Thomas Noel of Hawstead, Suffolk, ff 1154

Thomas Noel of Hawstead, Suffolk was ancestral to the FitzEustace
family of Hawstead, Woolthorpe etc.

According to Cullum's "History and Antiquities of Hawsted", he received
the advowson of the church at Hawstead from the Abbey of Bury St
Edmunds in 1 Henry II (it subsequently descended to the FitzEustaces;
Cullum says Thomas Noel's daughter Joan married Thomas Fitz Eustace in
circa 6 Henry II).

Thomas Noel is said to have held lands in Dickleburgh, Norfolk, of the
Abbey, and to have confirmed to him "all that socage which William son
of Ailbold, and Walter son of the said William and uncle of Thomas,
held in Hawsted [and] Effelde, and land in Bury St Edmunds".

Earlier, Abbot Anselm (1119-1148) had granted (or confirmed) lands at
Hawstead to "William son of Aildoldus and Robert his son and heir".

According to Domesday, two carucutes of land were held of the Abbey at
Hawstead by "Albold and Peter", clerics. It is very tempting to equate
this Ailbold with the father of William. This would produce the
following stemma:

1. Albold, a cleric, held lands at Hawstead of the Abbey of Bury St
Edmunds, 1086; issue:

2. William, held land of the Abbey of Bury St Edmunds at Hawstead;
issue:

3a. Robert, heir apparent, ovp

3b. Walter, younger son but heir to his father in lands at Hawstead,
osp

3c. (child); issue:

4. Thomas Noel, held lands of the Abbey of Bury St Edmunds and the
advowson of Hawstead, 1154; issue:

5. (daughter) married circa 1160 Thomas Fitz Eustace Fitz Stephen,
living 1219.

I note that one Albold was Abbot of Bury St Edmunds from 1114 to 1119;
according to VCH Suffolk, he was formerly Prior of Meaux

(NB Bury St Edmunds and Hawstead were within the Honour of Eye, which
was held by Stephen of Blois - King from 1132; his son and heir
Eustace died at Bury in 1153 - see my post on the possibility that
Thomas Fitz Eustace Fitz Stephen was a son of this Eustace).