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Table 13: Baronial capita in Suffolk. 233
Name Hundred First Holder
(Great) Ashfield Blackbourne & Bradmere Robert Blunt
Blythburgh Blything William fitz Walter (1157-8)
Cavendish Babergh Ralph de Limesy
Clare Risbridge Richard fitz Gilbert
Eye Hartismere William Malet
Framlingham Loes Roger Bigod
Great Bealings Carlford Hervey Bituricensis
Haughley Stow Hugh de Montfort
Kentwell Babergh Frodo br. of abb. St Edm.
Some of the castles were built at what became the caput of a baronial honour
(see Table 13). However, it is clear that not all baronial capita developed castles.
Bungey functioned much like a caput being at the centre of an important group of
Bigod estates. Walton may have been built to control the entrance to the rivers near
Felixstowe, though perhaps as much to exploit commercial traffic as defence. Orford
was the only castle built as a royal castle and very late in our period.
A century after the Norman Conquest, around 1166, the military system of
England had been affected by influences from the Continent. However, we cannot
regard all of the elements of the post-Conquest military arrangements as the result of
migration from Normandy and elsewhere, or even of the Norman Conquest itself.
Both in the pre- and post-Conquest periods there were some knights in
England. Under whatever name — cniht, miles or chivaler — they functioned in
much the same way. Perhaps though, the spread of French as the language of
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