Wallingford History Gateway
Wallingford History Gateway |
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Characters MPs
A list of some of the key people who played a part in Wallingford's history, with links to further information.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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Pandeli Ralli (1845-1928) In 1880 he became the last MP for Wallingford before the constituency was abolished (in 1883). He responded to local concerns over agricultural depression.
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Ralph of Norwich (1491-1536) Ralph of Norwich, was a royal representative in Ireland. In 1217 Norwich became dean of the royal chapel at Wallingford. He is described by chronicler Matthew Paris as 'a witty man, of sumptuous habits, and from his youth more skilled in the affairs of the king's court than in the learning of the schools.'
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Ranulph de Blondeville, 4th Earl of Chester (1172-1232) Ranulph, otherwise known as Ranulph IV de Meschines was an Anglo-Norman baron and crusader, and supporter of King John. Under Henry III he resisted the policy of Hubert De Burgh to resume of sheriffdoms and royal castles, and was made castellan of Wallingford Castle. When he died his heart was buried at Wallingford Castle, while his body was buried at St Werburg's, Chester, Cheshire.
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Sir Carew Reynell (c.1563–1624) Sir Carew Reynell was a gentleman pensioner of Elizabeth and James, a quasi-military role. He had the patronage of the 2nd Earl of Essex, and in 1599 after leading a company to Ireland was knighted by the Earl and given responsible for Duncannon Castle and its fort. Though imprisoned for his connections with the Earl of Essex, he was cleared of involvement in Essex's rebellion. He became MP for Wallingford in 1614.
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Richard Fitz Roy (-1246) Richard Fitz Roy, also known as Richard of Chilham, was the illegitimate son of King John. His mother was John's cousin, a daughter of Hamelin de Warenne and Isabella de Warenne, Countess of Surrey. He served in his father's army as a captain during the baronial revolt. In 1216 he was made constable of Wallingford Castle by King John and appears to have held the post until 1227.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Fitz_Roy
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Richard of Cornwall (1209-1272) Prince Richard, Earl of Cornwall & Holy Roman Emperor,
held the castle for much of the reign of his brother, brother of Henry
III. He was first given the honour of Wallingford in 1229, but forced to
surrender it in 1231, on grounds that he was allied to challenger for the throne
Richard Marshal, through marriage to his sister Isabella Marshal. However,
following negotiation and an effective victory over Hubert
de Burgh, he acquired both the honour and castle of Wallingford in 1232
and spent a large amount of money on entertaining and rebuilding the castle,
building the outer two baileys. Then, when he almost drowned at sea, he swore to
spend all his money on the church. He is quoted as having said, "Would that
it had pleased God that I had expended all that I have laid out in the Castle of
Wallingford in as wise and salutary a manner". He was richer than his
brother, having been granted a tax on all Jews. In 1242 he transferred a
community of Jews from Berkhamsted to Wallingford along with their loan chest.
He would later intervene on behalf of Abraham
of Wallingford, accused of sacrilege. In 1243, he celebrated his second
marriage, to Sanchia, at Wallingford. His son, Edmund,
2nd Earl of Cornwall inherited Wallingford.
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Richard of Wallingford (1292?-1336) Richard of Wallingford, the Father of English Trigonometry,
came to St. Alban's Abbey in 1314 after his degree at Oxford. He was Deacon in
1316 and a Priest in 1317. In 1317, he returned to Oxford for further study. In
1327, the Abbot died and Richard returned to St. Alban's Abbey and was elected
Abbot. In 1328, he began to show symptoms of a disease which was thought to be
leprosy and which would have caused his banishment from normal life, but his
abilities were so appreciated by the Church and the King, that he was allowed to
continue as Abbot until his death. He started construction of a great
astronomical clock which was completed about 20 years after his death by William
of Walsham. It was the first clock to be clearly described (in his "Tractatus
Horologii Astronomici" of 1327). He introduced a new and improved type of
escapement, but it was too complex to ever be copied elsewhere, though Leonardo
da Vinci re-invented a similar escapement. The clock was destroyed during the
Dissolution in 1539.
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Richard of Wallingford |
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Robert D'Oilly (D'Oyley)( -1091) A trusted supporter of William
the Conqueror, Robert married Ealdgyth, daughter of Wigod,
and was instructed to built a fortified castle at Wallingford in 1067,
which he completed in 1071. It was said that "He was so powerful a man in
his time, that no one durst oppose him". He also built Oxford Castle. His
brother Nigel
was lord of both castles. Robert's daugher Edith married Wigan of Wallingford, a
nephew of Brien
FitzCount.
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Robert, 1st Earl of Gloucester (c. 1090–1147) Robert of Gloucester was an illegitimate son of Henry I, He came to Brien FitzCount in October 1139 at Wallingford to seek his support in opposing King Stephen.
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Moses Roper (b. 1815) Roper escaped from slavery in North Carolina, and came to
England, and attended a boarding school in Wallingford. He went on to write an
account of his life, and toured around the UK giving lectures, including one in
Wallingford.
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Paul Rotha (1907-1984) Documentary film maker. He wrote the film books Film Till
Now and Documentary Film. He died at Wallingford.
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A collection of Paul Rotha's writings |
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Claude Rowbotham (1864-1949) Watercolour landscape painter and etcher. He lived at
Riverview in Wallingford from 1893, and had a floating studio on the Thames. He
later moved to Ipsden, and later still to Falmouth.
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