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A ruin at Wallingford Castle

The Honour of Wallingford was a medieval English honour (a large estate) located circa 1066 to 1540 in present-day Oxfordshire.

The Honour of Wallingford was established after the Norman conquest of England, which began in 1066. At the time of its establishment, the Honour encompassed Wallingford and Harpsden. Over time, numerous additions were made to the Honour. The Domesday Book records that in 1086 Alkerton had two main manors. In the late 11th century Miles Crispin held the larger of these as part of the Honour of Wallingford.^{[1 ]} After Crispin's death in 1107 his widow Maud supported the Empress Matilda during the Anarchy. When King Stephen defeated Matilda, Maud entered a religious house^{[2 ]} and King Stephen gave her estate to Henry, Duke of Normandy. This made Aston Rowant part of the Honour of Wallingford.^{[2 ]} The Honour of Wallingford also included Newton Purcell. Until the 13th century, Chesterton, Oxfordshire was part of the honour. In 1360 Pyrton manor was recorded as part of the honour. In the 13th century the Honour of St. Valery passed to the Earl of Cornwall, who at that time also held the Honour of Wallingford. When Edmund, 2nd Earl of Cornwall died childless in 1300, however, the Honour of St. Valery passed to the Crown.^[3] By 1414, the Honour of St. Valery was part of this honour.^{[4 ]} In 1540 the honour was separated from the Duchy of Cornwall (see List of Acts of Parliament of the English Parliament to 1601), at which point it became part of the newly created Honour of Ewelme.^[5]

Recipients of the Honour of Wallingford include Piers Gaveston, 1st Earl of Cornwall, who was given it together with Cornwall by Edward II in 1307 (see Materials in cornish law). Thomas Chaucer was given the honour by Henry IV in 1399. William de la Pole, 1st Duke of Suffolk became constable of Wallingford Castle in 1434 and at the time of his murder in 1499 his properties included the honor. These passed to his wife (daughter of Thomas Chaucer) Alice de la Pole. Their son John de la Pole, 2nd Duke of Suffolk, also held the honour.

References

Sources

• Crossley, Alan & C.R. Elrington (eds.); A.P. Baggs, W.J. Blair, Eleanor Chance, Christina Colvin, Janet Cooper, C.J. Day, Nesta Selwyn, S.C. Townley (1990). Victoria County History: A History of the County of Oxford, Volume 12: Wootton Hundred (South) including Woodstock. pp. 36-54. ISBN 9780197227749.  
• Keats-Rohan , K.S.B. (1989). "The devolution of the Honour of Wallingford, 1066-1148". Oxoniensia 54 (311):  ?-?.  
• Lobel, Mary D. (ed.) (1959). Victoria County History: A History of the County of Oxford: Volume 6. pp. 262-267.  
• Lobel, Mary D. (ed.) (1969). Victoria County History: A History of the County of Oxford, Volume 8: Lewknor and Pyrton Hundreds. p. 16-43.  
• Lobel, Mary D and Crossley, Alan (Eds.) (1969). Victoria County History: A History of the County of Oxford: Volume 9. pp. 44-53.