These research notes are provided as-is and contain supplementary working research.

John de Gournay III (G25) Notes

Research notes for g25-john-de-gournay-iii-fact-sheet.md. See .claude/rules/research-files.md for the paired-file rule.

Working Notes

Norfolk feodary — Swathings under Bardolf (DG-Supp Note 115)

2026-04-18 — DG-Supp Note 115 (pp. 787–788) provides two records relating to the “John de Gournay” who held during the reigns of Edward II–III. These need careful attribution because the generation numbering is confusing (John the Rector = collateral; John III = G25; John IV = G24; Sir John Gurney d.1408 = collateral):

Norfolk feodary (BM Add. MSS. 5522, fol. 171): “Hundred de Mytford. Johannes Gurney tenet manerium de Swathyng in Hardyngham de Hugone de Bardolf et idem de Rege.” This tenure chain shows Swathings held under Hugh de Bardolf, who held from the King. The manuscript belonged to Blomefield and was compiled for an aid c. 1235, but “is decidedly of a later date.” The entry likely represents the state of tenures around Edward II’s reign, fitting G25 John III or the Rector John (collateral).
Escheat Rolls, 7 Edward II (1314): John de Gurnay named as feoffee in the manor of Winburgh (Wymondham?) and others: “Jurati dicunt quod non est ad dampnum si Rex concedat Thome Bardolf quod ipse de maneriis de Quineborghe in comitatu Norfolcize feoffare possit Johannem de Gurnay” — and inter alia the manor of Stoke Bardolf in Nottingham and Okebrook in Derby, held “de domino Rege in capite per Baroniam.” (Dodsworth MS. 57.)

Significance: This is a major finding. John de Gurnay was entrusted as feoffee of Bardolf baronial properties — manors held from the King by barony in Nottingham and Derby as well as Norfolk. This is not a minor administrative role; it implies the Gurneys were trusted associates of the Bardolf barons. The Bardolfs were one of the great Norfolk baronial families (they had married Julia de Gournay of the senior line, per DG-Supp Note 113).

Question: Which John is this? The 1314 date fits either the Rector John (collateral, d. 1332) or John III (G25, succeeded Rector in 1332). Most likely the Rector, as he was the more prominent John at that date.

Saxthorpe — manor connection (DG-Supp Note 117)

2026-04-18 — DG-Supp Note 117 (p. 789) notes: “John de Mereworthe was lord of the manor of Saxthorpe, which had been held by John Gurnay II. [the Rector], as it afterwards was by John Gurnay V. [Sir John, d. 1408].” Saxthorpe (Loundhall manor) was thus in the Gournay orbit across multiple generations. DG speculates the £20/year annuity granted by Edmund (G23) to John de Mereworthe was “probably in consequence of some agreement between them” regarding Saxthorpe.

This connects to G23 Edmund’s Saxthorpe landholding already documented in his companion.

DG-Supp Note 117 — Edmund’s trust role (Close Rolls)

2026-04-18 — The same note records a Close Roll entry (5 Richard II, 1382): “Johannes de Plays chivaler” gave to a group of trustees including “Edmundo Gurney” the manor of Feltwell in Norfolk and the manor of Mundford with the advowson. The trustees include “Willelmo de Beauchamp, Johanni Marmyon, Johanni de Burgh, et Stephano de Hales, chivalers, Edmundo Gurney, &c.”

This pertains to G23 Edmund specifically, not G25 John III, but confirms Edmund’s role as a trusted legal associate of major Norfolk landholders.

Jane/Joan name variant

2026-04-18 — Already noted in existing companion: DG-I pedigree p. 286 gives “JANE, dau. of Edmund de Lexham.” DG-II p. 356 refers to “John de Gurney and Joan his wife.” Jane/Joan are medieval variants of the same name. No substantive discrepancy.

Black Death context

2026-04-18 — John III was living through the Black Death (1348–49), which killed an estimated 40–60% of Norfolk’s population. He is attested living in 1353 (27 Edward III), so he survived it. The pandemic would have devastated the labor force on his manors and affected land values. No specific plague-related records for the Gurneys have been found, but the economic context matters for understanding the family’s position.

Landholdings

Place	Period	Notes
Harpley, Norfolk	1332–c. 1353+	Succeeded uncle John (Rector) in 1332. Presented to the living that year.
Hardingham/Swathings, Norfolk	1332–c. 1353+	Swathings held under Bardolf, per Norfolk feodary (DG-Supp Note 115).

Open Questions

Which John was the Bardolf feoffee? The 1314 Escheat Roll feoffment (Stoke Bardolf, Okebrook, Winburgh) — was this the Rector John (collateral) or John III (G25)? The Rector seems more likely at that date.
Lexham family in Blomefield: Edmund de Lexham (Jane’s father) — does Blomefield’s Norfolk cover a Lexham parish entry with Lexham family pedigree?
Black Death impact: Are there Norfolk manorial records from 1348–50 showing the Gurneys’ response to the pandemic?
1353 attestation: What is the specific record for “living 27 Edward III (1353)”?

Sources Consulted

DG-I, p. 279 and pedigree p. 286. [DG-I]
DG-II, pp. 355–357 (Harpley church chapter). [DG-II]
DG-Supp, Note 115 (pp. 787–788): Norfolk feodary (BM Add. MSS. 5522, Swathings under Bardolf). Escheat Rolls 7 Edward II (1314, Bardolf feoffment). [DG-Supp]
DG-Supp, Note 117 (p. 789): Saxthorpe manor connection; Feltwell trust (Close Rolls 5 Rich. II). [DG-Supp]
Blomefield, History of Norfolk, vol. viii, pp. 452–459 (Harpley). [Blomefield]

Conflicting Information

None identified. Jane/Joan variant is a spelling difference, not a conflict.

Fact Sheet Improvement Notes

Bardolf connection: The feodary entry (Swathings under Bardolf) and the 1314 feoffment show the Gurneys in the Bardolf orbit — a major Norfolk baron family. Even if the 1314 feoffee was the Rector John rather than G25, the Bardolf-Gurnay relationship operated across this generation.
Black Death survival: A brief contextual note that John III survived the 1348–49 pandemic would set the historical stage. Norfolk was heavily affected.
Saxthorpe thread: The Saxthorpe/Loundhall manor moves through multiple Gournay generations. Worth noting as a continuity thread linking G25 to G23.