Walsh, Walshe, Welsh (et al) of England
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This page simply looks at some of the earliest reference to the various surnames
which eventually were to become Walsh, Welsh, Welch, Wallis, etc.
in Britain.
Although attempting here to focus on the Walsh, Walshe and Welsh surnames in the early
English counties, it is evident the origins are varied and the lineages unclear. Yet it is interesting to note
the various Coats of Arms and some of their apparent similarities, as well as possible connections
to the Walsh surname between Britain and Ireland. Where possible more contemporary reference
is made to various Walsh, Walshe and Welsh families in Britain. Much of the very
early reference is from the work of Joseph C. Walsh in his 1925 publication on the history of the Walsh name.
The statement about some of the earliest Walshs in Ireland being "barons of Cornwall"
would seem to be essentially correct, for families of le Waleys (an early
form of Walsh, Wallis, Wallace, etc.) are found in Somerset, Devon, Dorset, and Sussex in the 1200's,
where the names indicate descent from Richard and Ralph, sons of Cadwalader
and Alicia de Clare, and where the families were mainly on de Clare lands.
It has been possible to trace them through a number of entries in the
Parliamentary Roll of Arms to the time of Richard II. - Source: Joseph C. Walsh, 1925.
Somerset, England
At the time of the Domesday Survey (1086) Langridge was endowed to the Bishop of Coutances.
Adam Walensis of Langridge was witness about 1210, 1225, and again 1230, to land grants made to the Hospital of St. John Baptist at Bath, Somserset. Prior to about 1249 Adam Walensis conveyed certain property in Somersetshire to the Hospital of
St. John Baptist in Bath. During the final part of the reign of King Henry III, about 1270, "Geoffrey Heose" witnessed a deed to Richard Walensis "once serving Richard, King of the Romans," according to "Hastings Manuscripts."
By the time of Edward II Lansdowne and the adjoining village of Langridge (Somerset) were held by one Adam Walish who sold to the 'Walronds' family. A manor at Langridge in Somerset was held by Adam le Waleys (Walish) in 7 Edward II (c. 1313) "and for several reigns after." Parts of the old manor house built by the family were there until recently (1800's), as well as a tomb of Robert Walsh of 1427, and Elizabeth Walshe (Walsche) of 1441. A brass that comemorates Elizabeth Walshe, a lady who died in 1441, sits at St Mary Magdalene Church, Langridge.
In 1278 William le Waleys was bailiff of Gilbert de Clare in Somerset. The lands of Gilbert Walsh near Midleton in County Cork, Ireland were held from the same Gilbert de Clare, as disclosed by the inquisition held after the death of his wife, Isabel de Clare.
At Bicken-Stoke in Somerset, which was "always held at the honor of Gloucester" there was a Philip le Waleys in 23 Edward III (c. 1349), who held by the fourth part of a knight's fee.
At Woolavington, nearby, there was another [Waleys] family, dating from Henry II, in which the names Randolph, William, Henry, Walter and Gilbert appear.
Walter Waleys was lord of Litton, Somerset, 29 Edward III (c. 1355).
Hutton in Somerset was held by the Church of Glastonbury under Edward the Confessor, and by the Bishop of Coutances, in
France, at the time of the Domesday Survey. "Its next principal possessors were the family of le Waleys or Walsh, who held the manor of the Clares, Earls of Gloucester." John le Waleys was lord of this manor 26 Edward I (c. 1297), Adam in 7 Edward II, Adam in 1 Edward III, and John 23 Edward III. A seal of the second Adam remains, attached to a document, and showing his arms "Ermine, a bend." 
At Portishead and Weston in north Somersetshire, the tax list of Edward III, dated 1327, show Davy le Walsch with a levy of 6 pence. In 1393 William Walsch was witness to a quitclaim of rights to manors of Nettlecombe and Rowden, Somerset.
Judge John Walsh, whose son married a daughter of the Protector Somerset, in Edward VI's time, was of
Cathanger, Somerset, in or near which in 7 Edward III (c. 1333) was a John Walsh. Judge John Walsh, who was Justice of the Common Pleas in Henry VIII's time, also had a daughter who married a son of the Protector Somerset, Sir Edward Seymour. The coat of arms for this Walsh family closely resembled those of Walshs from Gloucestershire, i.e. Azure six mullets Or, and as a mark of difference,within a bordure gobonated.
Dorset and Sussex
The families of Dorset and Sussex seem to have been of the same stock as those from Somerset, for with some slight variation their arms are the same.
The arms at Langton-Wallis (Walleys or Walshe) of Dorset were "ermine a bend gules." The manor of Langton Wallis was named after its mediaeval lords, the Le Walleys (le Waleys) family, who came from Brittany in 1066.
Those in the church at Stancomb, "ermine, a bend sable."
Those in the church window at Melbury Sampford in Dorset are "gules, a fess ermine";
A Richard le Waleys of Sussex had "gules, a fess ermine," (noted in the Herald's Arms)
And Simon le Waleys had the same, with a "leopard passant or."
Sir John le Waleys, who was at the tournament at Stepney, 2 Edward II, had "ermine a bend gules,"
and John, member of Parliament for Sussex in 1369, (42 Edward III) the same.
Ralph le Waleys was granted lands in Podinton in the parish of Chickerell, Dorset, in 21 Henry III (c. 1236). He may have been a grandson of the first Ralph (son of Cadwalladr ap Gruffydd). Ingelram le Waleys died there in 32 Edward I (c. 1303).
Ingelram le Waleys and his son John are noted in entries in the Chancery Rolls at Langton Maltravers, Dorset, in the time of Edward II. A prescriptive (nundinas) recorded 1278, was held by Ingelram le Waleys (QW, p. 181). Ingelram claimed that Albreda de Lyncoll granted him the manor at Langton Matravers and its liberties to be held of the king in chief. The quo warranto case was adjourned. The most marked variant in 'le Waleys' Coats of Arms mentioned thus far is that of Ingelram, of the Dorset family, who seems to have used the arms of both Mortimer and Marshal, "barry of eight"
and "a bend fusiled."
St. George's Roll of Arms (E303) cites a Henry le Waleys (Henri le Waleis) with "Barry of six argent and azure a bend gules."
The Herald's Roll of Arms (E303) cites a William le Waleys with "Barry of twelve argent and azure a saltire gules."
At Glynde Place in East Sussex is a splendid Elizabethan mansion. The house is still in the hands of the same family which has held the property for 800 years, the present owners being Viscount and Viscountess Hampden. The original medieval house was replaced in Elizabethan times when the property passed by marriage from the Waleys to the Morleys.
Worcester and Warwickshire
Other early Walsh possessions in England were in Worcester, at Abberley
and Sheldelly (Shelsley), and branches of this family spread over into Warwickshire.
The Worcester history starts with a Henry, in the time of Henry III.
Descendants of this family were Thomas Walsh, chief baron of the exchequer,
who went to Ireland in Henry VIII's time. His brother Walter (Welshe) was of Henry
VII's household, and it was he who arrested Cardinal Wolsey (c. 1530).
William Walsh (1663-1708) the poet-critic, and friend of Alexander Pope, was of the same family.
One may suspect that Thomas Walsh installed some of his family in Ireland (he had no sons) as all
other important English officals did. The arms of the family are the same as
those of Walsh of Ballykilcavan in Queens County Ireland, as well as Philip of Wigorn (Worcester),
"a fess between six martlets".
And yet we cannot assume that the Ballykilcavan
family of Walsh began in Ireland in Henry VIII's time, for these arms are credited to
the Henry Walsh of Sheldelly (Shelsley-Walsh) in the time of Henry III.
Henry VIII, granted Abberley Manor to his Groom of the King's Chamber, Walter Walsh, whose
family lived at nearby Shelsley. The Walshes held Abberley for over 175 years, but not
without interruption. Queen Elizabeth I took it away to give to a favourite, but after a law suit
it was restored to the Walshes. Joseph Walsh fought on the Royalist side at the Battle of
Worcester on September 3rd, 1651 and later suffered imprisonment for his loyalty to the Crown.
In the 18th century, Abberley Manor had some literary connections. It was visited by the poet Pope
at the invitation of William Walsh, and also visited by Joseph Addison who often stayed there.
A walk lined with yews behind the present building is still known as 'Addison's Walk'.
The lords of Worcester for centuries were the Beauchamps, earls of Warwick. They were the
heirs of Urso d'Abbetot, placed there by William the Conqueror. Philip of
Worcester, who had large possessions in Ireland in Tipperary and Waterford,
was succeeded by his nephew William, son of Walter d'Abbetot, no doubt a
branch of the same family. There must have been some connection between them
and these Worcester Walshs, for the Beauchamp who was sheriff of Worcester in
7 Edward II had for arms the "fess between six martlets",
always recognized there as the arms of Walsh. Whether these Walshs were associated
in Ireland with the Abbetots there is nothing to show, beyond the fact that there were
Walshs in the same territory.
These Walshs of Worcester were also in Warwickshire. As early as 2 Edward II
(1312) William de Walsh held the sixth of a Knight's fee from John de Hastings,
and in the Church of Mereden [Meriden] there are two monuments, on one of which are
these arms of Walsh, empaling those of Strange (probably the same family that
was known as Strange or Strong in Kilkenny and Waterford counties in Ireland),
and according to Dugdale (who gives a picture of it) another "monument without
arms depicted, made as I think for one of the Walshs sometime lords of that
manor, here in Mereden, called Walsh Hall."
The arms of a William le Waleys (Willem le Waleis) are given in St George's Roll (E538) as "Argent a fess between six martlets sable".
John Waleys had been sheriff of Warwickshire and Leicestershire for a short period
beginning in October 1343, as documented in a charter with Thomas Beauchamp.
Nottingham and Yorkshire
But the "Waleys" were not restricted to these southern counties, for there
is a document in which Sir Stephen Waleys claimed, in 17 Edward I (c. 1288), that
"his ancestors were seised from the time of King John" of lands at
Sibthorpe in Nottingham. Here the chief family name was Richard, with an
occasional Stephen. They were closely allied to the de Lacys of Lincoln
and Warwick, to the Fitz-Williams, who gave them large possessions when a
daughter married Richard of Burgh Walleis, and most of all to the Burkes
of the Eustace branch, who had large possessions in the north. The
Parliamentary Roll gives the arms of Sir Richard Walleis, a
"grand seignor," as "quarterly argent and gules, a bend or," and St. Georges' Roll gives the same arms to
Stephen le Waleys (Stevene le Waleis),
while those of
Eustace de Burgh were "quarterly or and gules, a bend sable."
The names
Stephen, Henry, Alicia and Ralph appear in the Yorkshire branch of this
family up to 1378. It seems very probable that this is the same family that
was identified with the Burkes of Tipperary, one of whom was urged to capture
Mortimer in Ireland. He was actually caught in Nottingham. The Harleian
collection contains a long Walsh pedigree, beginning with, perhaps, the first
Richard and continuing through a long line of Richards, followed by several
Johns. One of the first would be the "Ricardus Walensis" who had gifts from
King John, whom he accompanied to Ireland in 1210.
On January 26, 1318, there was an order to deliver to Richard le Waleys and
Eleanor, his wife, late the wife of Robert de Brus (Bruce), tenant in chief
of the late king (Edward I), certain lands which "came to the king on his
death and were held by the late and present king (Edward II)
by the forfeiture of Robert, son and heir of Robert (Bruce)." Eleanor was allowed
as dowry lands in several counties in England. Then in 1327 there is a
record that King Edward III, in his first year, cancelled a fine of 2,000
marks imposed by Edward II on Richard (Le Waleys) "to save
his life and have his lands again because he was of the quarrel of Thomas,
late Earl of Lancaster." And in 1332 there is a note that Eleanor, Richard's
wife, having died in the previous reign, Edward II took her hands and gave
them to Humphrey de Bohun (being angry with Richard).
This certainly looks like the same Richard who was on Ireland in 1318 and
1323, and of the same family as the Richard of 1346. If so how long had
they been there, and what was their affiliation with the other Walshs there?
Walshe of Sodbury
Sir John Walshe at Little Sodbury Manor, Gloucestershire, was a famous warrior who had been knighted as the king's champion at the coronation of Henry VIII. John and Lady Anne Walshe were the masters of Little Sodbury, the estate where William Tyndale, who later translated the Bible into English, worked for two years (circa 1521) after leaving Cambridge, probably as a tutor to their two young sons. They were known in the region for their hospitality to both nobility and clergy; it was at their table that Tyndale challenged a visiting cleric, "If God grant me life, ere many years pass I will see that the boy behind his plow knows more of the Scriptures than thou dost!" Exposed to reformation thinking by Tyndale, the Walshes gave him money to support himself in Europe, and later made efforts to get him released from Vilvoorde prison.
Walshe of Staffordshire
From the list of tenants of Betley, Staffordshire, dated for the year 1298, comes the name John le Walshe whose relative holdings were valued at 2 s. 9d.
In the latter 15th century there is record of a marriage between Ellen Walshe and William Lyttleton, Lord of Franklyn Manor, at Franklyn, Staffordshire. Ellen is noted of the Walshe family of Wanlip, Leicestershire.
Further Arms
Noted in Charles' Roll of Arms is a Henry le Waleys (Henri le Waleis) with "Gules a fess sable."
Further Reference:
Walsh of Leicestershire
Walsh of Berkshire
Walsh of Ormathwaite, Cumberland
Walsh of Colby, Norfolk
Walsh of Lancashire
Common Origins?
"It is to be remembered that the Anglo-Irish families had possessions in
England, and that the influence of one upon the other is almost impossible
to trace, although at times it may have been important. What is to be noted
is that the typical names, Richard, Robert, Walter and Henry, were constant
with the English as well as with the Irish Walshs, a pretty certain
indication of a common origin."
Excerpt from "The Lament for John MacWalter Walsh" by J.C. Walsh
Further Notes
Coats of Arms
Walsh (Walshe, Welsh, Welch) gentry in England have been
recorded in Burke's General Armory including those of Berkshire,
Gloucestershire, Worcestershire, Cumberland (Ormathwaite), Hereford
(Wormesley), Leicestershire, Norfolk (Colbye), Staffordshire, and other
points of origin. Facsimiles of some of these Arms may be viewed
at the Walsh Coat of Arms web page.
A Walsh Connection to the Prince of Wales
"In 1779, Mr. George Carpenter of Redbourn in Hertfordshire (writes Sir
Anthony Wagner, ex-Garter King of Arms, in his English Geneology) had the
plumber down from London to repair the roof of his house. With the plumber
came his daughter, and both remained at Redbourn for some time. Mary
Elizabeth Walsh, the daughter, was then eighteen years of age and Mr.
Carpenter upwards of 60, yet notwithstanding the disparity of their ages
and positions, he married her. Their daughter (Mary Elizabeth Louisa Carpenter)
married the 11th Earl of Strathmore (Thomas Lyon-Bowes), the Queen
Mother's (Elizabeth II) great great-grandfather. The Prince of
Wales is thus eighth in descent from that plumber, John Walsh"
This is from the book, "Charles: A Biography by Anthony Holden, 1989,
Toronto, McClelland and Stewart.
Contributed by Gail Walsh -- gwalsh@nbnet.nb.ca
An addition to the story above includes the marriage of Charlotte Sarah Jane
Walsh, daughter of Frederick Walsh of Redbourn (sister of Mary Elizabeth Walsh above),
who married Joseph Valentine Grinstead. Their daughter Charlotte Grinstead
(or Grimstead) married Thomas George Bowes-Lyon, Lord Glamis, in 1820. A
son of Thomas and Charlotte was the 13th Earl of Strathmore (Claude Bowes-Lyon),
the Queen Mother's great-grandfather.
Further reference to the Early Name
In England the proud name of Walsh was first recorded in the Rotuli
Hundredorum of Cambridge in the year 1279, as the name of
Rose la Walesche, and was also mentioned in the Subsidy
Rolls of Suffolk as the name John le Walche, who was taxed at
the rate of four shillings in the pound on his land, and two
shillings and eight pence in the pound on his goods, in the year
1327. The name Walsh comes from the Old English word
waelisc and can be translated as 'the foreigner', a name given
to anyone from the Celtic areas of Britain.
From the site: http://members.tripod.com/annfarr/walsh.htm
A Mayor of London
One of the early Lord Mayors of London was Henry Le Waleys who
was elected in 1273, and again in 1281 for a second term, and again
elected in 1298 for a third term. Whether the name of this family came
down as Waleys, or Walsh, or Wales, or Welles, or Wallis is unknown.
Welsh family of Launceston
The Welsh family of Launceston (17th century-19th century), Cornwall; of North Tamerton, Cornwall; of Otterham, Cornwall; and of Whitstone, Cornwall are recorded in the UK National Register of Archives. (http://www.hmc.gov.uk/nra/)
Walsh of Lincolnshire - In 1396, in the reign of Richard II, John Walsh of Grimsby is cited as Sheriff of Lincoln. Source: Drury and Sons "History of Lincoln".
Reference Dates: Kings of England
King John - 1199 - 1216
Henry III - 1216-1272
Edward I - 1272-1307
Edward II - 1307-1327
Edward III - 1327-1377
Richard II - 1377-1399 (deposed)
Henry IV - 1399-1413
Henry V - 1413-1422
Henry VI - 1422-1461, 1470-1471
Edward IV - 1461-1470, 1471-1483
Edward V - 1483
Richard III - 1483-1485
Henry VII - 1485-1509
Henry VIII - 1509-1547
Edward VI - 1547-1553
Lady Jane Grey - 1553
Queen Mary I - 1553-1558
Elizabeth I - 1558-1603
James I - 1603-1625
Charles I - 1625-1649
Oliver Cromwell - 1649-1658
Richard Cromwell - 1658-1669
Charles II - 1660-1685
James II - 1685-1688
William III, Mary II - 1689-1702
Queen Anne - 1702-1714
George I - 1714-1727
George II - 1727-1760
George III - 1760-1820
To add to these notes, Contact
Walsh of England
Sunday, 13-Jun-2004 18:28:08 MDT
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