Draft:Seigneurie and Fief of Anneville

The Seigneurie and Fief of Anneville is a Norman feudal lordship situated in the Bailiwick of Guernsey. It encompasses a significant area within the parish of Saint Sampson, as depicted on the online mapping tool provided by ArcGIS platform. The seigneuries of Guernsey hold significant importance in its history, given that the island retained a feudal social structure up until recent times and the ruling class was invariably constituted of Seigneurs and it was even accepted that commissions in the Guernsey militia were distributed almost entirely on class and familiy lines. According to the tradition the foundation of the Seigneurie of Anneville marks the initiation of the island's transition into a structured feudal system overseen by resident lords. The implications of resident lords, were profound. A more direct form of governance emerged, with lords having an immediate presence and direct authority in day-to-day affairs. This closer relationship between the ruling class and the inhabitants reshaped many aspects of island life, from economic dynamics to cultural traditions.The lordship of Anneville, which exercised seigneurial rights over the significant fief Le Comte until 1631, and later the combined lordships of Anneville and Saumarez after 1661, stood as the paramount lordships and primary centers of influence on the island until at least the mid-19th century, if not beyond. However, in 1805, the Saumarez lordship was separated from Anneville. As the 19th century progressed and into the 20th century, the feudal influence of these lordships in Guernsey started to wane. The pivotal reform of 1948 marked the reduction of legislative powers of the Court of Chief Pleas, where the Seigneurs held representation. Today, even though the court maintains the same composition and appearance it has held for centuries, it primarily serves a ceremonial role with only nominal judicial authority.

. A second significant epoch stretched from 1248 to 1481, during which the Seigneurs of Anneville consistently held dominant positions in the island's governance. Similarly, from 1661 to 1805, the Andros family, who were also proprietors of the Saumarez Manor, exerted substantial influence over the island's affairs.In modern times, the legacy of the Seigneurie remains evident, in the Court of Chief Pleas, where the seigneur of Anneville is the first called in the traditional roll call after the clerical (now of the crown) fiefs, underscoring the lasting historical and cultural significance of the Seigneurie.

Historically, the Seigneurie of Anneville consisted of a much larger territory, encompassing nearly half of the island of Guernsey. The seigneurs of Anneville traditionally played a prominent role in Guernsey and the manor features prominently on old maps of the island, including those by Reyner Wolfe in 1572,, Gerardus Mercator (1595), and Herman Moll (1724), where it is marked as 'Syr Dawne Ville'. Notably, on these maps, the Anneville manor stands out as the sole manor house depicted, sharing space only with castles and churches.

The Seigneurie of Anneville is actually a collection of feudal estates, including the Fief of Anneville, the Franc Fief de la Rozière, the Fief de la Croute Bouilleuse, and historically, the Fiefs of Fauville and Mautalent. The Seigneur of Anneville is one of the private Seigneurs who are required by law to attend the Royal Court of Chief Pleas and owe suit of court, as the court served as the primary self-governing body of Guernsey until the late 19th century.

History and notable Seigneurs d'Anneville

 * Sampson d'Anneville
 * According to the tradition of Guernsey, the first recipient of the fief of Anneville was a Norman knight of King William named Sampson d'Anneville.This event for some historians (f.e. William Berry) marked the beginning of the feudal settlement of Guernsey by resident lords.


 * The d'Anneville family was one of the most prominent on the island, as evidenced by the fact that Geoffrey de Lucy, Governor of the Isles in 1225-26, was connected to the family, despite not being the Seigneur of Anneville himself. In the reign of King John, his granddaughter Beatrice de Lucy married Jordan d'Anneville, who granted land to the Knights Templar.


 * Sir William de Chesney
 * In 1248, the fief was transferred to Sir William de Chesney (also known as de Cheny or de Chene), a relative of the Governor of the Isles, Philip d'Aubigny. Sir William was an influential figure at the court of Henry III and held a prominent position in insular affairs. In 1253, he acquired the fief du Comte from Baldwin de Vere, and the de Chesneys continued to occupy a significant position in insular affairs for the next two and a half centuries, even though they only occasionally resided on the island.


 * His son Nicholas de Chesney (or de Cheny or de Chene), son of Sir William de Chesney, held the position of Bailiff of Guernsey in 1297 and 1298. Sir William de Chesney held the position of Governor of the Isles in 1331 and 1343.


 * Sir Edmund de Chesney (also spelled Edmund Cheyne), a relative of the former, served as Governor of the Isles from 1359 to 1366. Another Edmund de Chesney, a member of a younger branch of the family, served and he is listed as Bailiff of Guernsey from 1480 to 1481.


 * Nicholas Fouashin
 * The first Lord Willoughby de Broke, heir through his mother of the senior branch of the de Chesneys, sold the seigneurie in 1509 to Nicholas Fouashin, a Gentlemen Usher of the Household of Henry VIII. Thomas Fouaschin, son of the former, served as Mayor of Southampton. Nicholas Fouaschin was also Bailiff of Guernsey from 1481 to 1482 . The Fouaschin merged with the Andros through the marriage of Alice Fouaschin who was the sole heiress to the Seigneurie and part of the estates of Anneville.


 * Anneville and Saumarez Union under the Andros family
 * The lordship of Anneville was conjoined with the lordship of Saumarez following the marriage of Elizabeth Andros to John Andros, the architect of Sausmarez Manor.


 * Andros Family's Influence in Guernsey
 * The Andros lineage's prominence in Guernsey's history is palpable, with various members holding key positions on the island:


 * Amias Andros
 * He distinguished himself as the Bailiff of Guernsey from 1661 to 1674 . Spanning from 1674 to 1805, the Andros family had six members serve as Seigneurs of Sausmarez and Anneville at teh same time. Among them, Amyas Andros stands out as a stalwart royalist during the Civil War, bridging communications between the King's forces in Jersey and the royalist stronghold of Castle Cornet. Post-Restoration, Charles II appointed him as Bailiff.


 * Sir Edmund Andros
 * Ascending to the Bailiff of Guernsey role in 1674, Sir Edmund also held gubernatorial roles in New York, Virginia, after he reverted from America was Governo of the Islands from 1700-1714. Notably, he rechristened New Amsterdam as New York during his tenure as its inaugural British Governor. Following his father's passing in 1674, Edmund Andros inherited Sausmarez Manor that added to Anneville, bolstering his family's significant landholdings in Guernsey. and multiple other fiefs. Subsequent to this, Edmund was appointed Bailiff of Guernsey, a position his father had held before him . This lifetime appointment afforded him the authority to nominate a lieutenant bailiff, a role he entrusted to his uncle, Charles Andros, Seigneur of the fief d'Anneville. Such roles permitted Sir Edmund's travels to America.


 * Charles Andros
 * He shared the same name as his uncle. A testament to Charles Andros's impact on Guernsey is enshrined in Saint Saviour church, where a monument stands in his honor. Charles Andros was Lieut. Bailiff of Guernsey and Jurat. He sold Saumarez Manor to the family of de Saumarez and continued as Seigneur of Anneville. He died in 1805. His son, Thomas Andros, departed from Guernsey and is primarily known for his meticulous journal, which is now on display at the Lyme Regis Museum. . Other branches of the family remained in Guernsey. A relative of the Andros family, John Guille, was again lieutenant bailiff from 1835 to 1842 and  bailiff of Guernsey from 1843 to 1845. . Amias Charles Andros (1837-1898), planned and designed the work of the Lord of Saumarez memorial and the transformation of the Candie House into the actual Priaulx library.


 * Cyril Northcote Parkinson
 * Prof. Cyril Northcote Parkinson held the seigneurie of Anneville from 1967 to 1987. Parkinson is widely known for his concept of "Parkinson's Law". He was also known for his restoration of the feudal court and his attention to the feudal tradition of Anneville. In 1968 he purchased and restored Anneville Manor, the historic manor house of the Seigneurie (or fief) d'Anneville, and in 1971 he restored the Chapel of Thomas d'Anneville . He wrote several works of fiction based on the former Seigneurs d'Anneville, including "The Guernseyman" and others. His son, Charles Parkinson served as a Member of Parliament for the States of Guernsey. . The dependency of Fauville was offered in 2014 for an asking price of £23,000..
 * Kathryn Hardy Drake
 * Daughter of the multibillionaire Joseph Hardy, owner of the resort Nemacolin and of 84 Lumber, she was the lady of Anneville.


 * Dr. Marco Paret
 * Currently the Seigneur, he is an international coach and trainer.

The Garenne d'Anneville
The Garenne d'Anneville is a historic area in the domain of the manor of Anneville, which was granted by a grant to Willian de Chesney. The charter was confirmed by Henry IV. It is now a public nature reserve run by Garenne Nature. The Garenne d'Anneville is the sole remaining garenne from among several that existed in the past on the fief, including La Garenne du Nord and La Grande Garenne, as recorded in cadastral records.

Portrayals in fiction
Anneville Manor on Guernsey serves as the setting in the series of novels about Richard Delancey by Cyril Northcote Parkinson (Series: Richard Delancey: The Guernseyman, Devil to pay, So Near so Far). Delancey is portrayed as the Seigneur of Anneville and the restoration of the house and his sailing to return to his home in Anneville is a recurring theme in the series. The novels provide a rich and vivid portrayal of life in the Channel Islands during the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

Participation in the Royal Court of Chief Pleas and the Manorial Court of Anneville
The Fief of Anneville is is an entity which is legally obligated to attend the Royal Court of Chief Pleas and owe suit of court, as provided by the laws relating to the court system in Guernsey which state that 10 private fiefs must attend such a court. Guernsey's legal history boasts an ancient lineage, with its judicial institutions predating those established in England post the Norman Conquest. Sources suggest that this court might be coeval with the associated fief, emphasizing its longstanding tradition in the Guernsey legal landscape, with a history that dates back several centuries. It is located in the manor of Anneville and traditionally consists of a seneschal, three vavasors, a clerk or greffier, and a provost. Although the number of participants has decreased over time, the court still operates and performs its customary functions.

Court Decisions Relating to the Seigneurie and Fief of Anneville
The history of the Fief of Anneville has been documented in several court decisions. The Seigneur of Anneville was entitled to feudal rights to a quarter of the island, which was later confirmed in 1406. Queen Elizabeth's commissioners further confirmed the fief through a patent from King Henry VIII dated June 30, 1546.

According to the commissioners, Sampson d'Anneville liberated the island from pirates and, as a result, received a quarter of the island and held paramount authority over several other fiefs, including Le Comte. However, some historians have disputed the validity of this last affirmation by the commissioners, but it has not been officially or legally challenged.