Latest news with #WilliamtheConquerer
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
'I found out I'm related to Will Young after watching his TV show'
The Pop Idol winner discovered on this week's episode of BBC1's Who Do You Think You Are? that he is related to King Edward I and William the Conquerer - so Mirror man Matt decided to dig into his ancestors too As if Will Young didn't already have reason to be smug, the Pop Idol and two-time Brit Award winner now has something else he can boast about - he's related to royalty. Specifically, King Edward I, his 20-times great-grandfather. Oh, and William the Conquerer too. The singer found out about his kingly lineage filming this week's episode of BBC1 's Who Do You Think You Are? And he's not the only celebrity who, besides being blessed with success, can also add royal blood to their claims to fame. Josh Widdecombe is another, having learned he's also directly descended from Edward I. Before him there was Danny Dyer, who discovered his ancestors include King Edward III, William the Conquerer and French king Louis IX. Then there's Matthew Pinsent – four-time Olympic gold medallist and, it turns out, also related to Edward I, William the Conqueror and one of Henry VIII's wives. What is it about being a celebrity, I wondered, that makes you more likely to have royal relatives? Knowing Will was going to be the latest to fill me with jealousy, I set out to find out if mere mortals like me had any remotely interesting ancestors. In my case, the chances of even finding anyone slightly aristocratic in my family tree seemed pretty bleak. Will was already born with a silver spoon in his mouth, a boarding school boy whose dad was a company director and whose grandad was an RAF flight lieutenant. Most of the relatives I knew about, on the other hand, were proud yet poor Nottinghamshire coal miners and their wives. Still, I set up an account on FindMyPast and added the names of the relatives I knew about over the last 150 years. As the site suggested potential matches based on birth, marriage, baptism and census records, I gradually worked my way back around 12 generations to the mid-1600s. Alas, what I discovered only confirmed my suspicions. My family were paupers, not princes – grafters who toiled for centuries in coal mines, stables, forges and along canals. My great-grandfather, I discovered, was a coal miner loader who had worked his way up to coal hewer - hacking coal from the mine bed by hand, hundreds of metres underground - just like his father and grandfather before him. Earlier still were nailmakers, boatmen, stonemasons and stablemen. Almost all lived and died in Derbyshire, Yorkshire or Lancashire. We were clearly the servants, not the masters. I had more in common with Baldrick than Blackadder. But just as I was about to give up, I stumbled on something unexpected. In the late 1500s, Derbyshire man William Gilbert, my 13th great-grandfather, married Anne Clere - and into a well-known family. The Cleres, it turned out, were an ancient family from Norfolk whose patriarch, Sir Robert Clere, was the High Sheriff of Norfolk and known for his great wealth. Anne's father, Sir Edward Clere, was an MP, but apparently not a very articulate one when speaking in the House of Commons. One diarist wrote how he made '"a staggering [stumbling] speech… I could not understand what reason he made.' He was knighted in 1578 after having Queen Elizabeth I stay over at his home in Thetford, Norfolk, when he entertained her with a theatrical performance and jousting. Fascinated that my family was at least good friends with royalty, I kept digging. Edward's father was Sir John Clere, an MP and naval commander who drowned in August 1557 when his fleet tried to conquer the Orkney Islands, but was beaten back to sea by 3,000 angry islanders. But it was her mother, Alice Boleyn, my 14th great-grandmother, whose name jumped out at me. Sure enough, as I followed the tree, her niece was none other than Anne Boleyn, Queen of England until she was beheaded in 1533 by Henry VIII - and the mother of Queen Elizabeth I. I was astounded - that makes me Elizabeth I's first cousin, 16 times removed. On the other side of the Clere family, however, things were taking a more sinister - but no less fascinating - turn. Sir John Clere's wife, Anne Tyrell, also had royal connections, it turned out, but ones that probably changed the line of succession forever. On her father's side, her grandfather was Sir James Tyrell, a trusted servant of Richard III, who allegedly confessed to the murders of the Princes in the Tower under Richard's orders. James is also portrayed in Shakespeare's Richard III. I was astounded - I studied the play at school and had no idea I was reading about my 17th great-grandfather. Treason and treachery, it seems, ran in the family. His father William was beheaded on Tower Hill in 1462 for plotting against King Edward IV. William's father, Sir John Tyrell of Heron, was High Sheriff of Essex and Hertfordshire and knight of Essex, and three times Speaker of the House of Commons. That my 19th great-grandfather basically once ruled Essex is something I won't be letting people forget in Stansted, where I now live. But it was also through Anne Tyrell's mother's side that I found something even more astonishing. As I followed her line, the names began to get more and more aristocratic, through the Willoughbys, De Welles, Greystokes and Longsprees, until I found…. My 26th great-grandfather, King Henry II. His father was Geoffrey Plantagenet of Anjou and his grandfather, King Henry I. And Henry's father? No other than William the Conquerer - my 29th great-grandfather. And perhaps even more bizarrely, that would make Will Young my 9th cousin, 9 times removed. I'll be inviting him round for tea next week. Genealogists will tell me to calm down - apparently there are about five million people who are descended from William the Conquerer. Establishing myself as the true heir to the British throne could certainly be tricky. But just being as special as Will, Danny Dyer and Matthew Pinsent is enough for me. And not bad for the son of Nottinghamshire nailmakers, stablemen and coal miners. How to trace your family tree on Findmypast: Register for a free Findmypast account and create your tree. Add your own information, then details about your parents, grandparents and other relatives that you know. You don't need every detail such as date or place of birth, but the more you have the better. Findmypast then searches its records and provides hints about your ancestors, helping you expand your tree. To access the records you'll need to pay a subscription. Most of the records go back to the 1700s, but family trees created by other people can help you trace back even further. Use the internet to search some of the key names - you might find more clues and other historical connections.
Scottish Sun
28-05-2025
- Scottish Sun
Inside tiny UK village where cars are BANNED, donkeys make deliveries & you must pay entry – but drivers love visiting
The quaint fishing village has a total ban on vehicles STREETS AHEAD Inside tiny UK village where cars are BANNED, donkeys make deliveries & you must pay entry – but drivers love visiting Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A VILLAGE in the South of England offers the perfect tranquil getaway - with donkeys and sledges instead of cars. It is one of few places in Europe that has a total ban on cars, as its steep topography makes it impossible to drive there. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 5 Clovelly, Devon, is built into the side of a cliff Credit: Getty 5 Visitors can enjoy the cobbled streets, as well as a range of independent shops Credit: Getty 5 The village has approximately 440 residents Credit: Getty Clovelly Village in North Devon offers visitors a unique trip, with its historic way of life offering a reprieve from daily annoyances. Home to around 440 people, the remote village boasts cobbled streets, medieval-style properties, and no chain stores. The village was previously owned by both the Queen and William the Conquerer - although it is now privately owned by John Rous after he inherited from his mother in 1983. The Hamlyn family have managed the village since 1738, as it was largely "unknown to the outside world" according to the village's official website. Its unique setting gives visitors the opportunity to travel back in time through a location steeped in maritime history. For those looking to escape modern life, Clovelly is one of few places in Europe that enforces a blanket ban on road vehicles. Historically, donkeys were responsible for transporting goods to the town although locals have mostly relied on sledges since the 1970s. There are, however, still a group of donkeys living at the top of the village. Its stunning coastal walks include a pebbled beach, a Lifeboat House, stunning sea views, as well as a waterfall. To explore further, visitors can embark on a boat trip around the bay, a chartered fishing trip, or take a boat to Lundy Island. The English holiday resort that families say is a 'fancy Center Parcs' For those looking to keep their feet firmly planted ashore, the picturesque village has the Court Gardens, which contains Victorian greenhouses, and the 12th-century All Saints Church. There is also a hotel with a restaurant, a tea room, and two museums to keep visitors entertained. Rather than the usual chain stores, the village shops are all independent, selling silk, pottery, soap and shoes. Depending on when you go to the village, you could visit its annual festivals, including the Seaweed Festival, the Lobster and Crab Festival, or the Herring Festival. Its also rumoured to be the home of a cave where Merlin, the magician of Arthurian legend, was born. Visitors can access the village through the visitor centre which charges £9.50 for adults, and £5.50 for children. Funds raised from the charges goes towards local tree planting and conservation, helping to maintain the area. 5 It boasts a range of picturesque coastal walks Credit: Getty 5 Its steep cliffs mean that cars are banned from the village Credit: Getty Its website reads: "There has always been a charge to visit Clovelly. "Like most historical landmarks (e.g. National Trust sites), we heavily rely on entrance fees for the essential maintenance and upkeep that comes with an ancient village perched on a 400 foot cliff, with no vehicular access." Those driving to the village can also use the free parking included with the ticket price.
The Journal
20-05-2025
- Business
- The Journal
Norman People? Calls for projects as Ireland to mark millennium since birth of William the Conquerer
ORGANISATIONS CAN NOW submit projects to be included in a cross-country celebration of a millennium since the birth of William the Conquerer. The year-long commemoration will take place in 2027 and aims to mark how the Normans shaped the island of Ireland, as well as the rest of Europe. Housing and Heritage Minister James Browne said the Normans 'left their mark in monumental ways' and he wants this new initiative to leave a lasting legacy, by promoting tourism and boosting the economy. The Normans, who landed in Wexford's Bannow Bay in 1169, were responsible for the foundation of many Irish towns. They also built castles, abbeys and cathedrals that are still standing today. These include St Patrick's Cathedral and Christ Church Cathedral. The 'European Year of the Normans' will consist of multidisciplinary events, such as exhibitions, live performances, cross-border artistic residencies, re-enactments, student exchanges, sports, research and more. It will also involve partners from Normandy, the Channel Islands, Italy, the United Kingdom, Norway, and Denmark. The events will take place from March to October 2027. However, projects outside this timeframe can still be considered. Advertisement Project proposals will be accepted until 30 June, 2025. The Minister said that in the coming months, stakeholders will be coordinating to support the delivery of 'Norman-focused projects'. 'Obviously, Wexford will play its full part, from Norman Enniscorthy, through New Ross and the many other Norman-influenced places across the country,' he said. It will build on Norman history initiatives such as the Norman Way in Wexford. The first Norman king of England, William the Conquerer, began his reign after he won the Battle of Hastings in 1066, defeating King Harold's English army. The Normans then continued their sieges in Ireland. Richard de Clare, also known as Strongbow, is one of the most famous Anglo-Normans to invade. Wherever the Normans settled, new political, social, and legal orders emerged. Their network across Europe carried languages, cultures, technologies and traditions. William the Conquerer's exact date of birth is not known but it's estimated to be some time in 1027 or 1028. He died in 1087. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
