Vol 1: The Bluets - Lackham Countryside Centre

The Bluets 3
The period between 1066 and the end of the thirteenth century was a
volatile and immensely important one for England, its near neighbours and
the English and Norman people. There have been many studies of the
major landholders, the movers and shakers of that history, but less work
has been done on the under tenants, the families who supported the major
players and without whom they could not have prospered. The Bluet family
was one such, holding land in the south and west of England and the Welsh
Marches. The following is not a full one name study, not every member of
the family is covered, and the main focus is on the branches of this
Norman family that were active in Wiltshire, Hampshire, Gloucestershire
and Somerset. Their Manors of Daglingworth (Gloucestershire), and
Hullavington Chepstow (and its castle) are given particular importance here
and their owners are discussed in depth. It is not possible to discuss a
family involved in the national life as often as the Bluets without referring
to that national life, and so the background to selected historical incidents
is given.
After the Norman Conquest of 1066 land was divided up and held by direct
supporters of the King. These tenants in chief then granted land to their
followers and so on, with each tier owing service to the land-holder above
them and exacting it from those below. The Bluets were a well-established
Norman family at the time of Duke William‘s conquest of England. In 1084
Domesday recorded that they held land from William, the Count of Eu,
amongst others. Count William held land in 10 counties in the south