Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Huntingfield, William de
HUNTINGFIELD, WILLIAM de (fl.1220), justice itinerant, was the son of Roger de Huntingfield. He was appointed constable of Dover Castle on 16 Sept. 1203, and gave his son and daughter as hostages for the safe holding of it (Rot. Pat. 5 Joh.) In the same year he received a grant of the wardship of the lands and heir of Osbert Fitz Osbert (ib.}, and in 1208 had charge of the lands of his brother Roger (who was also a justiciar), which had been seized in consequence of the interdict (Rot. Claus. i. 110). From 1208 to 1210 he was one of the justices before whom fines were levied, and from 1210 to 1214 he was sheriff of the united counties of Norfolk and Suffolk. So far he was in favour with King John, but next year he joined the confederate barons (Matt, Paris, ii. 585), was one of the twenty-five appointed to secure the observance of Magna Charta (ib. ii. 605), and a witness to the charter granting freedom of election to the abbeys (ib. ii. 610). He was one of the barons ex-communicated by Innocent III in 1216 (ib. ii. 644), and his lands were taken into the king's lands (Rot. Claus. 16 Joh.) He reduced Essex and Suffolk for Lewis of France, and in retaliation John plundered his estates in Norfolk and Suffolk (Matt, Paris, ii. 655, 665). Huntingfield was one of the barons taken prisoner at Lincoln on 20 May 1217 (Cont. Gervase, ii. 111, in Rolls Ser.); but on the conclusion of peace returned to his allegiance, and in October was restored to his lands (Rot. Claus. 1 Hen. III). In 1219 he had leave to go on the crusade and appoint his brother Thomas to act on his behalf during his absence. He married Alice de St. Liz, and is said to have died in 1240, but in 1226 his son Roger sued his bailiff for arrears of rents.
William de Huntingfield's great-grandson Roger was summoned to parliament by Edward I in 1294 and 1297, and this Roger's great-grandson William was summoned from 1351 to 1376, but on his death without issue in 1377 the barony fell into abeyance.
[Matt. Paris, in Rolls Ser.; Foss's Judges of England, ii. 83; Dugdale's Baronage, ii. 7; Burke's Dormant and Extinct Peerages, p. 293.]