| Name | William de WARREN "Count de Warenne of Normandy" "1st Earl of Surrey" |
| Birth | abt 1055, Bellencombe, FRANCE |
| Death | 24 Jun 1088, Lewes, Sussex County, ENGLAND Age: 33 |
| Burial | Chapter House, Lewis Priory, Castle Acre, Norfolk, ENGLAND |
| Occupation | Royalty |
| Cause of death | Battle Wounds (Siege of Pevensey) |
| Father | Ralph "Rodulf" de WARENNE (~1020-) |
| Mother | Emma (~1020-) |
| 1 | Gundred |
| Birth | abt 1053, Normandie, FRANCE |
| Death | 27 May 1085, Castle Acre, Acre, Norfolk County, ENGLAND Age: 32 |
| Burial | Priory of Lewes, Sussex County, ENGLAND |
| Cause of death | Complications during childbirth |
| Father | Gerbold "of St. Omer, Advocate at St. Bertin" (~1025-) |
| Marriage | bef 1075, Normandie, FRANCE |
| Children | William "II" (~1075-1138) |
| Reginald | |
| Gundred | |
| Edith |
The House of Warren can be traced to Hugh of Normandy, born 990, later ordained Bishop of Contances. He married a sister of Gunnora, the wife of Richard I, Duke of Normandy. Rodulf, son to Hugh, a benefactor to the Abbey of La Trinite du Mont, died c1050. He married first Beatrix and secondly Emma. Emma became the mother of his son William created Count de Warenne of Normandy and later first Earl of Surrey.
William de Warenne, son of Rodulf, was born in Normandy and accompanied William the Conqueror to England in 1066. At the Battle of Hastings, he commanded a detachment and was rewarded with estates and manors in Norfolk becoming the first Earl of Surrey. Before 1070, William de Warenne married Gundred, a lady with disputed parentage since many scholars disbelieve she was the daughter of the Conqueror. Some contend she was the Duke's daughter as proven by her tombstone at St. John's Church, Southover, Lewes: "Within this Pew stands the tombstone of Gundrad, daughter of William the Conqueror, and wife of William, the First Earl of Warren, which having been deposited over her remains in the Chapter-House of Lewes Priory and lately discovered in Iffield Church, was removed to this place at the expense of William Burrell Esq. in 1775 A.D.
Gundred died in childbirth at Castle Acre May 27, 1085, and was buried in the Priory of Lewes in County Sussex. Four of her children matured: William Son & Heir, Reginald, Gundred, and Edith. William, now Earl of Surrey, rebuilt, enlarged, and strengthened Lewes Castle which is now used as the museum of Sussex Archaeological Society. William de Warenne founded Cluniac Priory in 1078, now a ruin, and endowed the chapter house of the Priory. He married secondly a daughter of William, sister of Richard Guet of Montmirail, and died June 24, 1088, from wounds received at the siege of Pevensey. He is buried near Ely Cathedral in East Anglia. - [1]
[NOTE] If you go, also visit nearby Castle Acre, where the NORRIS tribe also lived and also their ancestors the DE WARENNE, who built the castle there (now in ruins). The nearest city is King's Lynn, which was just LYNN when Thomas left for America. I will send you some more stuff on the English Norrisses. - [2]
[NOTE] Information and photographs of Castle Acre are at website [3]
[1] - http://www.spaldinggenealogy.com/ancient_lineaege_of_magna_carta_.htm
[2] - email, Dr. Edward J. Neugaard
[3] - http://www.castles-abbeys.co.uk/Castle-Acre-Castle-Priory.html