Page 18 - Gen Mag Online November 2020

18

PEOPLE OF INTEREST

The Rise of Roger Bigod of Norfolk

While kings and queens are often the main people children are taught about this country’s history,
the reality is that it is people at all levels of society that made a nation’s history. What’s more, there
are numerous stories of some ‘ordinary people’ who can reach the dizzy heights but come from
humble or relatively humble beginnings. Thomas Cromwell, Henry VIIIs, secretary is one such person.

Another such person, but during the early reign of the Normans in England was Roger Bigod (or
Bigot). Roger was born around 1030 in Caen, Normandy and died in 1107. He was an obscure
Norman knight who possibly came to England at the time of the Norman Conquest.

Unlike many rich Norman families such as the de Lacys or Mortimers, Roger was not wealthy, but
it seems his father’s connection to William the Conqueror’s household saw the family start what can
only be described as a meteoric rise in fortunes. Roger’s father it seems acquired a position in Duke
William’s court because he supposedly uncovered a plot by William’s cousin, William Werlenc.

Ever since he was a young lad, Duke William of Normandy was in need of friends to keep him safe.
Being illegitimate didn’t help, but it was his father’s wish that William would succeed to the Dukedom
of Normandy.

So, after William conquered England, he didn’t forget to reward his friends and those loyal to him.
Hence, both Roger was given a substantial estate in East Anglia. According to the Domesday Book
compiled in 1086, Roger Bigod is listed as holding 187 lordship in Norfolk, six lordships in Essex
and 117 in Suffolk.

Interestingly, Roger’s base was in Thetford, Norfolk, which was also the one time centre of the Iceni
tribe in Roman times. There is a huge hill fort there which you can climb. I wonder if Roger or any
of his retinue climbed it. He couldn’t have missed seeing it !

Thetford was an important centre at this time, so giving it
to someone who was to put it kindly not really part of the
inner circle of Duke William, later king William I must have
been a feather in Roger’s cap.

Moreover at the this time, Thetford was part of the the see
of Bishop William of Bello Fargo. Presumably to keep in
with the Bishop Roger Bigod founded Thetford Priory and
later donated to the abbey at Cluny. Thetford Prioy was
one of hundreds of monastic places to be later destroyed
by Henry VIII. The ruins are still there and are open to the
public. It was a Cluniac or Benedictine monastery, based Framlingham Castle, Suffolk. One time seat
on a similar monastic in Cluny, Normandy.
of the Bigod family - Earls of Norfolk.
Fortunes for those living in mediaeval Britain were often
subject to whims of the king. Prior to Roger being given the earldom of Norfolk, this title and all that
went with it was owned by Ralph de Gael. It seems 3 years after William’s success and crowning as
William I, Ralph (who was then Earl of Norfolk) and a compatriot Roger Malet defeated Sweyn
Estrithson (Sweyn II) of Denmark near Ipswich. He probably received the earldom for his part in the
battle.

However by 1074 Ralph de Gael was fell out of favour and lost his estates. Enter, stage left - Roger
Bigod - who was appointed sheriff of Norfolk and Suffolk, and seemingly acquired many of the earl's
estates. Some historians call Roger the first Earl of Norfolk, but this is stretching it.