three manors in Dorset: Wintreburne (5 hides), East and West Hemsworth (1 hide), and Witchampton (2 hides). Unfortunately, Wintreburne has not been identified, but the other two can be found close to Blandford Forum. The total extent he held in Dorset was nearly 1000 acres, which was substantial compared to Richard's in East Anglia.
In Somerset, Hubert held Kingstone, which at 4 hides amounted to nearly 500 acres. In 1187, the lord of Kingstone, Oliver de Lanvalei, reconised in the presence of Jocelin, prior of Montacute, at Tintinhull in the full hundred court that 'I Oliver and my men from the vill of Kingstone are obligated to go three times a year to the said hundred of Tintinhull...'
Hubert was the father of Hamon, William and Hugh de St. Clair, significant men during the time of Henry I, Stephen and Henry II. From letters written by William de St. Clair in 1135, he refers to his father as Gilbert de Vilers, and it is clear from later records that land held by Hubert's descendants was the subject of disputes with the de Vilers. Indeed, a list of gifts to the Abbey of St. John at Colchester refers to a brother of Hamon de St. Clair being Roger de Vilers. This confusion could be explained by Hubert's early death and his widow marrying Gilbert de Vilers. If that was the case, disputes would certainly arise between her children with Hubert and those with Gilbert concerning their separate inheritances in England and Normandy.
Kingstone is recorded as being a part of the barony of Walkern in Hertfordshire in 1130/1, and this was held by Hamon de St. Clair. Hamon's only son was Hubert, and after he was killed, his daughter Gunnore married William I de Lanvalei. This is why Oliver de Lanvalei held the lordship in 1185. In 1194-5, it was held by William de Vilers, and Roger de Vilers held a half fee of Mortain there in 1212, illustrating the continuing dispute between the two families.