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(Sir) John ap ADAM and Elizabeth de GOURNAY

HUSBAND:
[F256933888]. Sir John ap ADAM. (Sir John ap Adam Fychan). [PC W2-9-9-1-1]. The First (and last) Baron (Lord) Ap-Adam.
Born (before 1267-S5)(about 1270-S?); (of Beverston (Beaverstone) and Tidenham (Tildenham), Gloucestershire)(of Charlton Adams, in Somersetshire-S8), England; son of John ap ADAM [F513867776] (Adam Fychan). (son of Reynold ap Adam and Joan de Knoxville-S5,S7)

He was Enumerated for Paliament from 1276 to 1307.

He married Elizabeth de Gournay before 1291.

On 18 February 1290/91 he did homage, and had livery, of the lands of his father-in-law, John de Gurnay.

On 19 July 1296 he inherited the lands of his mother-in-law, Olive Lovel.

He was created 1st Lord ap Adam by writ on 6 February 1298/99.

He lived at Gorste, near Chepstow, Gloucestershire, England; and at Beachley, Tidenham, Gloucestershire, England.

His estates were large not only in his own right but he received valuable estates from his wife. Their names are found in most works on extinct peerages. There remains to this day a beautiful stained-glass window in his memory in the church in Tidenham, with his name, coat-of-arms and the date 1310 in the upper part. His coat of arms is given as 'argent, a cross gules, 5 mullets or, crest; that of a ducal coronet, a demi-lion.' This means that on a silver ground was a red cross which extended from the top to the bottom and to each side, and on this cross were five golden stars. The crest as given in Fairbairns' Cressrs, was the head and Principal part of the body of the lion, rampant gardant; that is erect and the right paw raised, (and full-faced).

The immediate holders of the manor [of East Wellow] were the Gurnays. Thus, about 1240, Robert de Gurnay held a quarter of a knight's fee in Wellow, (Testa de Nevill (Rec. Com.), 143b.) and in 1267–8 certain of his tenants at West Wellow complained that by his default they were distrained by Henry de Lacy and his wife Margaret (She was granddaughter and heir of Ela Countess of Salisbury (G.E.C. Complete Peerage, vii, 33)) for suit at the hundred of Amesbury, in which West Wellow was situated. (Feet of F. Wilts. Hil. 52 Hen. III.). Robert de Gurnay died in 1269, (Excerpta e Rot. Fin. (Rec. Com.), ii, 489, 490.) and the manor evidently passed, with that of Hyde in South Damerham, to his grandson John. In 1296 it was settled, under the name of Wellow Gurnay, upon John de Badeham (i.e. John ap Adam) and his wife Elizabeth, (see below) and in 1322 Roger de Gascelyn died seised of rent in Wellow held for life by grant of John ap Adam, with reversion to the grantor. (Chan. Inq. p.m. 16 Edw. II, no. 6; Chan. Inq. Misc. file 63, no. 1; Cal. Close, 1323–7, p. 390.). In 1413 Christine Spileman died holding a messuage and 6 acres of land in West Wellow of the Earl of Salisbury. This tenement had come into the hands of Edward III on account of the insanity of Christine, whose heirs were her cousins Maud Hakepanne and Isabel wife of William Edryche. (Chan. Inq. p.m. 5 Hen. V, no. 20.) The chaplain of Wellow was returned in 1428 as holding for the service of a fourth part of a knight's fee certain land and tenements in Wellow which had belonged to John 'Babeham.' (Feud. Aids, v, 242.) {S11}.

Cal. Pat. 1292–1301, p. 187. The name John de Badeham is evidently a mistake for John ap Adam, who married Elizabeth daughter and heir of John de Gurnay (Ormerod, Strigulensia, 99–100; Dugdale, Baronage, i, 431; Chan. Inq. p.m. 24 Edw. I, no. 28), for on referring to the fines relating to the settlement it is found that though John is styled 'de Badeham' in a fine of Hilary term 1297, in the following Trinity term the name is given as John Abadam (Feet of F. Div. Co. Hil. 25 Edw. I; Trin. 25 Edw. I). John de Pageham (this being probably another variation of Ap Adam) held the manor in 1316 (Feud. Aids, v, 199), and was summoned to Parliament from 1299 to 1309. {S11}.

He was engaged in the Scottish Wars.

He died between May 1311 and June 1311.

None of his descendants were ever summoned to Parliament in respect of his Barony.

In the upper part of a Gothic window on the southeast side of Tidenham church, near Chopston, the name of John Ap Adams is still to be found, together with “arms argent in a cross gules, five mullets or,” of Lord Ap Adams. The design is probably executed on stained glass of great thickness and is in perfect preservation. This church originally stood within the boundary of Wales, but at a later period the boundary line was changed so that it is now upon English soil. The arms and crest borne by the family are described as argent in a cross gules; five mullets or, out of a ducal coronet a demi-lion. The legend is “Loyal au mort;” a motto commonly used by this branch of the family is "Aspire, persevere and indulgence,” all other “sub cruce veritas.” {S8}.

WIFE:
[F256933889]. Elizabeth de GOURNAY. (GOURNAI)(GURNAY)(Gowrney-S8). [PC W2-9-9-1-1].
Born about 1272, in Tildenham, Gloucestershire, England; daughter of John de GOURNAY, Lord of Beverston, and Oliva (Olive-S5) LOVELL (LOVEN)(LOVEL-S5). .

She was of Beviston and Tidenham county, Gloucestershire, England.

She died in 1311.

CHILDREN of Sir John ap ADAM [F256933888] and Elizabeth de GOURNAI [F256933889]:
  1. [F128466944]. (Sir) Thomas ap Adam.. [PC W2-9-9-1-1]. He was born before 1307. Thomas was never summoned to parliament; thus the barony became dormant. He married (1) Margery before 1331. He married (2) Joan Inge, daughter of Sir John Inge and Alice Basset, before 1341. On 4 July 1325 he did homage, and had livery of the lands of his father. He died before 1342.
  2. (Sir) John Ap adam. (of Betteshorne)(of Beaverstone). Second son. Born about 1295. He was brother of Sir Thomas Ap Adam.


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