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- William I de Varennes (1055-1088)
William de Warenne, 1st Earl of Surrey, Seigneur de Varennes, was a Norman nobleman from Varenne, Seine Maritime. He is one of the very fewproven Companions of William the Conqueror known to have fought at the Battle of Hastings in 1066. At the Domesday Survey he held extensivelands in thirteen counties including the Rape (a rape is a sub-division) of Lewes in Sussex. He was created Earl of Surrey under William II'Rufus'.
William's father Ranulf II was not a major landholder in Normany and, as a second son, William de Warenne did not stand to inherit the family's small estates. But, during the rebellions of 1052-1054, the young William de Warenne proved himself a loyal adherent to Duke William and played a significant part in the Battle of Mortemer for which he was rewarded with lands confiscated from his uncle, Roger of Mortemer, including the Castle of Mortimer and most of the surrounding lands. At about the same time he acquired lands at Bellencombre including the castle which became the center of William de Warenne's holdings in Normandy.
After his move to England, William built Lewes Castle (see pic on the left) in Sussex (40 miles south of London), making it his chief residence. William and Gundred also founded a Cluniac priory here, with anadditional large subsidiary in Norfolk (north-east of London) called Castle Acre (see pic. on the right). Gundred died here in childbirth on 27 May 1085.
William was mortally wounded at the siege of Pevensey Castle and died 24 June 1088 at Lewes and was buried next to his wife Gundred at theChapterhouse of Lewes Priory. At his death he was the 3rd or 4th richest magnate in England.
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1055 - 1088 (33 years)