Short History of the De Courcy Family

https://irelanddecourcydewhurst.blogspot.com

Short History of the DeCourcy Family

 (as found on Google)

Many family names can be traced back to a country of origin looking back just a few generations.

The DeCourcy name however has documented roots that go way back through Ireland, England, Normandy and eventually to the Carolingian Kings of France.  This noble family is one of the best documented in history. The name itself may date to 925 A.D., just a few generations after Charlemagne consolidated an empire which enveloped most of Europe. The village of Courcy in the Champagne area of France near Reims was a location near the court of the reigning monarch King Charles III. Some suggest his third son was named Charles of Courcy (DeCourcy) in reference to this location. If so, his elder brother would inherit the crown as King Louis IV. Others suggest Charles De Courcy arrived a generation later as the second son (or grandson) of Louis IV. Either way, he and his descendants were royalty, attendees at court, and contenders for the crown.

There were a number of individuals in the DeCourcy line that made their mark on history and continued the heritage and family reputation. Around the year 1000, Baldric (the Teuton) moved east to assist the Duke of Normandy in military command. His third son, Lord Robert DeCourcy established the family homestead in Normandy at Courcy, (Calvados) a few miles from Duke William’s base in Falaise, Normandy.

In 1066, William the Conqueror successfully invaded England with a group of royal Norman knights which included Richard DeCourcy, then Lord Courcy. Shortly thereafter, the family was rewarded with lands at Oxford and a larger estate in Somerset, England – the latter referred to as Stoke Courcy. A town remains where the family was based; its name; Stogursey, is an anglicized version of its prior form.

Later, in 1177, John DeCourcy ventured from his English home to Ireland as part of the Norman invasion. He individually claimed most of Northern Ireland, building numerous castles including the massive Carrickfergus which remains to this day. A subsequent English King (King John I) becoming jealous of DeCourcy’s growing power, had John DeCourcy removed and imprisoned in the Tower of London. They reconciled at the signing of the Magna Carta in 1215 and his deeds were eventually rewarded; he was given right to reclaim his lands. 

A generation later the barony of Kingsale (recognized as the premier barony of Ireland), near Cork was granted to his heirs along with additional titles and privileges. The Lords of Kingsale remain to this day with their titles intact. The current title holder, born in 1958, is The Right Honorable Nevinson Mark DeCourcy, 36th Baron Kingsale, (Peerage of Ireland, 1223), Baron Courcy, Baron of Ringrone, and Premier Baron of Ireland.

Because of the prominence of this family, its history is quite well documented and provides a very colorful glimpse of noble life through the middle ages. As referenced in Lodge’s Peerage of Ireland, "The noble family of Courcy (Courci, Curcy, Cursie, Courcie etc) is allied to most of the Princes of Europe, deriving its descent in the male line from the house of Lorraine, of the race of the Emperor Charlemagne, who died in the year 814, and in the female line from Rollo, William, and Richard, the first three Dukes of Normandy.” A document accompanies this writing provides a rich database of the lineage of the DeCourcy line with its many intermingled family connections.

Background

It should be noted that surnames as we now know them did not exist in the middle ages. First names were assigned, with a pseudo-surname(s) that might indicate a title, father, characteristic or place of birth. These might change through a (noble) person’s life as additional titles were gained. Most titles, along with estates and wealth, would generally pass to the eldest male heir. Younger sons and daughters were often “provided for” by the new title holder but seldom rose to the level of the favourite son. Daughters were valuable however as power could be fostered through marriages with other notable families. Sons could hope to improve their lot through marriage as well or through military service. Power existed not so much in law as in relationships.

Charles III and French origins

A few generations after Charlemagne, Charles III of France ruled from 898 through 922. He was continually challenged for the throne as he had inherited his rights as a child before being able to take up the mantle.  The intervening years provided opportunity for other royal families – who eventually succeeded in overthrowing the Carolingian line a few generations later. In history, he was often referred to as Charles the Simple, which is not an affront, but merely an English translation of what might more aptly be described as Charles the “straight-forward” when interpreted from its Latin roots. Charles signed a treaty with the Norsemen who had been attacking the northern coast of France, ceding Normandy to the new Duke along with a daughter in marriage, in return for loyalty.

With his second wife, the Princess Eadgifu of England, they bore three sons, one of whom, as mentioned, would succeed him as King Louis IV. Charles, the third son, was born in 925 during travel through the village of Courcy in the Champagne-Ardennes area of the empire, near Reims. Not being in direct line for the title, he became known as Prince Charles De Courcy and also Seigneur Charles DeCourcy as he would be granted lands in the area, a common custom.

Though the light would shine on his brother and his heirs, Charles’ grandson Baldric became quite prominent some years later, marrying well and moving to Normandy to support the Duke who favoured him with estates. Having lived in what is today part of Germany, he was known as Baldric (DeCourcy), the Teuton. He had six sons all of whom achieved notable levels of influence in Normandy. As his first son took on the new titles of Lord Baqueville en Caux, the DeCourcy name and new estates went to the third son Robert who established home at Courcy-sur-Dives in the Normandy area. Many believe this to be the origin of the DeCourcy name. There are also other towns in France bearing some version of the Courcy name.

Robert’s son Richard became childhood friends with the future Duke, eventually known to the world as William the Conqueror, and acted as one of his generals for the invasion of England at the Battle of Hastings in 1066. In preparation for the invasion, the knights supporting William the Conqueror gathered at the Church of Notre Dame in Dives-sur-Mer, Normandy, where their names are carved in the interior above the entrance. Richard DeCourcy was rewarded for his services with a number of lordships in England including estates in Oxford and in Somerset where he settled with his English wife. The French line continued in power from their base at Courcy where ruins of the castle remain.

England

The Domesday book (pronounced “Doomsday”), an historical accounting of all the landholders in England, was ordered as a census by William the Conqueror after assuming the English crown. (He was the first English king crowned at Westminster Abbey). The numerous holdings of the DeCourcy family are well represented. The Somerset homestead provided some quiet years, but within three generations, we come across another second son, John DeCourcy. Displeased with his secondary position, he seeks adventure fitting his status and approaches the King of England about supporting efforts to establish greater control of Ireland. Given a free hand, he sets out for Dublin to make his fortune.

Ireland

A power vacuum exists in Ireland upon his arrival given the recent death of Strongbow, the prominent Norman presence up to that time. DeCourcy’s youth hinders his ability to garner sufficient support to challenge for local control, so he sets his sights on the northern parts of Ireland not currently under English control.  With only 22 knights joining him, (and approximately 300 soldiers), he starts his long march northward to Ulster. Given his inferior numbers, he is advised to play on the superstitions of the locals. He designs a new Coat of Arms with three birds, and rides a large white horse, adapting to a legend attributed to Merlin that a conqueror will come in this fashion.

In battle after battle, he is victorious. This is in part due to his training and skill but also due to the far superior weaponry and tactics of the small but trained group of Norman knights. Within a few months he has conquered the lands of Ulster and Antrim in the north. He builds a castle at Dundrum (1177) and the Carrickfergus fortress (1178) near modern day Belfast. The latter, now a national museum, still stands today as an ominous symbol of his power. He consolidates his lands and marries Afrecca, the daughter of the King of (the Isle of) Man and in doing so establishes his own navy. He acquires numerous titles including Justiciar of all Ireland (equivalent to Governor) and was Ireland’s most powerful individual by the late 1100’s. When he begins issuing his own coinage, this defiance of English law pushes the limits of power too far. The new English King, John, revokes his titles and authorizes a rival, Hugh DeLacy, to take DeCourcy’s possessions. A battle ensues and, overwhelmed in numbers, John DeCourcy is captured and imprisoned in the Tower of London – where he remained for many years. (His armor is on display there today.)

John DeCourcy elevated the status of Saint Patrick in Ireland. He was responsible for securing the relics and establishing a formal burial site with the approval of Pope Urban III. The current name of the town, Downpatrick (Dún Phádraig, “Patrick’s Fort”) and the association with Ireland’s patron saint did not appear until John de Courcy’s conquest of the town in 1177. Down Cathedral was initially built by de Courcy in 1183.

Legend of John DeCourcy and the so-called DeCourcy Privilege.

A legend persists, as reported in Burke’s Peerage and retold in verse and many other documents including Mark Twain’s The Prince and the Pauper, that John DeCourcy was later called on by the same King John who had imprisoned him. A single champion was required for England to settle a property dispute with France. The French king had sent a champion but England could not decide on any man worthy of this high stakes single combat other than John DeCourcy. The king finally agreed to this selection only to be repudiated by John DeCourcy who preferred imprisonment to fighting for a king who had stripped him of his lands and titles without honor. Finally, an independent noble persuaded John to fight for England – not its king. He took the battlefield with such force and presence that the French champion yielded and flew the field. The French king demanded a display of his fortitude and strength. With a single blow John split the shields and helmet his opponent had left behind. King John, now grateful and apologetic for his prior actions, asked what he could do for him in addition to restoring titles and estates. The request –which was granted, was that DeCourcy and all his heirs would never have to bow down (remove one’s hat in tribute) to an English monarch again. This extraordinary right – effectively acknowledging the family need not be subservient to the king, became known as the unique “special privilege” accorded only to the DeCourcy family.

The legend is disputed by many, yet there are numerous references to the exercise of this special privilege and acknowledgements by various English kings, throughout history. The lands in the north of Ireland were never restored. Though John was given the right to take them back – he could not overthrow DeLacy  as he was unable to overcome the defenses (Carrickfergus) he himself had built. However, in 1223 the Barony of Kingsale near Cork was bestowed by Henry III upon John’s son (possibly grandson or nephew) Myles DeCourcy who became the first Lord of Kingsale. The castle at “Old Head” (a prominent coastal point southwest of Cork – a geographical reference to “the head of the sea”) became the DeCourcy homestead after 1223. (The lands known as DeCourcy Country were received in marriage by Myles to the daughter of Milo DeCogan).

Lords of Kingsale   (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baron_Kingsale)

Kinsale is an area southwest of Cork which became the DeCourcy home after 1223. (Once known as Kingsale, it is derived from Gaelic Cionn-saile meaning “head of the sea”). The Barony of Kingsale is recognized as the oldest barony in Ireland, and thus the current Lord Kingsale is still referred to as the Premier Baron of Ireland. The barony has been dated as early as 1223, but was affirmed years later (~1397) causing some confusion as to its date of origin and the numbering of the titled lords. (See http://www.courcy.com/baronyofkingsale.html) Thus, the Kingsale Lords are often referred to from two (sometimes three) dates of origin. The current Lord Kingsale is referred to as the 36th Lord (using the 1223 numbering system). The town of Kingsale is a fishing village and popular tourist destination found in the area.

The special privilege of the DeCourcy family has endured. Whether legend or fact, this privilege of the DeCourcy family has been exercised, recognized and documented on numerous occasions. The Barons of Kingsale have exercised this right from time to time throughout history, most notably by Almericus DeCourcy, 23rd Lord of Kingsale, in 1691 in the presence of King William III and Gerald DeCourcy (in front of King George II about 1750) and again by Lord John DeCourcy in 1821 (George IV).

The so called "De Courcy Privilege" of keeping a hat on in the presence of royalty was apparently used frequently by Almericus although the historical evidence for this privilege has never been proved.  The family took their name from Courcy-sur-Dives in Calvados, France and they were Lords of the Manor of Stoke Courcy in Somerset.

England’s most notable citizens and royals are buried in Westminster Abbey in London. There, inscribed on the large tombstone of Almericus DeCourcy, is a statement of the rights of this special privilege, protecting it for as long as history allows. (See Westminster tomb link)

Tomb of Almericus DeCourcy, 23rd Lord of Kingsale at Westminster Abbey.

Here lyes the body of the Right Honourable 

Almericus de Courcy.

Lord Courcy of Courcy County and Baron Kingsale of the Kingdom of Ireland defended from the famous John DeCourcy, Earl of Ulster who in the Reign of King John in consideration of his great valour, obtained that extraordinary privilege to him and his heirs of being covered before the  King.

This Lord was much in favour with King Charles the 11th and King James the 11th and commanded a troop of horse under the latter.  He married Ann, daughter of Robert Dring of Isleworth, in the County of Middlesex, England by order of whose Will this monument is erected to the memory of her late Lord by dying without issue.

The said Lady left divers Charitys to the Parish of Isleworth. Particularly 300 Pounds to the Almes- House, 200 Pounds to the Charity School, 100 Pounds to Poor House Keepers and is interred by her said husband, who dyed February the 9th 1719.  Aged 57.  (Lady Kingsale was buried 1724.  She married Almericus in 1698).

For a period of time the lands south of the Bandon River were referred to as Courcey country.

The Old Head Castle at Kinsale did not survive the centuries of wars.  Only a few remnants remain.  With the decline in family fortunes and mounting costs of upkeep, the Old Head lands were finally given to the town of Kinsale by the 35th Lord in 1986.  It is now an ultra-exclusive private golf course, ranked as the number one "most spectacular course in the world" by Links magazine.  It's five star restaurant is called the DeCourcy dining room and the club holds the prestigious DeCourcey tournament each year with players invited worldwide.

Remains of the De Courcy family's Ringroan Castle at the Old Head of Kingsale near Cork, Ireland.

So why interest in the DeCourcy name? 
Was it an opportunity to pass down the name of a noble man?

When you read my Blog "Ireland family" by Ros Escott, you will observe the DeCourcy name is used a lot, starting with James Stanley Ireland (1781-1856) and Matilda Louisa Davies naming their daughter Nanny Olivia DeCourcy Ireland (1829-1865).

James & Matilda Ireland's son Richard Davies Ireland (1815-1877) and Sophia Mary Carr named their son De Courcy Ireland (1845-1935), who named his son Percy Markham De Courcy Ireland (1893-1976). De Courcy also named his daughter Lucie De Courcy Ireland (1869-1965).

Richard & Sophia Ireland's daughter Selina Caroline Ireland (1841-1879) & William Kearsey Hughes named their son William Edward De Courcy Hughes (1869-1941).

Richard & Sophia Ireland's son Charles Warburton Ambrose Ireland named his son DeCourcy Ireland (1877-1957).

Richard & Sophia Ireland's son Edmund Arthur Ireland (1859-1922) named his son Edmund Arthur De Courcy Ireland (1893-1969).

If you read my Blog "10 Generations - William Ireland to Kenneth Dewhurst" you will see William Ireland (c1630-1689) married Margaret de Courcy, dau of Henry de Courcy, first cousin of Earl of Kinsale.

The article above says Almericus De Courcy was the 23rd Lord of Kingsale.

More research is needed to understand William Ireland's past!

Ancestry indicates Margaret De Courcy (born 1620? and died 1706) was the sister of Almericus, married to William Ireland with a son De Courcy Ireland and daughter Judith Ireland.

"Irish deCourcy-Wheeler Family" records Harry Wheeler's father William Ireland de Courcy-Wheeler, known as Surgeon Wheeler, was the eldest son of George Nelson Wheeler and his wife, Williamza Florence Ireland of Annesborough House, Robertstown, County Kildare, Ireland.  Williamza Florence Ireland was the daughter of William Ireland of Low Park, County Roscommon.  He is turn was descended from William Ireland, who married Hon. Margaret de Courcy, sister of heiress of Almercus, 23rd Baron of Kingsale, by his wife Dorothea.  William Ireland Wheeler, assumed the name de Courcy-Wheeler in 1897.  The de Courcys hail from the one Richard who was a General with William the Conqueror in the Battle of Hastings in 1066.  (Almercus' wife differs to the tomb inscription above.  It says Ann).

King John 1 is noted in "29 Generations from King William 1 the Conqueror to Ken Dewhurst" at Generation 6.  King John signed the Magna Carta on 15 June 1215 with 25 rebellious Barons, including John de Courcy.

If you have any information about the de Courcy family, please email the author of this Blog, Joy Olney on joyolney@gmail.com 

DeCourcy family from 1066 by Elizabeth Rennick

https//irelanddecourcydewhurst.blogspot.com

De Courcy family from 1066

(Extracts from "A Family Portfolio" by Elizabeth Rennick with permission)

Summary: Our link with the DeCourcys is through a marriage into the Ireland family in the 17th century.  The DeCourcys are among the Norman families that became established initially in England, then in Ireland.  DeCourcy is the family name for the Irish Barons of Kingsale (or Kinsale), whose ruined castle stands on a headland south west of the city of Cork in the south of Ireland.

Margaret de Courcy married William Ireland 1667

 (refer to Post - Ireland family 1196-1877 by Elizabeth Rennick)
(refer to my Post - 10 Generations from William Ireland
 and Margaret deCourcy to Kenneth Dewhurst) 

There are a number of people of the surname DeCourcy in Australia (in 1995, the Melbourne telephone directory listed six and the Sydney directory 11), but their connection with our line of the family would have to be remote in the extreme.  Our own link with DeCourceys is a distant is a distant one but worth recording because they were an interesting and historic family, and because the name has passed down to several family members as a Christian name.  Two DeCourcys of note in Australia but not connected with us are Jim DeCourcy (b.1927) the New South Wales test cricketer, and Catherine DeCourcy, author of "The Zoo Story" (Penguin 1995), a history of the Melbourne Zoo.  Ms DeCourcy is a member of the prominent Limerick branch of the DeCourcy family.  She emigrated to Australia in 1987.

Note: spellings of the name De Courcy vary, some giving "de Courcy" and some "De Courcy".  I have standardised the spelling in this book, using "De" (D - capitalised) when the name is used alone and "de" (d - lower case) when part of a full name.

The DeCourcy family is Norman in origin and one of the many such families who went to Ireland, usually for reasons of war or conquest, and made their home there.  DeCourcy was the family name of the Barons of Kinsale or Kingsale and according to some genealogists, they derive their descent from the House of Lorraine linked with ("of the race of" the Emperor Charlemagne, who died in 814, and some say they were allied to most of the princes in Europe (A).

According to this genealogy, the most prominent early De Courcy is Richard de Courcy who accompanied William the Conqueror on his expedition to England and was at the battle of Hastings (1).

Richard was the son of a Robert de Courcy, who was Lord Courcy in Normandy and he in turn was the son of Balderic Teutonicus, so called possibly because he had spent some time in Germany and described as a stout and warlike commander.

On the strength of his 1066 expedition, Richard de Courcy was granted several lordships in England, one of which was that of Stoke in the county of Somerset (B).   The connection of Stoke with the De Courcys gave rise to the intriguing place name Stogursey, which in the 12th century had been called Stroke Courci.  By the 15th century it had become Stogursey, which it is to this day.

A later Robert De Courcy, Baron of Stoke in the time of King Stephen (1094-1154) died in 1171 leaving, according to some authorities, two sons, John and Jordan and a daughter.

John de Courcy, who died about 1219 and was a member of the Somersetshire family, was to become the most famous De Courcy, going down in history as the "conqueror of Ulster".  His whole adult life seems to have been spent in fighting battles, building castles and conquering or losing territory (C). There is a good deal of confusion over some aspects of his life, the main difficulty being exactly who his parents were (it is not absolutely clear if he was the son of the above Robert) and who, if any, his descendants were.

John was one of the three leaders who were sent to Ireland by Henry 11 on hearing of the death of Richard de Clare, 2nd Earl of Pembroke, who had been governor in Ireland.  By marrying Eva, the daughter of Dermot, the dethroned King of Leinster, Strongbow had himself become King of Leinster.  Henry 11 had become jealous of his earl's success in the country and when he did John de Courcy's group were sent over as a conquering force.  They sailed in 1177 with 22 knights and about 300 followers.  After a rapid march from Dublin they burst upon the city of Down and seized it, securing a land and sea base.  The Irish initially fled and although they later tried to recapture the town, they were roundly defeated by John de Courcy's troops (C).

After this success, De Courcy went on to further conquests, fighting no fewer than five battles and obtaining a substantial hold on Ulster, more correctly the province of Uladh, now comprising Down and Antrim.  His method was to build castles as he went, putting his followers and kinsmen in them and setting them up as barons or feudal tenants.

John de Courcy married Affreca, a daughter of Godred, King of the Isle of Man, a marriage that brought him into royal circles - he is even spoken of in some documents as "prince" and "earl" of Ulster, but this is not correct.

In 1193 his wife founded the Grey Abbey for Cistercian monks on Strangford Lough, south of what is now Belfast.  In 1204 John's forces were defeated by his long time rival Hugh de Lacy and John himself was taken prisoner.

DeLacy obtained a grant for the whole of Ulster and received the title of earl and John again went into the fray, rounding up a pirate fleet and landing at Strangford.  But the DeLacy forces routed them completely and John finally fled.

By the early 1200s he had returned to England and by 1210 he was pensioned courtier of King John (of Magna Carta fame), returning to Ireland on at least one occasion, with the King.  It appears he died shortly before 22 September 1219.

(Refer to my Post - 29 Generations from King William 1 to Kenneth Dewhurst).

John was bountiful to the church.  As well as his Benedictine priory at Ardglass and benefactions to Down Abbey, he founded the priories of Neddrum and Toberglory, both in Ulster, and also Innes Abbey on the island of Innes Courcy, neither of which are mentioned in modern gazetteers.

It seems virtually certain that John had no legitimate children, and although many writers derive the Lords Kinsale from him, this is probably incorrect (B).  It is not clear at all where the Barons of Kinsale began or whether John had any real connection with them.

The De Courcy link with our family occurs about four centuries later, in the 1600s, when a Margaret de Courcy married William Ireland.  We are not sure where Margaret fits into the De Courcy family tree, but she appears to be the daughter of a Colonel Henty de Courcy, one of three generations of Henry's descending initially from David de Courcy, the 15th Baron of Kingsale.  Not are we completely clear who William's father was and his exact link with the earlier Irelands (D).  However, Margaret de Courcy's and William Ireland's marriage was to set in train the Ireland line that comes down to our own day.

It was Richard Davies Ireland (1815-1877) who brought our branch of the Irelands to Australia when he emigrated in 1853. (see R.D.Ireland).  We still have Ireland cousins: John and Richard who are great grandsons of Richard, through their grandfather De Courcy Ireland and their father Percy Ireland.  It is John Ireland who has contributed enormously to this history through his outstanding work of tracing the Ireland pedigree and history and his study of the life of R.D.Ireland.  (Refer to Post - Richard Davies Ireland & Sophia Mary Carr by E and Richard Ireland family tree)

Remains of the De Courcy family's Ringroan Castle
at the Old Head of Kinsale, near Cork
 sketch by Joan Rennick.

Perhaps the most visible reminder of the De Courys and the Barons of Kinsale is the remains of the Ringroan Castle, which stands forlornly at the Old Head of Kinsale, the promontory south-west of the city of Cork.  Relatively little is known of the history of the castle, though it appears to have been built by Myles de Courcy some time before the end of the 14th century.  The almost total demolition of the castle would have to have occurred some time after 1690, because there is an account of a battle in that year in which Lord Marlborough's army of 800 men at one stage retire into the castle (suggesting an intact building) where "some barrels of gunpowder exploded, killing about 40 soldiers" (F).  No doubt the explosions of gunpowder materially damaged the castle, though whether they were responsible for its virtual demise is unclear.

As Barons of Kingsale, the DeCourcys were prominent in west Cork, where branches of the family were established.  A century ago, when they were mainly located around Clonakilty, south-west of the city of Cork (and west of Ringroan Castle), the prefix "de" in their name had been dropped, but was later restored (E).  Although the barons Kingsale are one of the oldest families connected with County Cork, they have not figured prominently in Cork's history and "there is little left on record to recall their long association with it, extending to over seven centuries" (F).  There are only two or three isolated references to the DeCourcys taking any part in the civic affairs of their home count.  According to one account, the DeCourcys at one time had great possessions in County Cork, but as far back as the reign of Elizabeth 1, they were noted for their poverty, which kept them in obscurity (F).

But they did have one rather intriguing claim to fame; an ancient privilege of being allowed to wear a hat in the presence of royalty.  It is said to have originated with John of Ulster.  The cynic might see it as a privilege notable only for its sheer absurdity.  At all events, it appears that the Lords Kingsale have in fact only availed themselves of the privilege five times through history, on each occasion causing questions to be asked.  The first was Almericus Lord Kingsale in the 1600s in the presence of William 111.  According to one account, Almericus, who was "very handsome in his person and of all statue" was admitted to the King's presence and "walked to and fro with his hat on his head".

"The King observing him, sent one of his attendants to enquire the reason of his appearing before him with his head covered" (F).

"He replied that he very well knew in whose presence he stood, and the reason why he wore his hat that day was because he stood before the King of England.  This answer being told the King, and his Lordship approaching nearer the throne was required by His Majesty to explain himself, which he did to this effect: "May it please your Majesty, my name is Courcy (sic) and I am Lord of Kingsale in your Kingdom of Ireland.  The reason of my appearing covered in your Majesty's presence is to assert the ancient privilege to my family, granted by Sir John deCourcy, Earl of Ulster, and his heirs, by John, King of England, for his and his successors for ever".

The King replied he remembered he had such a nobleman and believed the privilege he asserted to be his right and "giving him his hand to kiss, his Lordship paid his obeisance and remained covered".

(Refer to my Post "Short History of the De Courcy family". Reference is made of Almericus, the brother of Margaret De Courcy).

During the reign of King George 111, the then Lord Kingsale, in the King's presence, remained covered, in the presence of ladies.  According to this story, the King walked over to him, tapped him on the shoulder and said "I am aware, my Lord, of your right to remain covered in my presence, but you should recollect that you are in the presence of ladies also".

Near to our own era, the DeCourcy privilege in fact proved something of a nuisance.  The then Lord Kingsale was attending a levee on June 25, 1859 for Queen Victoria.  A very tall man, his Lordship sported a deputy-lieutenant's uniform, "which in those days exhibited a high cocked hat with a long straight feather, so that when he had his hat on he could scarcely enter the door without touching the top of it".  A good reason, one might think, for taking the hat off.  But nothing was going to stop the good baron from "asserting" his royal privilege and he insisted on leaving it on his head.  Some courtiers who rushed to warn him, either to observe normal protocol or to avoid knocking his headgear off, were "prevented from interfering".  History does not relate whether in fact the plumed hat came off.  At some stage apparently Lord Kingsale approached Her Majesty with hat on, "took if off when passing the Queen, then put it on again and remained covered".  It seems his Lordship spent the better part of the levee concerned more with his hat than anything else (F).

The place name Courcy is found in two locations, both small villages, in Normandy.  One is about six kilometres east of Coutances on the eastern side of the Cotentin Peninsula.  The other Courcy is in the centre of Normany, near Argentin, about sixty kilometres southeast of Caen.  There are no obvious remains of the DeCourcys in either village apart from the name.  It is interesting that three lines of the family should trace their origins to places very close to one another in Normandy.  The Hays are said to have originated in La Haye du Puits, barely forty kilometres north of the Coutances Courcy.  The Ruffys trace their origins to Luneray, only one hundred kilometres or so from the Courcy near Caen. (See Hay and Ruffy).

Courcy, Normandy

The entry to Courcy near Argentin, central Normandy.

Old house in the village of Courcy.

A leafy lane through the village of Courcy.

Entry to the second Courcy, near Coutances.

An intriguing memento of the De Courcy family is buried in the gentle valleys and rolling hills of Somerset in England, where the village of Stogursey lives.  Originally, its name was Stoke Courcy, but over the centuries, the Somerset accent smoothed it out into one word, Stogursey.  Just fourteen kilometres from Bridgewater, in the north of Somerset, and not far from the Bristol Channel, Stogursey is a legacy of the Norman Conquest.

Map of  Britain, Ireland and France showing places associated with the De Courcy family. 
Inset map shows the two Courcy villages in Normandy, with nearby towns.

The De Courcys were among the followers of William the Conqueror who were given lands in England.  William de Courcy married Emma, daughter of William of Falaise, who had been given the estate in return for service to the King.  So the De Courcy family, it is said, built the castle that lies on the edge of the village, and founded a town at its gated.  Today very little remains of the castle.

The finest building in the village is undoubtedly the priory church of St Andrew.  Monks from the abbey of Lonlay in Normandy came over to found the Benedictine priory at what was then Stoke Courcy in about 1120.  A further De Courcy connection  arose later that century, in 1183, when John de Courcy, conqueror of Ulster, founded the co-called Black Abbey at Ards in County Down, northern Ireland.  Some of the monks from Stogursey, it is said, helped to build the Irish abbey and went there as foundation members.  Although the site marked, Black Abbey (called Black because the Benedictine Monks wore black habits) no longer remains.

There are no memorials to the De Courcy family in the church of St Andrew, although it is a building of some interest, with some excellent Norman arches.  The spaciousness of the interior, quite unlike the churches of rural parishes in south-west England, suggests that it was designed by a continental architect.  Because the priory belonged to a foreign abbey, it enjoyed only two centuries of independence, the properties of alien priorities being seized by the Crown.  In 1414 the priory was dissolved by Henry V, and the revenue was used to endow Eton College when it was founded in 1440.  The provost and fellows of Eton did not enter into possession of the priory until 1465, although since 1453 Eton, as patron of the living, has appointed its vicars.

The church's Verney Chapel contains many memorials to the Verney family, of Fairfield manor, two kilometres west of Stogursey.  There is an interesting possibility that an early member of the family, Cecily de Vernai, later allied herself to Richard de Watson (called Richard de Meath), an early ancestor of the Ireland family.  (see The Irelands).  In recent times, the church has established itself as a local centre for organ and ecclesiastical music (G).

Photos of Stogursey, Somerset

Stogursey, the town in Somerset that was originally called Stoke Courcy.

St Andrew's Church in Stogursey, Somerset, England.

The town centre of Stogursey, Somerset, England.

The Priory Church of St Andrew, Stoke Courcy.  Sign still bearing the old name.

References:

A.  O'Hart, "Irish Landed Gentry when Cromwell to England", Jas.Duffy & Sons, Dublin, 1887.

B.  Edmund Lodge, "The Genealogy of British Peerage and Baronetage", Hurst and Blackett, 1859.

C.  "Dictionary of National Biography:, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 1917.

D.  Genealogical papers compiled by John Ireland.

E.  Edward MacLysagt, "The Surnames of Ireland",Irish Academic Publishing Company 1989.

F.  Antiquarian Remains And Historical Places in the Kinsale District. "Cork Historical and Archaeological Society Journal" Vol XVIII,1912 and Vol XIX, 1913 (National Library of Ireland).

G.  Richard Ballard, "The Priory Church of St Andrew, Stogursey",  Stogursey P.C.C.



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