Problem:
A number of web sites claim that one or other of the Furneaux ancestors was present at the Battle of Hastings. In other words, they claim that a Furneaux landed with William the Conqueror and invaded England with the rest of the mighty Norman horde in 1066.
As exciting a prospect that might be, as an academic, I need to find some form of evidence to support such a claim. As there were no television camera’s present at the time of the invasion, we are reliant on documents which record those present at the battle. I’ll give the short version below, and the evidece in detail later in the blog.
Short Version:
It is possible, but not definite, that a Furneaux was present
with William the Conqueror at the Battle of Hastings
Longer Detailed Version:
I have summarised the various sources which list the people who are meant to have been present at the Battle of Hastings, in the table below. N.B. entries appear in date order of the source.
References to Furneaux being at the Battle of Hastings
There are a number of different rolls, which record the companions of William the Conqueror at Hastings. This table reports these just in reference to Furneaux. Listed from oldest to newest.| Author of the Roll | Date | Reference to Furneaux | Description of the Roll | Type of Roll | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orderic Vitalis | 1131 approx | Lists a number of nobles and adds "with many other knights illustrious for their military achievements" | Noted as one of the most reliable sources - however the list only includes certain nobles. Notes other unnamed nobles where also present. | Orderi Vitalis | http://www.bayeux-tapestry.org.uk/ordericvitalis.htm |
| Auchinleck (not the author, but the person who donated to library) | 1330 | Fourneus | Oldest version of the Battle Abbey Roll | Battle Abbey Roll (1) | The Auchinleck Manuscript https://auchinleck.nls.uk/ https://auchinleck.nls.uk/view/?jp2=105v |
| Brompton | 1436 | Forneus | This is annexed to the main list of Hollinshed by Burke, and is extracted from Brompton's Chronicle | Battle Abbey Roll (2) | Cited in Burke |
| Hollinshed | 1577 | Furnieueus | This list was formerly suspended in the Battle Abbey (constructed at the site of the Battle of Hastings) | Battle Abbey Roll (3) | http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/16738.epub.images?session_id=722fa557b6474f4d7976a5068eb393d31f50efe6 |
| Duchensne | 1619 | - | According to Burke, this list is derived from a Charter in Battle Abbey (with 31 names starting with F). Not as complete as that by Hollinshed (who gives 52 names starting with F). | Battle Abbey Roll (4) | Cited in Burke |
| Leland (1) | 1774 | - | Leland gives two lists. The first does not include reference to Furneaux and is short | Battle Abbey Roll (5) | Cited in Duchess of Cleveland and Burke |
| Leland (2) | 1774 | Forneaux | The second list is much longer - similar to Hollinshed's list | Battle Abbey Roll (6) | Cited in Duchess of Cleveland and Burke |
| Dives-sur-Mer | 1862 | Eudes de Fourneaux | Developed by Delisle which was meant to draw on French and English sources. Unfortunately not referenced | Dives Roll | http://www.robertsewell.ca/dives.html |
| Planche | 1874 | - | According to the Duchess of Cleveland this is a conservative list | Conqueror and His Companions | https://archive.org/details/conquerorhiscomp01planuoft |
| Midgley | 1931 | Raoul de Fourneaux | This is a list which apparently summarises various sources, but which does not cite the source for each entry | Falaise Roll | http://midgleywebpages.com/battleroll.html |
| Moriaty | 1944 | - | Does not list a Furneaux, but notes more intensive research may provide additional names | American Genealogist | http://www.robertsewell.ca/conquest.html#companions |
| Cokayne (Companions of the Conqueror) | 1959 | - | Only lists those names of which we can be certain | The Complete Peerage | http://dgmweb.net/Resources/Military/Companions_of_the_Conquerer.html |
| Crispin and Macary | 1969 | Eudes de Fourneaux | A composite lis of multiple sources | Falaise Roll | https://books.google.com.au/books?id=UlJmAAAAMAAJ&focus=searchwithinvolume&q=fourneaux |
As can be seen from the table above, some authors argue that a Furneaux (by some spelling or other) was at the Battle of Hastings, while others do not.
The oldest source, Orderic Vitalis, did not include a Furneaux. However Oderic only includes a limited list of names, noting explicitly that there where also many others who were present who where not named. The second oldest list onwards tends to include a Furneaux.
So only a few nobles can, with any great certainty, be argued to definitely present at the Battle of Hastings. However that does not mean that a Furneaux was not there, just that we are reliant on later sources to argue that case.
Unfortunately there is a high degree of scepticism with these later sources, although the list by Auchinleck, is generally subject to less criticism as it is still very early.
In December 1067 there was a revolt in Exeter, and while this was put down, William established strongholds in the South West of England, and replaced the holdings of thegns loyal to Harold with his own nobles1. We also know from the Exon Domesday that Eudes de Furneaux took over a castle from three thegns loyal to Harold in 1086 in the southwest, which suggests further activity post the 1066 invasion, but still doesn’t eiuther prove or preclude earlier involvement.
Post Revisions:
- October 8, 2024 @ 08:30:54 [Current Revision] by Dr Craig Furneaux
- September 9, 2018 @ 19:00:54 by Dr Craig Furneaux
- September 1, 2018 @ 11:24:25 by Dr Craig Furneaux
- September 1, 2018 @ 11:20:11 by Dr Craig Furneaux
- September 1, 2018 @ 11:08:13 by Dr Craig Furneaux
- July 15, 2018 @ 16:55:30 by Dr Craig Furneaux
- July 15, 2018 @ 16:51:28 by Dr Craig Furneaux
- July 15, 2018 @ 16:02:58 by Dr Craig Furneaux
- July 15, 2018 @ 15:33:19 by Dr Craig Furneaux
- July 15, 2018 @ 14:32:46 by Dr Craig Furneaux
- July 15, 2018 @ 08:55:36 by Dr Craig Furneaux
- July 15, 2018 @ 08:48:50 by Dr Craig Furneaux
Hi, I have just come across this while researching my son’s paternal line and I wonder if you have done your personal FH research and would be willing to have a conversation about this?
Best wishes
Liz
Hi Liz, yes happy to have a discussion about this. I have some understanding of the main four branches (UK / USA / Canada and Australia) but there is a lot to uncover in individual trees.
Unfortunately. for those interested in tracing the origins of their surname, surnames were generated by a number of influences in the near 1000 years since the Norman invasion. Very few are directly linked via the family trees of the noble families who came ashore with William’s army. Many more “villains families” simply adopted the name of the Lord of the Manor when surnames started to become important for ordinary folk in the 15th Century. Many others were derived the place names and others from their occupations. “Furneaux” certainly sounds like a Norman French name, but without a pedigree, there is only an outside chance of anyone with that name today can claim to be a descendant of one of the Norman knights.
Hi Ted, thanks for being the first to comment. I have done a fair bit of work already, and sorted that they were minor Norman nobility, where they came from (de Fourneaux) and early residences (see other entries in the blog).
The Furneaux are mentioned in the Exon Domesday Book, plus are attested as nobles by authors of peerage works, and historians.
Having said that the link from historical evidence to me is thin at the moment, but something I am working on.
Best wishes with your search for evidence. May I suggest the College of Arms in London, if you have not already sought their advice. (see https://goo.gl/KhRYSB )