My wife's ancestors - Fitzwilliam - Contents
William Fitzwilliam
Dundrum Castle, Co.Dublin.
William Fitzwilliam,
of Moreton, nr Swords, N Co.Dublin,
built Wicklow Castle, Co.Wicklow [on the coast, think rebuilt it - original castle built by Maurice Fitzgerald c.1200],
Constable of Wicklow, fought at Saggard against the O'Byrnes, local Irish enemies of the Pale, his family would still be fighting the O'Byrnes two hundred years later,
granted Dundrum Castle and lands, Co.Dublin in 1365 [Ball, vol.2, 1903],
excavations have revealed a moat filled with 14th cent. rubbish including French pottery, "suggesting that the Fitzwilliam family of the period were quaffing good claret to relieve the boredom of being confined within their thick castle walls" [Harbison, 1998],
the Fitzwilliams of Dundrum came into possession of the lands of Mount Merrion (where they would later have their seat) about the same time as Dundrum Castle, "probably under the name of Owenstown" [Ball, vol.2, 1903],
from 1379 to 1400 he occupied Baggotrath Castle, Co.Dublin,
had issue:
John Fitzwilliam, had issue:
William Fitzwilliam,
lived Dundrum Castle,
mar Ismaia Perrers,
Ismaia's mother had inherited Baggotrath Castle, and after her death it was taken possession of by an executor to her will 1441,
on 28th Sept 1442 Fitzwilliam seized it back for himself and his wife's family, murdering the executor, see [Ball, vol.2, 1903],
pardoned, died c.1452, having had issue:
Thomas Fitzwilliam,
mar Rosia Bellew,
died in his father's lifetime, having had issue:
Richard Fitzwilliam,
mar Margery Holywood [or "Genet Hollywood", perhaps of the family of Holywood of Artane, Co.Dublin]
and died c.1465, having just had issue:
- Thomas Fitzwilliam,
born prob. 1465 ("came of age in 1486").
