62 



FEUDALISM IN GUERNSEY. 



Richard de Martinvast held the Fief of Beggeville at Torteval, 

 and the Le Canellys were probably already possessed of the 

 Fief au Canelly, which straggles over part of Torteval, St. 

 Peter's-in-the-Wood and St. Saviour's. Serk belonged to the 

 de Vernons, and was given abont the middle of the twelfth 

 century by William de Vernon, Baron of Nehou, to the Abbey 

 of Montebourg, whilst Alderney belonged to the l'Enginours, 

 one of whom, William l'Enginonr, Lord of Alderney, gave 

 part of the island to the Abbey of Notre Dame du Vceu, 

 Cherbourg, in 1184. The bulk of these Seigneurs were great 

 landowners in Normandy, therefore we must suppose it was 

 the importance of our fisheries that caused our lands to be so 

 much sought after, as the possession of a fishery was a valu- 

 able asset in those days. 



The manors in the possession of the Church had also 

 greatly increased in numbers. 



The Abbey of Marmoutier les Tours held a large fief 

 stretching over part of St. Peter-Port and St. Martin's, now 

 merged in the " Fief le Roi," but for lack of documents it is 

 at present impossible to locate its position. 



The Abbey of Mont Saint Michel held nearly one-fourth 

 of this island, consisting of the fiefs of Saint Michel, Lihou, 

 etc., straggling over part of the Vale, the Castel, St. Saviour's 

 and St. Peter's-in-the-Wood. 



The Abbey of La Trinite, Caen, held the Fief of l'Abesse 

 de Caen at St. Andrew's. 



The Abbey of Cormery, near Tours, held the Fief of 

 Sainte Helene, and probably also that of La Haule at St. 

 Andrew's.* 



The Abbey of La Croix St. Leufroy, near Evreux, 

 held the Fief of La Refrerie, at St. Andrew's, now corruptly 

 called " La Rue Frairie." 



The Abbey of St. Sauveur-le-Vicomte also held a fief at 

 St. Andrew's, of which the Franc-fief de St. Sauveur is a 

 portion. 



The Abbey of Longues held the Fief de Longues at 

 St. Saviour's. 



The Abbey of Blanchelande held the Fief of Martinvast 

 at St. Martin's, now known as Blanchelande, which had ori- 

 ginally belonged to the canons of Cherbourg, who were 

 dispossessed of it by King John, who gave it to Blanche- 

 lande. 



* Cal. Pat. Rolls, 20 Edw. I., p. 486, April 24, 1292. Ratification by Edward I. of 

 the sale by the Abbot and Convent of Cormery to Master William de Sancto 

 Remigio of their lands and rents in Guernsey belonging to the priory of St. Elena 

 in Hagna. 



