Benedict Gernet, Lord of Speke

'Benedict Garnet (or Gernet or de Gernet), son of Roger de Gernet, Chief Forester of Lancashire, was hereditary Lord of Speke, Lancashire, England. He was born at Speke and died c.1206. He married Mabel FitzUrse, daughter of Richard Fitz Urse and Maud de Boulers. He was the father of Annota Garnet who married Sir Adam de Molins, and of Sir Roger Gernet, who died c.1252.

The dates generally shown for the birth of Benedict - 1081 -and death - 1206 - are unlikely, as he would have lived 125 years. The death date is possible, as he made a grant to an Abbey between 1189 and 1206 (see below).

Records prove decisively that the Norman family of Gernet held Speke in capite from the Honor of Lancaster, of which Domesday proves "Spec" to have been a component part under the grant of land between Ribble and Mersey made to Rogerus Pictavensis (or Roger of Poitou). Such tenure is recognized in the Inquisition taken after the death of Sir Roger Gernet (male heir of this family), 36 Henry III [Henry ruled 1216-1276, thus Sir Roger's death was c.1252], with regard to the paramount interest of continuing, by feudal usage, in the heirs of the grantor.

The estate he held Speke, Whiston, Parr and Skelmersdale in Derby Hundred, Fishwick in Amounderness, and Halton and Heyseysham in Lonsdale, in fee, by forester's service, as guardian of vert and venison in Lancashire Forests, from William Earl of Ferrers; and that William Molyneux held Speke under him by frank marriage, the said Roger Gernet receiving nothing therefrom. [Inq. p.m. 36 Henry III, Tower Records]

~Ormerod, "Memoir of the Lancashire House of Le Noreis or Norres, and of it Speke Branch in Particular," Transactions of the Historic Society of Lancashire and Cheshire, ser.1 v.2 1849-1850, 152-153

• Background Information. Benedict Gernet held the serjeanty of the forest for all of Lancashire in the first year of King John. For this he was given an annual payment of £26 13s 4d. [The Royal Forests of England, p. 99]

• Records and Notes. Between 1189 and 1206, a grant was made by Benedict, son of Adam Gernet, to the abbey and monks of St. Mary of Furness, of four acres of meadow in Nithinghou given by his father to the said monks, paying one pound of wax on Easter day to the church of Halton. [Annual Report of the Deputy Keeper of Public Records, p. 167]