TICKHILL CASTLE, YORKSHIRE.
TICKHILL is a place of high antiquity, and both before and for some centuries after the Norman Conquest its importance as a strong place and the head of an extensive lordship was very considerable. Mr. Hunter, the accurate and accomplished historian of the district, suggests “The-Wickhill,” in allusion to the village mount, as a probable etymology for the name, and cites “Thunder-cliffe,” or “Th’ Under Cliffe,” as an analogous case. It seems that near Sheffield Castle was a small green called “The Wick-er,” and “Ticken-hall,” near Bewdley, was the seat of an early fortress.
Tickhill, however, though obviously an early name, is not recorded in Domesday, but is thought to be included in Dadsley, a name still extant in the immediate neighbourhood. In “Dadesleia, Stantone, and Helgæli,” Elsi and Siward held eight carucates,—Roger de Buisli held seven in demesne; there were also thirty-one burgesses, a class whose presence has been held to indicate a burh or castle. Roger de Buisli was tenant in chief of these and other manors, comprising the Honour of Tickhill, a division certainly based upon an earlier fee, of which Tickhill was the chief seat. The Norman Honour numbered sixty-five and three-quarters knights’ fees, and extended from Yorkshire into the shires of Derby, Lincoln, Notts, and Leicester, including one manor in Devon. Tickhill, which seems to have been sometimes called Blythe, which, however, was also the name of a place in the adjacent part of Lincolnshire, was the chief seat of the powerful house of de Buisli during their somewhat brief career.
Roger de Buisli received Tickhill from the Conqueror, who erected it into an Honour in his favour. Roger had a choice in his wide Yorkshire domains of three ancient English seats, Laughton-en-le-Morthen, Mexborough, and Tickhill. He selected Tickhill; and the two other sites retain their English earthworks, unaltered by Norman masonry, and changed only by time. Laughton seems to have been originally superior even to Tickhill, probably as the residence of Earl Edwin, being named in the Domesday Survey. Roger himself probably fortified Tickhill with masonry, the gatehouse and much of the wall being apparently his work. The foundations of the shell-keep look rather later, but may also be of this date. He was also the founder of Blythe Priory, in 1088. He died 1098, and was succeeded by his son Robert, who died childless in the reign of Henry I.
The descent of Tickhill now becomes obscure. Roger had a brother, Ernald, who held six fees under Tickhill; and a sister, Beatrix, from whom descended the Earls of Eu. On Robert’s death, however, Tickhill was claimed by Robert de Belesme, as the next heir; and, as he was powerful, and supported his claim by payment of a heavy fine, or bribe, he succeeded. On his death, however, King Henry stepped in and took possession. The castle remained for some time, with some brief intervals, in the Crown. William Fitz-Godric held it in 1142, and Stephen, Earl of Eu, for a time. Ralph, Earl of Chester, had it in 1151–3. Henry II. seems to have settled it upon Eleanor, his queen, who founded the “Chapel of St. Nicholas within the walls.”
It descended to Richard I., and in his absence was seized by Prince John, and besieged for Richard by Pudsey, bishop of Durham. When John inherited it as king, he annexed his mother’s chapel to the chapter of Rouen. John was frequently at Tickhill, which is remarkable, as there was no park or chase annexed to it. He was here six times between 1200 and 1216 for at least eleven days. Early in John’s reign, however, the Earl of Eu, being powerful, claimed Tickhill as the husband of Alice, heiress of Henry, Earl of Eu, and representative of Beatrix, sister of Roger de Buisli. Ralph de Issoudon, or De Lusignan, her husband, an earl in her right, in 1197, seems to have been son of Geoffrey de Lusignan, who was to marry a daughter of King John, in consequence of which the king agreed to restore Tickhill to Ralph and his wife, and John de Bassingbourn was ordered to give possession, which was supplemented by an order to the same effect, 1 Henry III.
Meantime, another claimant appeared, in the person of Idonea, representative of Ernald, Roger de Buisli’s brother, and who had married Robert de Vipont, a baron much employed by John, and not unfrequently in connexion with Tickhill. Thus, in 1204 he was concerned in certain repairs at the castle, as also in 1206, which included a barn and stables. In 1207 he was to be paid for these repairs, and he was also employed upon the king’s castles of Nottingham, Bolsover, the Peak, and Scarborough. In 1208, five dolia of red wine, such as would keep, were to be sent to him at Tickhill, for the king. Idonea, Vipont’s wife, held by descent six fees in Tickhill, and now claimed the rest against Countess Alice, 6 Henry III. Alice had the best of it; but in 9 Henry III. she went abroad, probably to her Norman estates, and in consequence Tickhill seems to have lapsed to the Crown.
Henry III., when king, granted it to Prince Edward, who, in 1254, settled it upon Eleanor of Castile, but in 1259–60, Edward de Lacy, Constable of Chester, used the phrase, “Baronia mea de Tikehull,” as though absolute lord. Prince Edward, however, granted it to his cousin Henry, son of Richard, King of the Romans, in 1263.
In 1296, John, Earl of Eu, revived the family claim. He was grandson of Alphonso (son of John, King of Jerusalem), by a daughter of Countess Alice. His claim was speedily set aside, he being an alien. This was the last assertion of the right, but a century later it was remembered, when Henry V. created William Bourchier Earl of Eu and Lord Bourchier of Tickhill, titles only, not connected with the property, which remained in the Crown.