Interim Report I

Appendix II

Information from Books and Other Publications

All the points made in Analysis I and the extra information from Nick Saunders have been combined and each given a register number:

The points from Analysis I have a cross-reference to the Articles in the Other Publications.

The points from Nick Saunders have a cross-reference to the Sources Nick has listed.

Analysis I

1. Where the Hunting Lodge was

1.1 Article 4 states that William Rufus left for the hunt from Winchester Castle.

1.2 (The King lived in Winchester - Article 6), wheresas

1.3 Article 6 states that there was "a kind of hunting lodge" at Malwood Keep, where William Rufus spent the night before the hunt

1.4 On the day of the hunt FitzHamon came to breakfast (Article 6)

Article 24 mentions a hunting lodge in Brockenhurst deep in the New Forest

2.Who was in the Royal Hunting Party

2.1 Apart from 2 articles, the names of most participants in the hunting party suggested were:

William Rufus
His brother Henry
Sir Walter Tirel/Tyrel/Tyrrell
and
an unspeciified number of noblemen

2.2 In Article 9, 2 additional names are given:

William of Breteuil
FitzHamon

2.3 Uniquely, in Article 5 the author for the Wessex Society provided a long list without naming his source:

William II
His brother Henry
Walter Tirel
Earl Gilbert de Clare
His brother Roger
William de Breteuil
Robert FitzHamon
Gilbert de l'Aigle
William de Montfichet
Gerald of Wales (Bishop of St David's)
Ranulph de Aquis
Court Officials
Huntsmen

2.4 Ranulph de Aquis named by Gerald of Wales as the killer
(perhaps better known as Ranulph Flambard, Bishop of Durham formerly Dean of Christchurch) (Article 5)

2.5 Article 6 says that it was a great party that met for a day's hunting.

3. Where the hunting accident took place

3.1 It was thought that the Rufus Stone marked the spot
but
in more recent times it is thought that the accident happened nearer to Beaulieu perhaps at Truham/Trougham/Thoroughham
(Articles 5, 13, 15 and 17)

3.2 Rufus Memorial Cairn in the Grounds of Beaulieu Abbey& Palace Gardens
The Memorial reads:"Remember King William Rufus who died in these parts then known as Truham whilst hunting on 2nd August 1100"

4. Who fired the arrow that killed William Rufus

4.1 The main and in many ways the only suspect is Sir Walter Tyril/Tyrel/Tyrell, who is named in some of the chronicles and on the Rufus Stone.

4.2 There is speculation in a number of articles as to whether it was murder or an accident.

4.3 Some articles give a motive for Sir Walter to do the deed.

4.4 Some articles have Sir Walter's denial that he killed the King
(Articles 1, 4, 5, 8, 10, 19, 23)

4.5 As above Gerald of Wales named Ranulph de Aquis as the killer (Articles 5 and 10).

4.6 Articles 5, 10 and 22 say that the Clare family might have been involved in a conspriacy (the Clares were related to Walter Tirel).

4.7 Article 10 gives King William's armourer, Ralph of Aix, as a potential killer.

5. Further information that might prove useful

5.1. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle has the earliest account of the death and merely says that William Rufus was shot by an arrow by one of his own men (Article 1)

5.2. Article 2 is useful in describing the location of the Rufus Stone.

5.3. Many of the articles point out that William Rufus' brother Henry benefitted greatly from William's death, when Henry claimed the throne for himself. (Other Publication 3)

5.4. A number of articles (Articles 4, 6, 9, 10, 11, 16, 19, 20) suggest that William Rufus and Tirel became separated from the others.(Other Publication 4)

5.5. A few articles refer to the start of the 6 week stag-hunting season on 1 August with William Rufus joining the hunt on 2 August (the morning after Lammas - Article 7). (Other Publication 5)

5.6. 2 of the articles mention William having a meal/breakfast before leaving for the hunt (Article 9 - breakfast with his friend FitzHamon)

5.7. Article 7 lists the chronicles in which the hunting accident would have been reported:
- the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle at the end of 1100

By Monks
- Eadmer circa 1115
- William of Malmesbury 1118-25
- John (or Florence) of Worcester circa 1130
- Orderic Vitalis circa 1135

5.8. In Article 10 Anglo-Norman Monk Orderic Vitalis states that :
the King dined (the night before?) before the hunt with:
- his brother Henry
- Walter Tirel (see Note)
- Gilbert de Clare and
- his younger brother
Roger de Clare (Other Publication 8)

5.9 Walter Tirel was married to Richard de Clare's daughter.(Other Publication 8)

5.10 Article 19 disagrees and says that he married the daughter of Richard FitzHerbert. (Other Publication 8)

5.11 The Author of Article 10 believes it was the de Clares who were involved in killing the King (also see 14. below) (Other Publication 8).

5.12. Article 11 offers quite a different slant:
when a King hunted it was etiquette for a good shot to stand behind him should the King miss his shot(Other Publication 9)

5.13 B.contemporary writer Geffrei Gaimar says that:
- the King and Walter Tirel had dismounted ready to shoot (Other Publication 9)

5.14 - a huntsman administered communion to the dying king with grass as a substitute. (Also see Article 24)(Other Publication 9)

5.15 - some loyal servants are said to have carried the body to Winchester Cathedral. (also see Article 24)(Other Publication 9)

5.16. Article 12 states that it was the later chroniclers who added the name of Walter Tirel as the killer.(Other Publication 10)

5.17 It also says that a John Leland wrote in 1530 that William died at Thorougham on what is now Park Farm on the Beaulieu estates. (see 17. below re Article 25)(Other Publication 10)

5.18 The memorial stone in the grounds of Beaulieu has the spelling as Truham.(Other Publication 10)

5.19 The Article quotes William of Malmesbury that the body of William Rufus was taken to Winchester by a few countrymen.(Other Publication 10)

5.20 A number of articles mention that William Rufus hunted near Brockenhurst (Articles 11, 12 and 24)(Other Publication 10)

5.21 As well as Articles 13 & 19, Article 11 says that the body was bleeding as it was taken to Winchester.(Other Publication 11)/p>

5.22. Article 18 provided the site of the Rufus Memorial Cairn unveiled in 2001 following research (by Arthur Lloyd) that William Rufus was shot and killed at Thorougham on the Beaulieu Estate.(Other Publication 12)p>

5.23 Article 21 is an article from the Guardian in which Italian descendants of Walter Tirel want to donate a work of art partly depicting William Rufus' death, to a British Museum.The triptych tells the story of Walter Tirel (or Gaultier Tirrell) in Latin.(Other Publication 13)p>

The Tirelli family representative said that their ancester killed the King.(Other Publication 13)/p>

5.24. Article 22 lists the early sources of the death of William Rufus:

The Anglo Saxon Chronicle
Eadmer
Peter of Blois
William of Malmesbury
Orderic Vitalis
Matthew Paris(Other Publication 14)p>

5.25 The Article also raises the possibility of the Clare family being involved in a conspiracy to kill the King (see 8. above).(Other Publication 14)/p>

5.26 The chapter (in the White Ship) about William Rufus' death begins with an atmospheric scene-setting by chronicler Robert Wace:
"They went into the New Forestr, intending to hunt stags and hinds; they set up their watch throughout the forest, but departed in great sadness. for the king, the knights and those who were his archers took up their positions and stretched their bows just as they saw the hinds coming.
Robert Wace, Jersey-born poet and historian (c1110-c 1174)(Other Publication 15)/p>

5.27 The Royal hunting party started out on 2 August (a Thursday) and the huntsmen and companions fell in around the King.(Other Publication 15)/p>

5.28 Henry had left the hunt to get his bow re-strung (also in Articles 11 and 22) and in Article 23 the accident to his brother had happened by the time he got back(Other Publication 15)/p>

5.29 Some servants threw a cloak over William Rufus and escorted his body from the hunting field and placed it in a cart.(Other Publication 15)p>

5.30 William de Breteuil had ridden with Henry to Winchester and objected to Henry seizing the treasury.(Other Publication 15)/p>

5.31 Wikipedia describes the Estoire des Engleis as a chronicle of English history composed by the poet (and historian) Geffrei Gaimar, believed to have been written between the late 1130s and mid 1140s written in Old French. (It is the oldest known history chronicle written in the French language) Gaimar's chronicle ends with the death of William Rufus in 1100.(Other Publication 16)/p>

5.32 Much of the chronicle is a translation of extracts from the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle to circa 959. The source that Gaimar used to write the section on William Rufus is unknown.(Other Publication 16)

5.33 William of Malmesbury and Henry of Huntingdon were contemporaries of Gaimar.(Other Publication 16)

5.34 Other articles mention the huntimg party heading for Brockenhurst, e.g Articles 11 and 12.(Other Publication 16)

5.35 Brockenhurst is relatively near to Beaulieu (Author)

5.36 There was a hunting lodge in Brockenhurst deep in the New Forest.(Other Publication 16)

5.37 It appears that William Rufus was in Brockenhurst:

- dining in the New Forest before leaving for Le Mans via Southampton circa 1098
(thought that he may have been on a hunting expedition)(Other Publication 16)

5.38 - the fateful hunting expedition in 1100 left from Brockenhurst(Other Publication 16)

5.39. As in some other accounts, the thesis claims that Walter Tirel murdered the King to prevent a further land grab in France as far as Poitiers.(Other Publication 16)

5.40. Far from being left alone, after William Rufus died he received a lay communion of grass and flowers (also in Article 9).(Other Publication 16)

5.41. Article 25 has 2 interesting quotes:
William Rufus was staying at Winchester and...........declared he would go hunting the next day."(Other Publication 17)

5.42 "In 1530, John Leland, the antiquary to King Henry VIII, claimed that the King (William Rufus) died at a place recorded in Domesday called Thorougham (Truham). This village was lost during the formation of the New Forest by William the Conqueror around 1079. The site is likely to be at Park Farm, Beaulieu."(Other Publication 17)

6.Information Provided by Nick Saundeers

Key to Sources below

6.1. In the afternoon, the King went hunting with a small number of attendants.(Source 1)

6.2 Tirel is supposed to have run to the King's assistance but finding him lifeless mounted his horse and rode for the coast.(Source 1)

6.3 The King's body was recovered by some locals who took it by cart to Winchester Cathedral , the blood dripping from it all the way. (Source 1)

6.4 there were several companions with the King and Tirel when the fatal shot was fired.(Source 2)

6.5 The hunting party had taken up posts around the forest to wait in ambush for the deer, bows at the ready. (Source 2)

6.6 On hearing of the death of his brother, without checking the body, he rode to Winchester. (Source 2)

6.7 William Rufus was killed on the spot where a church had previously stood.(Source 3)

6.8. The arrow fired by Tirel was deflected by a tree into the King's breast. This is the first account to suggest this.(Source 4)

6.9. A number of the accounts are based on the early chronicles by:

Vitalis
William of Malmesbury and
Florence of Worcester (Source 5)

6.10 John Leland was the topographer to King Henry VIII (Source 5)

6.11 Wise questioned how could a dead body bleed all the way to Winchester.(Source 5)

6.12 Nick Saunders points out would have taken a horse and cart over a day to reach Winchester Catherdral
and requireed an overnight stay at, for example, Romsey).

6.13. The King was staying at Castle Malwood in a royal hunting lodge.(Source 6)

6.14. Tirel swore affirmation to an abbot that he did not fire the fatal shot.(Source 7)

6.15. Not one recent historian of the period believes the death was murder (would need to check)(Source 9)

6.16 Evidence from the Domesday Book suggested that Thorougham or Truham was located somewhere on the Beaulieu estate.(Source 9)

6.17 This was reinforced by a monk (name?) who wrote soon after Beaulieu Abbey was founded, that it was located near to the site of the death of William Rufus.(Source 9)

6.18 The memorial cairn to King William II was unveiled on the Beaulieu Estate beside the millstream ,as reported in the A & T in April 2001.
(Nick says that Arthur Lloyd managed to convince Lord Montagu that the incident happened at Truham or Througham on the Beaulieu estate) (Source 9).

Sources

Monks

1. William of Malmsbury writing 1118-1125

2. Orderic Vitalis lived 1075-1142

3. Florence of Worcester died 1118

4. Matthew Paris

Other Authors

5. John R.Wise writing 1863

6. John Murray

7. F.H.M. Parker writing 1912

8. C. Warren Hollister writing 1973

9. Arthur Lloyd writing 2000

Colin Bower
8 August 2024

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