The Honour of Richmond by David Morris A history of the Lords, Earls & Dukes of Richmond Publisher: Sessions of York ISBN: 1 85072 240 4

David Morris has lived for many years in the ancient town of Richmond in North Yorkshire. His interest in the town's Norman Castle and his long association with Richmond Civic Society has led him to study not only the Honour of Richmond, a huge estate administered for a time from the Castle, but also the lives of the successive Counts, Earls and Dukes of Richmond, many of whom possessed this much valued estate.

His research has drawn him to study records held not only in the United Kingdom but also in Brittany and Canada and this book - which follows his two earlier histories on mining emigration and the River Swale of St Paulinus - covers ten centuries of English and Breton history during which the Richmond family has played an important part.

About the Book

HISTORY IS SHAPED by individual events and William the Conqueror's decision to reward his favoured henchman Alan le Roux with a great estate of lands, mainly in eastern England, marked the beginning of ten eventful centuries of Richmond history. Alan's estate became known as the Honour of Richmond, a name originating from the formidable castle he built high above the River Swale in Yorkshire. It was a castle built mainly to emphasise his presence in the area and it also acted for a time as the administrative headquarters of the Honour.

In the centuries which followed, successive Kings of England came to value the Honour as a means to ensure loyalty and sup- port and it was a prize sought particularly by Breton barons to finance their warlike lifestyles. Possession of the Honour usually carried with it the Earldom of Richmond but during the long periods of war in France, few of these barons devoted their time to administering their estates in England and ultimately there was little left of the Honour except Richmond Castle.

To do justice to the lives of these men who held the Honour of Richmond and to provide an adequate but concise historical record of the subsequent earls and dukes of Richmond, has provided a challenge. In some cases, information has been scarce though the lives of others have been quite intriguing and deserv- ing of further research. The history of the Hundred Years War has certainly tempted wider coverage but I have been concerned only with the Richmonds who participated in that extended con- flict. There has been much geographical interest in preparing this book for, far from being insular, the activities of the Richmonds have taken them to Ireland, Brittany and France, as well as Spain, Italy, Holland, Belgium and other European countries. To Canadians, the story of the 4th Duke of Richmond provides a fascinating episode in the history of their country.

Since the 16th century, the fortunes and experiences of the Richmonds have been enhanced by their links with the Lennox and Gordon clans as well as by the creation of the Richmond Shilling but, throughout these last ten centuries, and into the present time, those carrying the Richmond name have most certainly contributed much to our history, and it is my hope that this book provides an adequate record of their experiences and achievements.

DM