William Devereux of Frome (1314-1384)

William Devereux of Frome the younger was a member of a prominent Herefordshire family during the reign of Edward III. He was an important retainer of the Mortimer family, sheriff of Hereford, and member of Parliament.

William Devereux was born on 1 November 1314, the son of William Devereux of Frome (died 1336) and his wife, Miss Lacy. After his mother’s death, his father married Margaret de Mortimer of Richard’s Castle as his second wife about 1335. His father died in 1336 leaving William the manor of Lower Hayton, Salop. His stepmother married shortly after a third time to Thomas de Hulhampton quitclaiming her dower rights to William for Frome Haymondes, Holme Lacy, and Stoke Lacy for 200L

As a retainer of the Mortimer’s, the fall of Roger Mortimer, 1st Earl of March in 1330 placed William Devereux outside of royal favor.

In 1336 Thomas Charlton, Bishop of Hereford, complained that William Devereux and others disseised him of his freehold in Almeley and Kinnersley including manors in Almeley and Newchurch, and 3 acres of meadow. William countered that Peter Pichard had demised the contested lands to his father, that he entered into them as a minor until ejected by the Bishop, and had only re-entered them. The Bishop claimed that William’s father only held for life with reversion to Pichard on his death who then demised it to the Bishop, and William had entered armed and taken the land by force. The court found in favor of the Bishop, and William had to pay 40 pence in damages.

On 3 April 1337 Parliament included him on a list of suspected persons to be arrested and imprisoned in Hereford Castle. On 23 May 1337 the sheriff of Hereford was ordered to release him after Nicholas Devereux and others posted bond for his good behavior.

Following the death of Giles de Badlesmere’s, Lyonshall was awarded on 20 November 1338 to John de Vere, 7th Earl of Oxford by right of his wife, Maud de Badlesmere. William resurrected his father’s claims and sued John de Vere for the castle in 1340, but his claim was denied.