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OF NORMANDY Gundrada
Birth:          ABT 1060 Normandy
Death:          27 May 1085 Castle Acre, Norfolk, England

Notes
Stuart says she is sister of Gerbod, Earl of Chester, a Fleming and does not show 
parentage.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gundred,_Countess_of_Surrey
Gundred or Gundreda (Latin: Gundrada) (died 27 May 1085)[1] was the Flemish-born 
wife of an early Norman baron, William de Warenne, 1st Earl of Surrey. She and her 
husband established Lewes Priory in Sussex.
Life[edit]

Gundred was almost certainly born in Flanders, and was a sister of Gerbod the 
Fleming, 1st Earl of Chester.[2][3][4][5] She is explicitly so called by Orderic Vitalis,[6] 
as well as the chronicle of Hyde Abbey.[7] She was also the sister of Frederick of 
Oosterzele-Scheldewindeke, who was killed c.1070 by Hereward the Wake.[8]

Gundred married before 1070[9] William de Warenne, 1st Earl of Surrey (d. 20 June 
1088),[1] who rebuilt Lewes Castle, making it his chief residence. Sometime between 
1078 and 1082,[10] Gundred and her husband set out for Rome, visiting monasteries 
along the way. In Burgundy they were unable to go any further due to a war between 
Henry IV and Pope Gregory VII. They visited Cluny Abbey and were impressed with the 
monks and their dedication. William and Gundred decided to found a Cluniac priory on 
their own lands in England. They sent to Hugh, the abbot of Cluny, for monks to come 
to England at their monastery. Hugh was reluctant yet eventually sent several monks, 
including Lazlo, who became the first abbot. The house they founded was Lewes 
Priory, dedicated to St. Pancras.[11][12] Gundred died in childbirth on 27 May 1085 at 
Castle Acre, Norfolk, one of her husband's estates, and was buried at the Chapter 
house of Lewes Priory.[1][12] He was later buried beside her.[13]
In the course of the centuries which followed, both tombstones disappeared from the 
priory. In 1774 Edward Clarke discovered Gundred's in Isfield Church (seven miles 
from Lewes), over the remains of Edward Shirley, Esq., who died in 1550. William 
Burrell had it removed on 2 October 1775 to St. John's Church, Southover, where it 
was placed on display.[14][15]

In 1845, during excavations through the Priory grounds for the Brighton Lewes and 
Hastings Railway, the lead chests containing the remains of the Earl and his Countess 
were discovered and were deposited temporarily beneath Gundred's tombstone.[14] In 
1847 a Norman Revival chapel was erected by public subscription, adjoining the 
present vestry and chancel. Before the remains were reinterred in this chapel, both 
chests were opened to ascertain if there were any contents, which was found to be 
the case. New chests were made and used, and the ancient ones preserved and 
placed in two recessed arches in the southern wall. The Earl's chest has lost some 
lead. Gundred's chest remains in a good state of preservation. Across the upper part 
of the right arch is the name Gvndrada. Her tombstone is of black Tournai marble.[16]

Family[edit]

The children of William de Warenne and Gundred were:
William II de Warenne (d. 11 May 1138), buried in Lewes Priory.[2][17]
Reginald de Warenne, an adherent of Robert of Normandy.[2][13]
Edith de Warenne, married first Gerard de Gournay, Lord of Gournay-en-Bray[18] and 
second Drew de Monchy.[2][13]

Controversy on parentage[edit]

Legends based in part on late Lewes Priory cartulary[a] suggested Gundred was a 
daughter of William the Conqueror by his spouse Matilda of Flanders,[19] but this is 
not accepted by most modern historians.[20][21] The early-19th-century writer Thomas 
Stapleton had argued she was a daughter of Matilda born prior to her marriage to 
Duke William.[22] This theory sparked a debate consisting of a series of published 
papers. It culminated with those of Edmond Chester Waters and Edward Augustus 
Freeman, who argued the theories could not be supported.[23][24][b] Nonetheless, 
some genealogical and historical sources continue to make the assertion that she was 
the Conqueror's daughter.[25][26][27]

Parents
____ William I "the Conqueror" (14 Oct 1024 - 9 Sep 1087)
OF FLANDERS Maud (Matilda) (1028 - 2 Nov 1083)

Siblings
____ Robert II ("Curthose") (ABT 1054 - 2 Oct 1134)
OF NORMANDY Gundrada (ABT 1060 - 27 May 1085)
OF NORMANDY Adele (Alice) (ABT 1062 - 8 Mar 1137)
____ Henry I "Beauclerc" (1070 - 1 Dec 1135)

Marriage To DE WARENNE William I (ABT 1045 - 24 Jun 1088) m. Notes his first Parents DE WARENNE Rodulf (Ralph) I (ABT 1001 - AFT 1074) DE VASCOEUIL Beatrice (Beatrix) (ABT 1003 - ) Children by DE WARENNE William I ABT 1045 - 24 Jun 1088
DE WARENNE Edith (Ediva) (ABT 1076 - ) DE WARENNE William II (1081 - 11 May 1138)
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