How the Name Originated
The name (and its derivations) first originated in the Isle of Wight in the 10th Century. It is Norman in origin deriving from 'de L'Isle', meaning in Latin 'Of the Isle (of Wight)'. The 'original' de L'Isle was Hugh, one of the sons of William Fitzstur, son of Stur of Tourlaville, near Cherbourg, France. They both came from the line of the hereditary 'Castellans of Lille' descended from the noble Fleming, Saswalo of Phalempin, and their charter surname was that of 'de Insula'.
Norman Ancestry
Hugh (de Estur) came across to England with William the Conqueror's Norman army in 1066 and was granted lands for distinguished services rendered at the Battle of Hastings. He and his brothers Roger, Nigel and Gervase, held lands in the IoW and Hampshire in 1086, as listed in the Domesday Book. They also used the name 'de Insula', which is the latinised version of 'de L'Isle'. (The name 'de Stur' (The Ox) later gave rise to the 'Steer' surname).
A change in the language employed in recording from Latin to Norman-French is the explanation of how the name 'de Insula' became 'de L'Isle'. When Norman rule ended, the 'de' was dropped, and from the remainder came the surname as it now appears.
It was from Hugh's line that later sprang the great Lisle Barons of the IoW, also the Northumberland branch, and from there the Scottish line in the late 1100's.
In trying to trace the family connections, we find recorded 'By charter, probably temp. William II, Hugh de Insula, son of William2, son of Stur of the Isle of Wight gave to the Abbey of Marmoutier the tithe of the mill of Touralvilla which he held by hereditary right. The 'Infuedationes militum' of 1172 show William son of Estur holding half a knights fee in the district near Cherbourg. Although it is not completely certain that Touralville was the original home of the family, the name not being territorial, it seems clear that William came from the Cotentin'. (William the Conqueror, was Duke of Normandy before he became King William I of England).1,2
Similarly recorded is that the family was already on the Island before the Conquest. Before 1066 Galfridus de Insula is said to have been holding the Manor of Wodyton as a free holder under Queen Edith3 He may have been a brother of William, Son of Stur. This might explain why the de Insulas were later found in possession of property held by the Sturs4, though marriages are also recorded between the Sturs and de Insulas. Another version is that the Lisles came to the Island in the train of the De Redvers, later Lords of the Isle (of Wight) and that they were awarded the Manor for their loyalty. They are certainly recorded as being chief vassals of the De Redvers.
Family members
Born about 1080 AD - Jordan de Insula. Lived in the time of King Henry I and King Stephen (1100-1154) married Hawise5 Died about 1155 Child - Geoffrey.
Born about 1119 - Geoffrey de Insula. Gave lands in franc alomoine for the soul of Earl Baldwin of Devonshire. married (unknown) Died - Child - Walter.
In the foundation charter of Quarr Abbey (1132), records Geoffrey de Insula affirmed the gift of Schalderflete (Wootton) Mill, which his mother had made to the Abbey6
Born 1163- Walter de Insula married Margaret (unknown) Died 1221. Child - son, Baldwin; daughter, Margerie, married William de Vernon, son of Richard de Redvers.
Born about 1216 - Baldwin de Insula, Lord of Wooditon I.W. and Plompton, (Devon). Marriage unknown. Died 1272. Child - John.
Charter vfm Assumption (15 Aug) gr 12 June 1257 by King Henry III to Baldwin de Insula, son and heir of Baldwin de Insula, sometime Earl of Devon (CChR 1226-57 pg 470) To be held at the manor.7
Born - John de Insula. Baron and Governor of Carisbrooke Castle, I.W. Summoned 22nd under King Edward I (1272-1307) 8. Died about 1304 Child - Walter
Born - Walter de Insula. married Margaret. Child - Walter
Born - Walter de Insula9. Inherited brother John's duties as Lord r.1359, Wooditon. married Florence. Died -. Child - William
Born - William de Insula. Lord of Wooditon, I.W. Married (unknown) Died 1371. Child - John Lisle
Born - John LISLE. Knight and Lord of Wooditon9 and Thruxton married Margaret Bremshot, daughter of John Bremshot. Died 1429. Children - John, his heir [2] Edmund de Lisle [3] George de Lisle, who married Ann de Montgomery of Calais, France.12
Sir John Lisle - born Thruxton, Hampshire. Knight and Lord of Wooditon or Wodeton (now Wootton Bridge) and Thruxton. married Isabella, daughter and heiress of John Botreaux, brother of William, Lord Botreaux. Died 1474.
Children - Margery, married John Rogers Esq. of Freefolke, Hants.10
Eldest son - Sir Nicholas de Lisle, Knt. Lord of Wodyton and Thruxton, died 1505, having had a son and a daughter, Eleanora Lisle who married John Kingston.
Sir John Lisle, Knt. Lord of Wodyton and Thruxton.12 When in May 1520, the Emperor Charles V, arrived suddenly in the harbour of Hithe, Sir John Lisle was sent by Henry VIII (1509-1547) to meet him and conduct him in state to Canterbury, where the two sovereigns met and remained for four days. Sir John Lisle then accompanied Henry VIII to France where he entered the lists of the celebrated tournaments of the Field of Cloth of Gold, as one of the twenty one knights chosen to represent, on that occasion, the chivalry of England. Sir John Lisle married the daughter and heiress of Sir John Courtney, Knight Banneret, and died in 1524 without issue. The elder branch therefore, of the Lisles became extinct in him.
George de Lisle, 3rd son of John de Lisle, who by Ann Montgomery, has one son.
John de Lisle, married Christiana, co-heiress of her brother, William de Tisted, Lord of West Tisted, Hampshire.
Eldest son John Lisle married Maria, daughter of John Corker and had a daughter Maria who married Edward Rogers.
Launcelot Lisle (John's brother) succeeded as Lord of Wodyton on the death of Sir John Lsle, Knt, who died in 1524. He married Ann, daughter of Sir Thomas Wroughton, Knt. and was succeeded by his son.
Thomas Lisle, Lord of Wodyton married Mary, daughter of Moore, of Moore Court. He died in 1562. His eldest son:
Anthony Lisle, Lord of Wodyton, in1587 married Elizabeth, daughter of John Dormer of Steeple Ashton, Oxfordshire. He died in 1604. His eldest son:
Sir William Lisle, Knt. of Wodyton married Bridget, daughter of Sir John Hungerford of Down-Amney, Gloucester.11 in 1622 and had:
1. William (Sir) his heir. Died 1665.
2. John, brought up to the Law, joined the Republican party under Cromwell, appointed by him one of the judges during the trial of Charles I, made a Joint Commissioner of the Great Seal, Chief Judge of the High Court of Justice and lastly created a Peer. At the restoration, in 1660, a price being set on his head, he left the Kingdom and settled in retirement in Switzerland but being traced to Vevay he was assassinated at Lausanne, 1667, as it was supposed by some court emissary. He married Alice, daughter and heiress of Sir White Becanshaw, Knt, of Moyes Court, Hampshire. This lady was a staunch Royalist and exceedingly regretted the political views of her husband. When John Lisle fled to the Continent, she accompanied him, but after his assassination she returned to England and continued living at Moyes Court with her daughters. Her only son was in the King's Army. Unfortunately for her, two dissenters after the Battle of Sedgemoor took refuge at Moyes Court where she gave them shelter. Being discovered, she was brought to trial under the infamous Judge Jefferies and by his orders, at the age of 80, was beheaded on 2 September 1685. (See separate entry). Her property was confiscated but after the Revolution, 1688, was restored to her son. By her, John Lisle had:
1. John Lisle, of Moyes Court married Jane, daughter of J. Crook and died 1700 leaving one son.
2. Ann, died young.
3. Triphena, who attended her aged mother on the scaffold.
4. Bridget.
Charles Lisle of Moyes Court, only son of John Lisle, above, married Lucy, daughter of Sir Francis Molyneux, of Treversal, Nottingham and died without issue in 1721 when this younger branch of the Lisles ended.
Sir William Lisle, Knt. of Wodyton, younger brother of John Lisle, the Regicide, married Mary, daughter and heir of Sir William Lowe, Knt, of Crux Easton, Hampshire. Mary died in 1716. A zealous Royalist, who after suffering great hardships accompanied King Charles II in his exile. He returned with his royal master at the Restoration. Sir William died in 1665, and was buried at Wootton, leaving a son.
Edward Lisle of Wodyton and Crux Easton, who succeeded to Moyes Court on the death of his cousin, Charles Lisle in 1721. He married Mary, daughter of Sir Ambrose Phillips of Garendon Park and Grace Dieu, Leicestershire, who died in 1749. He died in 1729 leaving -
Edward, his heir, of Wodyton and Moyes Court, married a daughter of John Carter of Weston, Cambridgeshire. He died without issue in 1752.
John, who succeeded to Wodyton and Moyes Court, married Miss Savage. He died without issue in 1755.
Charles of Wodyton and Moyes Court, married Ann, daughter of Nicholas Carey of Upcern, Dorsetshire and died in 1777, leaving -
Thomas Lisle, Rector of Burghclere, Hampshire, married Elizabeth Lisle, his cousin and died without issue in 1767.
Elizabeth Lisle, daughter of Edward Lisle married Henry March but died without issue in 1725.
Sophia Lisle, married Thomas Rawson of Lexden and died without issue in 1780.
Jane Lisle, married Thomas March and died in 1764 leaving a son, Thomas and daughter, Mary.
Thomas March, married his cousin, Susan Lisle, and assumed the name of Phillips, 1777. [see note at end]
Mary March, married Rev. J. Berkin, who assumed the name of Lisle on account of property left to him by his godmother, Sarah Lisle. Died without issue.
Catherine married Thomas Allen, died without issue 1787.
Susan married John Eaton of Hendon, died without issue aged 81.
Charles Lisle, of Wodyton and Moyes Court, the last male descendent of the ancient family of Lisles died in 1819, unmarried.
The properties of Wodyton and Moyes Court were sold by his only remaining sister Susan Lisle who had married Thomas March-Phillips (see above), who eventually assumed the arms of Lisle. She sold Wootton Manor Farm to Robert Holford13, of Westonbirt, Gloucestershire. Susan Lisle died in 1837 aged 84. Her husband died March 1817.
Sources:
Origins of the Names: Lisle, Lyle, Lyall, Lyell, Lille by Mr. Lan Lale, New Milton
1. The origins of some Anglo-Norman Families by Lewis C. Loyd. 1951 pg. 99
2. Pedigrees of the Families in the County of Hants. by William Berry, 1833 pgs 173-174 and 193
3. Proceedings of the Hampshire Field Club
4. They came with the Conqueror.
5. Ancestors of Paul Bailey McBride. Line 891 http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~pmcbride/rfc/1891.htm dated Sept/2004 Pedigree 631
6. Charter of Quarr Abbey
7. Carisbrooke, Isle of Wight 4486 882 1334 Subsidy £16.62. VCH Hampshire v pp 221-35 see also http://www.history.ac.uk/cmh/gaz/personsI.html
8. Ref. [Hants],[GENSERV]
9. Pedigrees of the Families in the County of Hants. by William Berry, 1833. pgs 173-174 and 193 see also [Hants],[Sanborn2]
10. [Sanborn2]
11. Genealogical gleaning in England by Henry F. Walter Vol.1 1907 pg 91
12. From the History of Wootton Manor.
13. Sales particulars 1825, Whp/2060
See also under Estates - Wootton Manor and Wootton Manor Farm for further details of the Lisle Family. (This article yet to be written July 2008)