Robert D'Oyly facts for kids

Robert D'Oyly was a important Norman nobleman. He came to England with William the Conqueror during the Norman invasion. Robert D'Oyly passed away in the year 1091.

Who Was Robert D'Oyly?

Robert was the son of Walter D'Oyly. He was also the older brother of Nigel D'Oyly. The name D'Oyly comes from a place in Normandy, France, called Ouilly. It is near a town called Lisieux.

Robert married a woman named Ealdgyth. She was the daughter of Wigod, a Saxon lord from Wallingford. After Wigod died, King William made Robert the new lord of Wallingford. The King also told Robert to make Wallingford Castle stronger. This happened between 1067 and 1071. Robert might have also become the third High Sheriff of Berkshire around this time. He was also known as Baron Hocknorton.

Robert D'Oyly was a close friend and ally of Roger d'Ivry. The Domesday Book is a very old record of land in England. It shows that by 1086, Robert and Roger owned many lands together.

Robert's brother Nigel had a son also named Robert Doyley. This younger Robert founded a religious house called Osney Priory in Oxford. Nigel was also an ancestor of Henry D'Oyly. Henry was one of the important barons who helped create the Magna Carta.

Robert D'Oyly was a very powerful man in his time. Some stories say that no one dared to go against him. At Abingdon, people remembered him as someone who took things from churches and the poor. But then, he had a big change of heart. This happened when Oxford was going through a tough time between 1066 and 1086. Interestingly, Robert's own lands also suffered during this period.

What Robert D'Oyly Built

Robert D'Oyly was made High Sheriff of Oxfordshire. He was in charge of building many parts of Oxford. Some of these buildings are still standing today!

Oxford Castle was built because Robert ordered it in 1071. He also started a church inside the castle in 1074. It was called the collegiate church of St George's. The church of St Peter-in-the-East was first mentioned in 1086 as belonging to Robert. He might have bought it, along with St Mary Magdalen's Church. This church was north of Oxford's old city wall.

People from Abingdon said that Robert built a series of stone bridges. These bridges were at a place called Grandpont, which means "The Great Bridge." They created a path over the River Thames. Today, this path is a main road between Oxford's city center and the south. The crossing point is near St Aldate's and Folly Bridge. It's possible that Robert just made an older crossing point stronger. He also worked on the Thames River channel in an area now called Eights Reach.

Lands and Properties

Robert D'Oyly owned land in Oakley, Buckinghamshire. This village was worth £6. Its land was about 5¾ hides, which is an old way to measure land. With Oakley's clay soil, the total farmed land would have been around 550 acres. Robert also held a property in Buckingham. A man who lived there paid 16 pence each year to Robert and 5 pence to the king.

The Manor of Iver also became Robert D'Oyly's property. In the Domesday Book, Iver was called Eureham. It was measured at 17 hides, which was enough land for 30 ploughs. It was valued at £22. Robert had traded it for another place called Padbury. Robert's daughter, Maud, married Miles Crispin. The Manor of Iver then went to Miles.

Robert D'Oyly also owned a lot of land in Oxfordshire and in Oxford itself. This was all written down in the Domesday Book in 1086. Here are some of the things he owned:

• Oxford Castle, and the church of St George's inside it. This church was later taken over by Osney Abbey.
• The Castle Mill in Oxford. This mill belonged to Ælfgar of Mercia before the Norman Conquest. It later went to the King in 1163 after Henry D'Oyly died.
• The church of St Peter-in-the-East in Oxford. This church is now part of St Edmund Hall.
• The church of St Mary Magdalen.
• 42 homes both inside and outside Oxford's city wall.
• The villages of Watlington, Goring, Bicester, Kidlington, Water Eaton. He also owned three manors in Hook Norton.
• Land and homes in 22 other villages in Oxfordshire.

Robert's Family

Robert and his wife Ealdgyth had a daughter named Maud. She was their only child and heir. Maud first married Miles Crispin, who was the Lord of Wallingford. After Miles died in 1107, Maud married Brien FitzCount. Brien was a loyal friend to the Empress Matilda. However, Maud did not have any children. So, her uncle, Nigel D'Oyly, became her successor. Nigel was a constable for William Rufus and also the Baron of Hocknorton.

Robert and Ealdgyth were buried at the abbey in Abingdon.