- Pleshey
infobox UK place
country = England
official_name= Pleshey
latitude= 51.805
longitude= 0.411
population =
shire_district= Chelmsford
shire_county =Essex
region= East of Englandconstituency_westminster= West Chelmsford
post_town=Chelmsford
postcode_district = CM1
postcode_area= CM
dial_code= 01245
os_grid_reference= TL679063The village of Pleshey lies in
Essex ,England , just to the northwest ofChelmsford .William the Conqueror gave Pleshey, in the parish of High Easter (southwest of Braintree) to Geoffrey de Mandeville in appreciation of his services; Mandeville was one of William's battle commanders at theBattle of Hastings in1066 . At Pleshey, Mandeville built hiscaput (centre of administration and main home) of the many villages in Essex given to him by the king. Later, his grandson, another Geoffrey, was madeEarl of Essex by King Stephen.Pleshey Castle
Pleshey Castle was originally a
motte and bailey castle , which consisted of a woodenpalisade and tower on a high man-made hill (motte) surrounded by two baileys (castle yard or ward), which at some time in the castle's early history was surrounded by amoat . Later, probably in the 12th century, the motte was fortified with a stone castle. The motte at Pleshey is now about 15 metres high, and is one of the largest mottes in England. The castle was dismantled in 1158 but was subsequently rebuilt at the end of the 12th century. After the castle had passed to the Dukes of Gloucester through marriage and the current Duke had been executed by Richard III in 1397, it decayed and became ruined. Most of the masonry was dismantled for building material in 1629, leaving just the motte and other earthworks.Pleshey's historical significance
For a long time Pleshey Castle was an important place in English history. Through inheritance, Pleshey Castle became the main castle of
Henry de Bohun, 1st Earl of Hereford , and his wife, Maud, sister and heiress ofWilliam de Mandeville , Earl of Essex. From this marriage Bohun's son Humphrey became Earl of Essex (27 Aug 1236) as well as Earl of Hereford and Hereditary Constable of England. Generations of de Bohuns resided here, with Pleshey as their caput manor. Humphrey Bohun VIII (4th Earl of Hereford and 3rd of Essex (1275?-1322) on 14 Nov. 1302 married Elizabeth, the daughter of Edward I, King of England. Some of their children were born at Pleshey. Humphrey VIII was killed at theBattle of Boroughbridge in 1322, rebelling against King Edward II.In 1327, Pleshey Castle became the primary residence of Humphrey VIII's eldest surviving son, John Bohun, created Earl of Hereford and Essex. He died in 1336 without an heir and the castle passed to his brother, Humphrey IX, Earl of Hereford and Essex (d. 1361). The youngest of the brothers, William Bohun (d. 1360), became the leading commander of the early part of the
Hundred Years War , devising the tactics that won English victories at theBattle of Morlaix (1342), theBattle of Crecy (1346), and theSiege of Calais (1347), and was created Earl of Northampton.Humphrey IX never married and Pleshey was inherited in 1361 by William's son and heir, Humphrey Bohun X (b. 1342), last male heir of the direct line. This Humphrey inherited both his uncle's and his father's titles and became Earl of Hereford, Essex and Northampton. His only heirs at his death on 13 Jan. 1373 were two infant daughters, Eleanor and Mary.
Between
1361 and1384 a group ofAugustinian friars created thede Bohun manuscripts at Pleshey Castle; eleven books, one of them aPsalter , celebrating Mary de Bohun's marriage toHenry Bolingbroke , the future Henry IV, King of England. The Mary de Bohun Psalter is now in theFitzwilliam Museum . Mary, who died before her husband became king, was the mother of Henry V, of Agincourt fame.The castle then passed (through the marriage of Eleanor) to
Thomas of Woodstock , Duke of Gloucester, the youngest son of Edward III. His nephew, Richard II, outraged by his uncle's opposition, had him arrested at Pleshey and taken to France.Two years later the
Duke of Exeter was taken to Pleshey Castle and executed for plotting against the king.Pleshey Castle's claim to fame includes
Shakespeare 's play "Richard II" in which the widow of Richard asks Edmund of York:Hid him - O, what? With all good speed at Plashy [sic] visit me. Alack, and what shall good old York there see, But empty lodgings and unfurnished walls, Unpeopled offices, untrodden stones?
Bibliography
* Bigelow, M. M. “The Bohun Wills” I. American Historical Review (v.I, 1896). 415-41, v.II (1897). 631-649.
* Cokayne, G. (ed. by V. Gibbs). Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom. London:1887-1896. Vols. II, V, VI, IX: Bohun, Essex, Hereford, & Northampton.
* Dictionary of National Biography. Vol II: Bohun. London and Westminster.External links
* [http://bartelby.com/65/bo/BohunH8.html Columbia Encyclopedia - Humphrey de Bohun VIII. Sixth Edition. 2001-05.]
* [http://www.britannia.com/bios/lords/northant1wb.html William de Bohun. Brittania Biographies.]
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_de_Bohun,_1st_Earl_of_Northampton]
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humphrey_de_Bohun%2C_7th_Earl_of_Hereford]
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Morlaix.]
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Cr%C3%A9cy]
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Calais]
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