The Blanchminster Story
No history of Stratton, Week Saint Mary or Bude would be complete without reference to the Blanchminster family of Binhamy or Bien Amie; a moated crenellated manor house between Bude and Stratton.
Their story has all the traits of ancient aristocratic ancestry, that is, a confusion of names; a mix of spellings of the names; plus, marriage within all the leading families of the time. The Blanchminsters do not disappoint in this respect. There are so many different spellings of the name and many of the family males are called Ralph, Ranulph or Reginald and just to complicate the story further Reginald is sometimes named Ralph, certainly in Hawker’s poem that will follow.
The Blanchminster story connects with all the grand families of Stratton and Bude, namely the Turret family, who held land in Stratton from very early times; the Grenville family of Stowe and the Arundell Family of Ebbingford Manor. And, as if as an afterthought, we can include a ballad from Parson Hawker of Morwenstow concerning a jilted Crusading Knight.
The picture is of the modern Ebbingford Manor where Lucy Turret, who we will meet shortly , gave permission to the new incumbents of 1183, the Heritz family, to create a road from Ponte (Helebridge) to the manor connecting with the salt house that was here. The “L-Shaped” building to the right is probably part of this early structure.
Searching the ancestry of the Blanchminster family line on the internet will produce an ancestral tree that connects the marriage of a Princess Breanna Blanch, born at Blair Manor Ayrshire, Scotland in 1194 to a William Minster, born around 1180. This suggests an obvious derivation for the name Blanchminster; the same family tree connects directly with Sir Ranulph de Blanchminster and his wife Isabella and the rest of the family that we eventually find in Bude records. This, it seems, is a little convenient and it is also incorrect. That is not to say that such a couple were married and could even have led to them having the Blanchminster name but, if so, it was a different family. By comparison, there is much to connect the Blanchminster family name to Whitchurch, Shropshire, including legal documents.
The Latin name of Whitchurch was Album Monasterium, or White Minster. The connection with our story rests with the fact a Lucy (Haget) Turret, married Sir Randulfus de Albo Monasterio (Blanchminster) and he came from Whitchurch; this couple had a son who became Sir Ranulph Blanchminster, born in the year 1210.
Whilst this is the story of the Blanchminsters and of their home at Binhamy (Bien Amie) Stratton, it is in fact, to the ancestry of the Hagets of Yorkshire and the Turets that we must first turn, as it is they who owned land in and around Stratton from very early times. It was through the marriage of Lucy Turet to Sir Ranulfus de Albo Monasterio (he is known as Ranulfus in some documents) that the Blanchminsters came to be Lords of the Manor of Stratton.
Bertram Haget (c1124) held large tracts of land in Yorkshire. His granddaughter, Alice established the Priory at Healaugh in 1218 (Pictured). Bertram had one son and four daughters. One of the daughters was a Lucy or Lucia Haget. She married Peter Fitz-Turet and the couple had one son, Bartholomew (c1169) and a daughter Lucy (c1178).
The family own land in Stratton and Bartholomew eventually inherits estates in Yorkshire and Stratton; he also owns a small piece of land at Hele, by Marhamchurch. Lucy has land in Stratton plus a small area of land around Ponte, that will become Helebridge. In fact, we know Bartholomew has an estate in Stratton, as he upset King John in 1216 and the King on 5th June of that year deprived him of his lands; these were restored to him ten years later on 26th December 1226 when he (Bartholomew) declared his allegiance to the King Henry 111 – with the support of the Sheriff of Shropshire, it should be noted.
It is reasonable to assume that the newly married Blanchminsters came to live somewhere in Stratton area upon their marriage where they have a son, named Ranulph. He later becomes Sir Ranulph de Blanchminster. Although Lucy has married Sir Ranulfus de Albo Monasterio, in much of the legal documents of the time, involving transfer of lands, Lucy retains her maiden name, which is typical of a period before the tradition of surnames are well established. This has made it more difficult for many historians to confirm her marriage to a Blanchminster.
For example, in an undated charter, Lucy Turet grants half-acre of land at Ponte (that is Helebridge) to Gilbert de la Hele. Her brother, Bartholomew, dies in the year 1235 “without issue”, and Lucy inherits much, if not all, of the estates.
The picture shows the the bridge at Helebridge, little changed from the day’s of Lucy if you ignore the few cottages and the canal basin- not in view.
Lucy’s son, Sir Ranulph, eventually marries Isabella de Wyke, from Week Saint Mary. The De Wyke family not only held lands in Week Saint Mary but are understood to have held land on the Isles of Scilly. They may even have been the original owners of the Island. Earl Robert de Wyke conveyed land to the monks of the island (date of charter not known) and they had a settlement there from 946 AD and Tavistock Priory took over its control in 1114’s.
It is not a surprise, therefore, that Sir Ranulph and Isabella eventually include property on the Scilly Isles as part of their estate. He too follows his mother’s action, again in an undated charter, granting a parcel of land at Hele to Gilbert de Limaton (or Himeton), who could be the same person who received Lucy’s grant of land at Ponte. It is arguable that with Isabella’s marriage to Sir Ranulph, the couple may have helped with security on the island, which could have included defences at what would become Ennor Castle; vestiges of which, sitting on a large outcrop, can be seen in the modern picture, courtesy of English Heritage. The norther parts of the island were administered by Tavistock Abbey, but the Old Town was controlled by a more secular administration. There was a history of piratical attacks on the island, so defences of some kind would be welcome. The first mention of a castle at Ennor on south main island was in 1244.
The couple may have lived at Wyke or at a modest and possibly moated manor at Binhamy (Bien Amie), between Bede’s Haven and Stratton. (See next page) This was probably the site of a Bronze Age Enclosure; Bronze Age Trevisker Ware pottery was found during an archaeological survey of the grounds, February 2013.
Trevisker pottery is ubiquitous in Cornwall but is also found in other parts of Britain. Bronze Age people probably travelled to the eastern shores of the Lizard to collect the clay which was rich in heat resistant gabbroic grains. The first image is a drawing from a pottery sherd found at Binhamy and the second image is a sherd from Trethellan Farm, Newquay, which shows a very similar pattern; could they have travelled to Trethellan and copied the technique, or did that location have the have the set-up to make the pots from the Lizard clay?
This would have been a good choice of location for a Bronze Age community; sheltered from the worst of the Atlantic gales but just a short walk down to the Neet estuary and its tidal flow and coastal trade connections. And, of course, the same benefits would apply to the Blanchminster property at this location. It is around this time that the couple may have moved from Wyke to Stratton. This is supported by the fact that it is around this time that full use of the castle at Week Saint Mary appears to have ceased.
Sir Ranulph and Lady Isabella have a son Reginald, born at Stratton in the year 1245 and he will become Sir Reginald de Blanchminster, eventually marrying Lady Robin, around 1260. Sir Reginald and Lady Robin have their first son around 1262 to 1265 and he becomes the second Sir Ranulph de Blanchminster; a second son also named Reginald died. More of this couple later.
Sir Reginald was probably born at Binhamy and the picture shows all that remains of the moat. It must be said that the moat is very deep and is more typical of the banking around a bronze Age enclosure, known as a Cornish Round, or even an small Iron Age fort. The Trevisker pottery was still in use Iron Age times. It is a sad fact that the site as no interpretation and is nearly lost in brambles and trees.
This second Sir Ranulph de Blanchminster married Mirabella de Aspale (Wake) and the couple have at least three girls, no male heirs. Documents around 1306 now identifies him as the owner of the Castle Ennor, Isles of Scilly and nine years later, 1315, he sought the King’s licence to crenellate the castle.
Despite his endeavours, however, the castle is held in the name of the newly created Duchy of Cornwall by 1337. It is possible that Sir Ranulph had anticipated this as, in 1335, he had sought permission from Edward 111 to crenellate his manor at Binhamy.
Towards the end of his life, Sir Ranulph engages Richard Bode, the then vicar of St Andrew’s Church at Stratton, as executor of his will in which he leaves a fund to maintain the fabric of the church; to provide armour for the local militia and alms for the poor of the community. It is this set of bequests that forms the bases, or the basic philosophy behind, what in the late 18th century become known as the Blanchminster Charity.
It seems logical that within the will Sir Ranulph requested, or even asked his Executor verbally, that an effigy be installed in the church to remember those Crusaders who died for the cause, including his father, Sir Reginald.
Despite these bequests, there appears to be no real evidence to support the idea that Sir Ranulph de Blanchminster was the sole benefactor- if at all. He is known to have given some lands but not a large monetary donation. In the Blanchminster Trust Records, page 36a entitled “Founders of the Charity” five contributed are listed. The Grenvilles are also stated within 18th century records as having contributed land, if not money. The other point to make is that the Blanchminster Charity is not known by any particular name until the late 18th century. Nevertheless, this Charity has done, and continues to offer, great support towards advancement of business enterprise, education and welfare to the community for more than 600 years. Sir Ranulph died in the year 1348.
The image is an overhead view of the armoured Knight as seen at St Andrew’s Church, Stratton. The figure clasps the hilt of the sheathed sword. Legs crossed in the style of such depictions of the period.
Sir Reginal, The Crusades and the Adulterous Wife?
So that is the background story of the Blanchminsters. However, the story would not be complete if we did not enlarge on the woes of Sir Reginald de Blanchminster. He married Lady Robin around 1260 and by 1262-65 had one surviving son; that is the last Sir Ranulph.
But Sir Reginald was troubled during his life, as he was driven by his conscience to participate in the Crusade, doing as so many others by joining in the fray with Prince Edward. He deliberates for many years but finally his mind is made up and he sets forth in 1270 to join Prince Edward, on what is known as the 8th Crusade. The army sets sail for Palestine only to find that the French King had signed a peace treaty and he and Prince Edward and his crusading army were forced to return to Sir Reginald’s estate in Scilly.
The Crusaders were hoping that the Phillip 111 of France would soon succeed to the throne and battles would recommence. Phillip however, ever never did decide to engage in battle and Prince Edward and his followers were forced to join with other Christian forces to continue the fight alone. The newly formed army finally landing at Acre on the 9th of May 1271.
(See the map of the perambulations of what became known as the 9th Crusade, courtesy of Wikipedia)
Jerusalem had fallen in 1244 and Acre was now the main centre of the Christianity. Reginald and his fellow crusaders were an important addition to the garrison at Acre, but they stood little chance against the Muslim superior forces, and they soon realised that their position was increasingly desperate, by the middle of 1272 they had seen the Cypriot army join forces against them and Edward signed a ten-year truce. Prince Edward then returned to the Isles of Scilly on 21st November 1272 where he subsequently learnt of his father’s death, and he succeeded to the Crown. Sir Reginald, however, was either killed outright in one of the many battles or seriously injured and later died of his wounds.
So far, the story has a chivalrous ending. But it would seem that Lady Robin had agreed a pact with Sir Reginald; that she would wait for his return for three years, after which she would assume he had died. She clearly had a back-up idea as there is the suggestion of her having a long-time lover, John de Allet.
It is not known whether she waited three years or broke the pact, or vow, as she secretly married John. This caused a lot of gossip that would not subside, and she was portrayed as adulterous wife in later folkloric tales. This is not surprising as John Allet was actually a sub-tenant of her husband on Scilly. It is not difficult to see how that “chat” of the day took many forms and carried on into history and this is encapsulated in the poem below by Parson Stephen Hawker, which was published 1876; he changed the story to suit the romanticism of the times and changed the name of Sir Reginald to Ralph, his wife, Robin, to Bertha, and John Allet to Sir Rupert.
There are many chivalric love tales throughout this period involving a Lady Robin and Sir Rupert. It is possible that Parson Hawker took advantage of this as a recognised romantic link to the story that had clearly carried through the ages.
In the poem, Bertha is resolved that her husband will not return and set a time limit that she will wait for his return to “Binamie”, and in “The Vow” she states, “Three years let the severing seas divide”, after which she is obviously saying that she expects him to be by her side.
The Vow
Hush! Tis a tale of elder time
Caught from an old barbaric rhyme
How the fierce Sir Ralph, of the haughty hand
Harnessed him for our Savious land.
“Time trieth troth” the lady said
“And a warrior must rest in Berthas bed.
Three year let the severing seas divide,
And strike thou for Christ and they trusting bride”
So he buckled on the beamy blade
That Gaspar of Spanish Leon made
Whose hilted cross is the awful sigh
It must burn or the Lord and his tarnished shrine.
Poor Ralph must follow his conscience and in “The Adieu” says, “Thou too farewell my chosen bride” and he says goodbye to all he loves about his land.
The Adieu
“Now a long farewell tall Stratton Tower
Dark Bude, thy fatal sea
And God thee speed in hall and bower
My manor of Bien amie.
“Thou, too, farewell my chosen bride,
Thou Rose of Rou-tor land
Though all on earth were false beside
I trust thy plighted hand.
“Dark seas amy swlll, and temests lower,
And surging bellows foam,
The cresset of they bridal bower
Shall guide the wander home.
“On! For the cross in Jesu’s land,
When Syrian armies flee;
One thought hall thrill my lifted hand,
I strike for God and thee”
But perhaps Bertha is not faithful to her vow of three years as in “The Treachery” she becomes an adulteress wife fleeing Ralph’s manor of Biamie.
A Faithful servant travels all the way to Palestine to convey the news to his dying Master and tells him of three dark omens he has seen, trying to ease Sir Ralph unto the truth. But Sir Ralph can clearly see in the messenger’s eyes that there is bad news and he says, “Say on woe thy looks betide” and the messenger has to declare’ “Thy Lady Bertha has fled the hall”! And in “The Scroll” Ralph (Sir Reginald) sets out what Hawker now see as the basis of his Charity.
The Treachery
A sound of horse hoofs on the sand
And lo! A page from Cornish lands
Tidings,” he said as he bent the knee
“Tidings, my lord, from Bien amie”
“The owl shrieked thrice from the warder’s tower
The crown-rose wither in her bower
Thy good grey foal, at event fed,
Lay in the sunrise stark and dead”
“Dark omens three!” the sick man cried
“Say on the woe thy looks betide”
“Master! At bold Sir Rupert’s call,
Thy lady Bertha fled the hall
The complete poem by the Reverend Robert Stephen Hawker, as published in 1876 is shown below.
The Vow
Hush! Tis a tale of elder time
Caught from an old barbaric rhyme
How the fierce Sir Ralph, of the haughty hand
Harnessed him for our Savious land.
“Time trieth troth” the lady said
“And a warrior must rest in Berthas bed.
Three year let the severing seas divide,
And strike thou for Christ and they trusting bride”
So he buckled on the beamy blade
That Gaspar of Spanish Leon made
Whose hilted cross is the awful sigh
It must burn or the Lord and his tarnished shrine.
The Adieu
“Now a long farewell tall Stratton Tower
Dark Bude, thy fatal sea
And God thee speed in hall and bower
My manor of Bien amie.
“Thou, too, farewell my chosen bride,
Thou Rose of Rou-tor land
Though all on earth were false beside
I trust thy plighted hand.
“Dark seas amy swlll, and temests lower,
And surging bellows foam,
The cresset of they bridal bower
Shall guide the wander home.
“On! For the cross in Jesu’s land,
When Syrian armies flee;
One thought hall thrill my lifted hand,
I strike for God and thee”
The Battle
Hark! How the brattling trumpets blare,
Lo! The red banner flaunt the air,
And see, his good sword girded on
The stern Sir Ralph to the wars has gone.
Hurrah! For the Syrian dastards flee
Charge! Charge! Ye Western chivalry
Sweet is the strife for God’s renown,
The Cross is up and the Crescent down.
The weary seeks his tent
For good Sir Ralph is pale and spent
Five wounds he reaped in the field of fame
Five in his blessed masters name.
The solemn Leech looks sad and grim
As he binds and sooths each gory limb
And the solemn Priest must chant and prey.
Lest the soul un-houseled pass away.
The Treachery
A sound of horse hoofs on the sand
And lo! A page from Cornish lands
Tidings,” he said as he bent the knee
“Tidings, my lord, from Bien amie”
“The owl shrieked thrice from the warder’s tower
The crown-rose wither in her bower
Thy good grey foal, at event fed,
Lay in the sunrise stark and dead”
“Dark omens three!” the sick man cried
“Say on the woe thy looks betide”
“Master! At bold Sir Rupert’s call,
Thy lady Bertha fled the hall
The Scroll
Bring me,” he said “that scribe of fame,
Symeon el Siddekah his name
With parchment skin, and pen in hand
I would devise my Cornish land.
“Seven goodly manors, fair and wide,
Stretch from the sea to Tamar side,
And Bien amie, my hall and tower,
Nestles beneath tall Stratton Tower
“All these I render to my God,
By seal and signe, knife and sod
I give and grant to Church and poor
In franc-almoign for evermore
“Choose ye seven men among the just,
And bid them hold my lands in truse:
On Micheal’s morn, and Mary’s Day,
To deal the dole, and watch and pray.
“Then bear me coldly o’er the deep,
Mid my own people I would sleep
Their hearts shall melt, their prayers will breathe,
Where he who loved them rests beneath.
“Mould me in stone as here I lie,
My face upturned to Syria’s sky
Carve ye this good sword at my side
And write the legend, “True and tried”
“Let mass be said, and requiem sung;
And that sweet chime I loved be rung,
The sounds along the northern wall,
Shall thrill me like a trumpet call”
Thus said he, and the set of sun
The bold Crusader’s race was run.
Seek ye his ruined hall and tower
Then stand beneath tall Stratton Tower
The Mort Main
Now the Demon had watched for the warrior’s soul
Mid the din of war where blood streams roll
He had waited long on the dabbled sands,
Ere the Priest had cleansed the gory hand
Then as he heard the stately dole,
Wherewith Sir Ralph had soothed his soul
The unclean spirit turned away,
With a baffled glare of grim dismay.
But when he caught those words of trust,
That sevenfold choice among the just,
“Ho! Ho! Cried the fiend with a mock at heaven
“I have lost but one, I shall win my seven.