Revell Family Study
Balmerino Abbey
The first proprietor of Balmerino in Fife, who is mentioned in the Abbey Chartulary as living in the time of William the Lion (1164-1214) was Henry de Reuel who received a grant of Cultrach, with the customary feudal privileges and duty attached to it. The barony included the lauds of Balmerino, Balindard, Balindean, and Corbie.
Henry de Reuel married Margaret, daughter of Orm, who was the son of Hugh of Abernethy, with whom he got "a ten merk land of old extent", a mark being then a third of a pound weight of silver. Laurence, son of Orm, afterwards resigning to Balmerino Abbey whatever interest he and his heirs had in the lands of Cultra, Balindean,
Balindard, Corbie, and Balmerino (which Henry Reuel's heir had sold to Queen Ermengarde towards the foundation of the Abbey), it is thought it was these lands which came to Henry Reuel as his wife's dowry, and that the crown charter which he had obtained was a charter of confirmation.
It appears that nearly all the lands forming the original parish of Balmerino were anciently included in the great lordship or territory of Abernethy. But this Laurence was Abbot of Abernethy, and seems to have held these lands as head of the Culdees there.
Henry de Reuel and Margaret granted to the Priory of St. Andrews 15 acres of land, described as lying 'north of Cultra, and west of the road leading from Balmerino to Cultra" as perambulated by the said Henry, Richard Reuel his nephew, Matthew the canon, and his 'good men;' and also the common pasture pertaining to that extent of land. Amongst the witnesses to the charter are Ralph the chaplain (perhaps the incumbent of Balmerino Church), Josiua (or Jocelinus) de Balindard, and Adam de Ardist; who are, in all probability, the 'good men' who joined in the perambulation. Adam de Stawel, brother of Richard Reuel, afterwards confirms the grant.
This Richard Reuel, Henry's nephew, sometime after 1214, obtained from Alexander II. a charter of confirmation of his uncle's lands (Cultra, Balmerino, and Balindard being alone specified), with similar privileges and duty as before. He had also received previously from King William a grant of Easter Ardint, which was now likewise confirmed to him.
The duty attached to Henry Reuel's grant was that he should render to the king half the service of a knight and this was increased in Richard Reuel's case to the whole service of one knight. Along with their lands they acquired the usual baronial rights.
Sometime before 1225 Adam de Stawel, brother of Richard Reuel, succeeded to his lands above mentioned. From this Adam's charter of resignation of these lands to Queen Ermengarde in 1225 we obtain the first notice of "the Church of Balmerino," of which he was patron. We may presume that his predecessors also enjoyed the right of patronage, and that his lands constituted the Parish. In the Foundation Charter of the Abbey it is called the "Mother Church of Balmerino".
About the beginning of the thirteenth century, Jocelinus de Balindard, was a witness to the grant of land by Henry Reuel to St. Andrews Priory, mentioned in the Balmerino Chartulary.
Adam of Stawell of Somerset, was evidently not resident in the kingdom of the Scots at this time.
The Cistercians derived their name from Citeaux in France, where the order originated in the year 1098.
The first Cistercian monks in England settled at Waverley, in Surrey, in 1128. The monks of Melrose were the first of the order introduced into Scotland, having been brought Rieuvaulx in Yorkshire.
Charter by William I who confirms to Holyrood Abbey the land of Okelfas (Ogilface) granted by William de Veteri Ponte (de Vipont), within its boundaries and with all its appurtenances, in free, pure and perpetual alms.
Witnesses: Walter, chaplain of the King; Philip de Valognes (Lord of Bemvie and Panmure), chamberlain of the King; William Cumin (Lord of Lenzie and Kirkintilloch, sheriff of Forfar); William "de Bosch" (de Bosco, del Bois); David "de Haia" ( de la Hay); William of Moray; Richard Revel (Lord of Coultra); Henry Revel. Written by William de Bosco when Florence was Chancellor.
4 November 1203 at Forfar.
Ref No: GD45/13/246 Repository: National Archives of Scotland
15 Edw. IV. 1476. Lichfield
Confirmation by Earl David, brother of the King of Scotland, to the Canons of Repton, of the church of Great Baddow, CO. Essex, "as the charter of Countess Matilda, witnesses. (1189?)
Comes David frater Regis Scotie omnibus hominibus suis tam presentibus quam futuris salutem. Sciatis me concessisse et carta mea confirmasse Deo et Sancte Marie et Sancto Wistano de Rependona et canonicis ibidem seruientibus ecclesiam de Bdewen in elemosinam sicut carta Matillis Comitisse testatur. His testibus, Roberto de Basigham, Bertolomeo monaco, Willelmo Reuel, Willelmo Burdet, Nicolao de Hanes, et multis aliis. Apud Wanntona, Valete.