Category: The D'Aincourt Family

Charles Tennyson d'Eyncourt

9/2/2023

Charles Tennyson d’Eyncourt, and his older brother George Clayton Tennyson, had been brought up with the story of their connection to the ennobled family of d’Eyncourt. This tale greatly impressed Charles, who would spend the rest of his life trying to obtain the right to the d’Eyncourt name and the peerage that went with it.

By 1831 Charles was employed as Clerk of the Ordnance, an inferior position that he considered did not fit his social status. As part of a government reshuffle, he was persuaded to leave this post with an offer of a position as a member of the privy council, gleefully he wrote to his father.

‘... this rank is the nearest to a peerage, and given the title of Right Honourable is a distinction for life.’

With a change of his position in government and a step closer to his heart's desire Charles Tennyson pestered his father to change the family name to d’Eyncourt, but he would not. He did succeed however in getting his father to add a codicil to his will so that he could be called Charles Tennyson d’Eyncourt and on the death of his father, he added d’Eyncourt to his name. Four years later he petitioned government for permission to officially use the name, but he was refused. At the same time, he had begun work on a ‘grandiose building programme’ on his house in Tealby, turning it into an ‘extravagant Gothic castle.’

d'Eyncourt/Tennyson Coat of Arms

Charles’ delusions of grandeur I think are rooted in his childhood and his father’s dislike, and disinheritance of his brother George.

One reason for the name change could be that he saw himself superior in person, and in rank, to George who was living as a rector of the parish of Somersby, but pride they say comes before a fall, and Charles’ fall was the jealously he felt regarding the achievements of his nephew.

Alfred Tennyson’s success as a poet irritated him, but it was the rewards that came with it that angered him the most, especially when he was granted the prestigious post of Poet Laureate, but what really made him seethe was the offer of the one thing he desired above anything else - a peerage.

Charles Tennyson d’Eyncourt would never receive a peerage, his lowly brother’s son however would become Alfred, Lord Tennyson.

‘... this rank is the nearest to a peerage and given the title of Right Honourable is a distinction for life.’

Memorial to Charles Tennyson d’Eyncourt at All Saints Church Tealby in Lincolnshire.

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Lincoln Cathedral in 1092

7/5/2018

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I have always held and am prepared against all evidence to maintain that the cathedral of Lincoln is out and the most precious piece of architecture in the British Isles and roughly speaking worth any two other cathedrals we have.-- John Ruskin

In the late spring of 1092, after twenty years of building work, Bishop of Lincoln Remigius de Fecamp's cathedral was completed.

Remigius de Fecamp was a Benedictine monk who held the position of almoner at Fecamp Abbey in Normandy. He is said to have been a supporter of the conqueror's invasion of England contributing a ship and twenty knights to William's cause, his name appears on a document that listed vessels used in the invasion.

There are many facts that allude to Remigius's early life but no real evidence, however there is a suggestion that he had family connections with the Lincolnshire D'aincourt's whose main residence was Blankney, a village to the south of the city and who held over fifteen manors in the county at this time. An epitaph on a plaque found in the grave of William D'aincourt hints that he was a kinsman of one Remi or Remigius and this is used to justify a connection with no other evidence to back it up, however it is possible that Remigius granted some of the thirteen manors in Lincolnshire to William's father Walter D'aincourt to add to those he held in four other counties.

Bishop Remigius, as he would later be known, had some association with the old Saxon church that now lies under Lincoln Cathedral's foundations, exactly what this was in not known. When this old church was demolished those who once worshiped there were granted the right to hold services in the Morning Chapel of the Cathedral, that is dedicated to St Mary Magdalene. Interestingly this ancient tradition continues today. On Patronal Festival Day those worshiping in the present day St Mary Magdalene walk from the church, across the courtyard, and through the west door of the Cathedral to hold Festival Evensong in the Morning Chapel.

Henry of Huntingdon described Remigius as 'short but great-hearted and very charming' and William of Malmesbury implied that he was a dwarf. However, what he lacked in height he made up for in achievements.

In 1067 Remigius was given the post as Bishop of Dorchester on Thames that was once the capital of Wessex until it was displaced by Winchester. It was the first to become vacant after the conquest - taking up this position would make Remigius the first Norman to be appointed to an English ecclesiastical post.

In the mid 11th century Lincoln was the largest diocese in England and in 1073 Remigius received papal approval to take up his position in the city, and as we have seen his authority and influence may have already preceded him. He was a powerful man, controlling Dorchester as mentioned, Leicester and Lindsey, also included in his portfolio were a number of monasteries, the most wealthy being Ely and Peterborough.

The year 1072 Remigius began work on the construction of Lincoln's Cathedral. The plans of the cathedral are based partly on the design of the Cathedral at Rouen and the Church of St Etienne and it took twenty years to complete. The date set for the consecration was planned for the second week in May 1092, both the 9th and the 11th are said to have been the exact day. According to William of Malmesbury, the astrological horoscope of Robert Bloet, who succeeded Remigius as Bishop of Lincoln, predicted that his predecessor would die prior to the cathedral's consecration, strangely Remigius de Fecamp did indeed pass away as predicted, just under a week before its consecration, on the 7th May in 1092.

Remigius was buried in his cathedral at Lincoln, probably under the Nave, his grave is not marked.

You can see Remigius's tower in the centre in the west front of the Cathedral

What of Bishop Remigius's cathedral today? There is very little remains of what he would have seen from his deathbed. However, Remigius's tower forms part of the west front of the Cathedral that stands magnificently on what is called Lincoln Edge.

For a time Lincoln Cathedral would be the tallest building in the world, today is the third largest English Cathedral and a splendid example of Gothic architecture.

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Charles Tennyson d'Eyncourt

Lincoln Cathedral in 1092

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