William Pantulf
| William Pantulf | |
|---|---|
| Died | 16 April, probably in 1112 |
| Resting place | Noron Priory |
| Nationality | Anglo-Norman |
| Occupation | baron |
| Spouse(s) | Lescelina |
| Children | |
| Parent(s) | Beatrice |
William Pantulf (died 16 April probably in 1112) was an Anglo-Norman nobleman and Baron of Wem. He was born in Calvados, a region of Normandy, where his family had lived since around 1030. Pantulf held lands in Shropshire following the Norman Conquest of England. A vassal of Roger of Montgomery, the Earl of Shrewsbury, Pantulf was accused of murdering Roger's wife but proved his innocence of the charge by a trial by ordeal. When Roger's son Robert of Belleme rebelled against King Henry I of England, Pantulf did not take part and sided with the king. Upon his death, which most likely occurred in 1112, William's eldest son Philip inherited his Norman lands, and his second son Robert received the English lands.
Pantulf was from Noron in the Calvados region of Normandy. His family had lived there since at least around 1030, as a charter of Jumièges Abbey shows the family as vassals of the House of Montgomery in the Montgomery lands near Sées. Pantulf's mother was named Beatrice, and his sister was named Helwise, but his father's name and other siblings are not known.
After the Norman Conquest of England, Pantulf held lands in Shropshire from Earl Roger de Montgomery. The earl settled a number of his Norman vassals, including Pantulf, on his new lands in Sussex and Shropshire. Pantulf was probably not present at the Battle of Hastings, likely due to Earl Roger's lack of participation in the campaign of conquest. Pantulf's grants totalled eleven manors located in Hodnet Hundred. Pantulf's lands in England were centered on Wem, and are considered a feudal barony, making Pantulf the first Baron of Wem. Although he had substantial lands in England, Pantulf continued to spend most of his time on the continent.
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