Fitz-Urse to Barham

The following very briefly covers our genealogy before Charles Barham came to Virginia in 1653. It covers the period from the twelth century and Richard Fitz-Urse, whose brother Reginald was one of the assassins of Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury, to Charles in the mid-seventeenth century.

First Generation

RICHARD FITZ-URSE

Richard is our first known ancestor. The name Fitz-Urse is French or Norman, Fitz meaning son, Urse meaning bear. The date of Richard's birth is not known but he was an adult in the year 1170 when his brother, Reginald Fitz-Urse was a Knight at the Court of King Henry II of England. The King was in Normandy with his Court when he heard of more trouble being caused him by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Becket. Henry, in his outrage, asked "Won't anyone rid me of this troublesome Priest?" (or words to that effect). Four Knights of the Court took him quite literally and returned to England where they galloped to Canterbury and killed Becket, hacking him to death in the cathedral sanctuary. The deed was done on the night of December 29, 1170, by William de Tracy, Hugh de Morville, Richard le Breton and Reginald Fitz-Urse. The King denied any knowledge of this act to the Pope.

The following are two persistent rumors as to the whereabouts of Reginald and the others after the assassination:
The king, wishing to distance himself from the cowardly act, sent the four knights to the holy land to join in the crusades. This seems likely, since we've found no further references to Reginald.

Reginald fled to Scotland where he became the head of the MacMahon clan. The only basis for this rumor is the similarity of names, Mac meaning son and Mahon meaning bear.

Both Reginald and Richard wore the insignia of the Fitz-Urse family on their tunics over their armor showing three black bears on a field of gold. Although the family lost no lands because of Thomas Becket's death the name Fitz-Urse soon became De Bereham.

Children: 2

I. Robert de Bereham

Second Generation

ROBERT DE BEREHAM

Robert de Bereham of Kent and Sussex, England. Son of Richard Fitz-Urse. It is here that the family surname comes into use. It is evident that there was little, if any, punishment of the Fitz-Urse family because of the Becket assassination. Their lands remained in the family.
Children: 3

I: Richard de Bereham

Third Generation

RICHARD DE BEREHAM

There is a remote possibility that Richard was a grandson, rather than son, of Robert de Bereham but that is unproven. However, the line of descent has been proven without a doubt, for historians in 1619 and again in 1633 claimed that all the Barhams in the areas of Kent and Sussex descended from this man. Richard the Sheriff succeeded to his father's estate, residing in the ancestral home of the Barhams known as Sissinghurst Castle. He gave several terms of distinguished service to the Crown.

Commissioner of the Peace in 1381
Commissioner of the Array in 1385
Sheriff of Kent in 1390-91
Commissioner of the Array in 1403, 1405 and 1407 and (last entry on his record)
Commissioner of Array for the defense of the Realm while the King is in Foreign parts for the recovery of the inheritance and rights of the Crown.
This record is dated 28 April 1418 Westminster.

It was during his lifetime that the old name gave way to the more modern Barham, or Bereham, dropping the de. It isn't until after the reign of Henry VIII that it is always listed as it is spelled today.

Children : 4

I. Unknown Bereham

Fourth Generation

UNKNOWN BEREHAM< P>
Children 5
I. John Bereham

Fifth Generation

JOHN BEREHAM

John Bereham, son or grandson of Richard de Bereham, the Sheriff. John is mentioned in a Commission dated May 1, 1434, directed to the oath of certain Knights, Esquires and men of influence and substance that they would not wetyngly recene, cherishe, hold in household nor mayntayne, pilours, roboures, ravyshers of women ayanst the law - or any open mysdoers. (Patent Roll of Henry VI)

John Bereham's crest, gold with three bears sable, is carved upon the wall of the stone tower of Cranbrook Church along with the crest of John Betterham, whose name follows his on King Henry VI's roll.
Cranbrook Church-Barham arms in wall

Children 6

I. Henry Bereham

Sixth Generation

HENRY BEREHAM

Henry Bereham was born in Sissinghurst Castle. He married Elizabeth Colepepper, the daughter of Richard Colepepper, Esquire.
Children 7

I. Thomas Berham

Seventh Generation

THOMAS BERHAM

Thomas, Son of Henry and Elizabeth, was born in Sissinghurst Castle. With Henry and his son, Thomas, our line of unbroken, proven descent begins. There are no records of dates of birth or death but records do show him to be admitted to lands at Bivelham Manor, Wadhurst, Sussex . The last entry in the Court Rolls of the Manor dated October 19, 1449. His wife was Isabella.

Wadhurst Church The ancient church in Wadhurst where Thomas lived contains many fine old cast iron grave slabs. Nine of them connect to the Barham family and several still show the Barham Coat-of-Arms.
It is this Thomas Bereham who was registered with the Heralds College, London England in 1961 by Robert Young Barham, a descendant from New York.
Barham Floor Plaque-Wadhurst Church

Children 8

I. Richard Berham

Eighth Generation

RICHARD BERHAM

The first record of Richard is dated February 20, 1452, and in 1454 he is appointed by the King as "Propositus" or Reeve of Bivelham Manor. His wives name was Anne Busses.
Children 9
I. Nicholas Barham

Ninth Generation

NICHOLAS BARHAM

Nicholas lived at Wadhurst where it is recorded that he was the Church Warden from 1463 to 1497. The last record listing him was as being a juror, November 28, 1499.
Nicholas' home was the Chillington Manor in Maidstone. It is a large brick Elizabethan manor typical of that period.

Children 10

I. John Barham

Tenth Generation

JOHN BARHAM

John Barham was born late in the fifteenth century. He was an Iron-Master of Woodlands and Buttes in Wadhurst and was one of the first and most successful of the Sussex iron-masters. His assessments in 1541 indicate that he was one of the wealthiest inhabitants of Wadhurst at the time. His Will is recorded in London, dated June 19, 1553. His wife was Thomasyne and she is named in the Will along with John's brother Richard and Richard's wife, Alice. He purchased Barkley Mill on December 21, 1536. Settled reversion of Bengrede and other lands on his son, John, in 1547.
Children 12
I. John Barham

Eleventh Generation

JOHN BARHAM

Chillington Manor Firemantle-Barham coats of arms
John Barham, Iron Master, inherited the great castle in East Hall (Chillinton Manor) from his father.

In the fireplace over the mantle in East Hall Manor is carved the Barham Crest and Coats-Of-Arms and these also appear in the stained glass front windows of the great hall.
Nicholas Barham Arms-Chillington Manor

This Manor was entered in the Visitation of Kent in 1574. As was the custom, the King and a vast retinue of servants and Lords and Ladies of the Court made prolonged visits to the great homes in the Kingdom, frequently bankrupting the hosts for often huge, elaborate houses had to be built to accommodate the royal guests. At such visitations, the host presented their claim to the family insignia for the Kings to approval or disapproval.

Children 13

I. Thomas Barham

Twelfth Generation

THOMAS BARHAM

Will Proved September 26, 1595. Archdeaconry Court of Canterbury. Thomas Barham of Boughton-Monchelsea, Co. Kent, to whom his father devised lands in Pembury and Tunbridge. His wife Mildred was the daughter of Thomas Frankleyn of East Sutton, co. Kent (whose will dated December 4, 1572, was proved December 18, 1573 in the Consistory Court of Canterbury). She was the widow of George Roberts of Benchley (whose will dated December 19, 1562 was proved February 25 following - P.C.C., ADmon October 11, 1597, Archdeacondry Court of Canterbury).

BOUGHTON-MONCHELSEA

A small village in Kent about four miles south of Maidstone. Thomas Barham, third son of John Barham, the iron maker from Wadhurst, married (1562 - 1572) Mildred Frankelyn, of East Sutton, Kent., and established himself at East Hall, an Elizabethan Farmhouse typical of the red brick manor houses of the period. The well preserved dwelling is presently occupied and the lands comprising the old manor are being cultivated for the production of hops.

Children: ?

I. Robert Barham, Sr.

Thirteenth Generation

ROBERT BARHAM, Sr.

Robert was born in 1572 at East Hall, Boughton-Monchelsea. He married Susan Sare of Norton on January 7, 1594. His manor was one of the visitation estates and, during the 1619 visitation, the Crest and pedigree of the Barham line was accepted and registered by the Crown. Robert Barham was Comptroller of the Pipe to the King, a very honorable post. He was given a land grant of 300 acres by the King in 1610 and also held properties in Cestling and Westfield in Sussex. These properties he gave to his son, Robert, Jr. in 1621.

Children 14

I. Robert Barham, Jr.

Fourteenth Generation

ROBERT BARHAM, JR.

Robert Barham, Jr. was born in 1598 in co. Kent. He was baptized August 27, 1598, in Boughton-Monchelsea. Robert attended Balliol College, Oxford, and married Katherine Filmer, daughter of Sir Edward Filmer and Dame Elizabeth Argall, August 1, 1620. He died about 1648 in London.

Robert Barham and Katherine Filmer were the parents of Charles Barham, the progenitor of the Barham family in the Virginia Colony, who arrived in Virginia in 1653 after sailing from Gravesend, England, on the John and Ambrose.

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