Sir Richard Reynell (died before 1213) (''alias'' Reinell, Reynolds, etc), of

Pitney Pitney is a village and parish in Somerset, England, located east of Langport and west of Somerton, Somerset, Somerton. In 2011, the village had a population of 374. Pitney is home to St John the Baptist Church, the Pitney Farm Shop, and th ...

(anciently ''Pyttney, Peteneya'', eyc) in the county of

Somerset Somerset ( , ), Archaism, archaically Somersetshire ( , , ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by the Bristol Channel, Gloucestershire, and Bristol to the north, Wiltshire to the east ...

Sheriff of Devon The High Sheriff of Devon is the Kings's representative for the County of Devon, a territory known as his/her bailiwick. Selected from three nominated people, they hold the office for one year. They have judicial, ceremonial and administrative f ...

in 1191-4, was a

knight A knight is a person granted an honorary title of a knighthood by a head of state (including the pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church, or the country, especially in a military capacity. The concept of a knighthood ...

who lived during the successive reigns of Kings

Henry II Henry II may refer to: Kings * Saint Henry II, Holy Roman Emperor (972–1024), crowned King of Germany in 1002, of Italy in 1004 and Emperor in 1014 *Henry II of England (1133–89), reigned from 1154 *Henry II of Jerusalem and Cyprus (1271–1 ...

(1154-1189),

Richard I Richard I (8 September 1157 – 6 April 1199), known as Richard the Lionheart or Richard Cœur de Lion () because of his reputation as a great military leader and warrior, was King of England from 1189 until his death in 1199. He also ru ...

(1189-1199) and

John John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second E ...

(1199-1216).

Career

During the absence of King Richard I on crusade in the

Holy Land The term "Holy Land" is used to collectively denote areas of the Southern Levant that hold great significance in the Abrahamic religions, primarily because of their association with people and events featured in the Bible. It is traditionall ...

, in 1191 he was given the custody of the royal fortresses of

Exeter Castle Rougemont Castle, also known as Exeter Castle, is the historic castle of the city of Exeter, Devon, England. It was built into the northern corner of the Roman city walls starting in or shortly after the year 1068, following Exeter's rebellion ...

in Devon and of

Launceston Castle Launceston Castle is located in the town of Launceston, Cornwall, England. It was probably built by Robert the Count of Mortain after 1068, and initially comprised an earthwork and timber castle with a large motte in one corner. Launceston Castl ...

in Cornwall. These castles he stoutly defended against

Count of Mortain The County of Mortain was a medieval county in the Duchy of Normandy in France centered on the town of Mortain, disputed between France and England during parts of the Hundred Years' War. A choice landholding, usually either kept within the family ...

, the king's younger brother, who in the monarch's absence endeavoured to usurp the sovereign power. He served as

from 1191-4. Following the death of King Richard I in 1199, the throne was inherited by his younger brother King

(1199-1216), who remembered the opposition he had received from Richard Reynell and deprived him of his estates at Pitney.

Marriage and children

He was succeeded by his son: ReynellArms

*Sir Richard II Reynell of Pitney, whose lands were restored to him by King John in 1213, for services rendered. Richard II's grandson was Walter Reynell, who married Maude de Trumpington, daughter and heiress of Everard de Trumpington of Trumpington in Cambridgeshire, and their son was John Reynell (d.1363/4) of Trumpington, a Member of Parliament for

Cambridgeshire Cambridgeshire (abbreviated Cambs.) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the East of England and East Anglia. It is bordered by Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the north-east, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfor ...

in 1351/2, who in 1328 was granted by King Edward III freewarren in his lands in Warwickshire. John Reynell's grandson was Walter Reynell who married Margaret Stighull, daughter and heiress of William Stighull of Malston in the parish of Sherford and of

East Ogwell East Ogwell is a village and former civil parish south of Exeter, now in the parish of Ogwell, in the Teignbridge district, in the county of Devon, England. In 2018 it had an estimated population of 855. In 1891 the parish had a population of 2 ...

in Devonshire. Prince, John, (1643–1723) The Worthies of Devon, 1810 edition, London, p.695; Risdon, Tristram (d.1640), Survey of Devon, 1811 edition, London, 1811, with 1810 Additions, pp.172,382; Pole, Sir William (d.1635), Collections Towards a Description of the County of Devon, Sir John-William de la Pole (ed.), London, 1791, p.251 His descendants settled at East Ogwell and at adjoining

West Ogwell West Ogwell is a village and former civil parish and manor, now in the parish of Ogwell, in the Teignbridge district, in the county of Devon, England. It is located 2 miles south-west of the town of Newton Abbot and 1 mile west of the village o ...

in Devon. A junior branch of the family became the

Reynell Baronets The Reynell Baronetcy, of Laleham in the County of Middlesex, was a title in the Baronetage of Ireland. It was created on 27 July 1678 for Richard Reynell, subsequently Member of Parliament for Ashburton in Devon, and Lord Chief Justice of t ...

of Laleham.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Reynolds, Sir Richard People from Somerset 12th-century English people High sheriffs of Devon Reynell family