Hamelin de Balun

Hamelin de Ballon (or Baalun, Baalan, Balun, Balodun, Balon, etc.), alias Hamelin de Barham (b ca. 1060, died 5 March 1105/6, or earlier 1090, per the Battle Abbey Roll) was an early Norman Baron and the first Baron Abergavenny and Lord of Over Gwent and Abergavenny, titles granted shortly after the Norman conquest of England and Wales by William the Conqueror; he also served William Rufus.

He was from France, from the ancient manor of Ballon, today a commune in the department of Sarthe in the modern region of Pays-de-la-Loire. This was in the ancient province of Maine which was invaded and conquered by Duke William of Normandy in the early 1060s, just before his invasion of England.

He was a son of Drogo (or Dru) de Ballon, which was a title for "Lord of Ballon", who was in all likelihood Guillame de Sardeine. , (The citation further implies he was of the House of Massa)and was accompanied to England by his brothers, Wynebald de Ballon (or Winebald de Ballon), and Wynoc. "Three of the name, the sons of Drogo de Baladon, Hamelin, Wynoc, and Wynebald (the Guinebaud de Balon of the Dives Roll) came to England with the Conqueror. Hamelin received vast grants in Wales and Cornwall, and built a strong castle at Abergavenny, now". It is not known if he was present at the Battle of Hastings in 1066, but he and his brothers certainly came to England with the Conqueror.

Hamelin de Ballon was rewarded with land in Cornwall and in south east Wales, in what was to become the Welsh Marches, and charged with its speedy and successful conquest and management. He sited the early motte and bailey version of Abergavenny Castle and organised the early Norman protection of the settlement of what became the town of Abergavenny around 1075. Together with his brother Winebald (now Lord of Carleon), he also founded the Benedictine Priory in the town as an alien cell of St Vincent, Le Mans, c. c. 1087/1100. He was already a benefactor of the latter foundation.

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