A HISTORY OF HEREFORDSHIRE more probable that it was Ewyas Harold, where certainly a castle existed before the time of William Fitzosbern. There is also strong reason for identifying the obnoxious castle with Pentecost's Castle, which in 1052 is mentioned as a Norman stronghold, and it is extremely probable that Pen- tecost's Castle was Ewyas Harold. ^^ In either case this is remarkable as the first definite mention of a castle of the Norman type on English ground, although Edward the Elder and Ethelfleda had employed fortified ' burhs ' as defences against the Danes.^*^ When Godwin resolved to appear at the Witan at Gloucester Swegen joined his father and his brother Harold at Beverstone in Gloucestershire at the head of the forces of his earldom." They demanded among other things the delivery into their hands of the Frenchmen in the castle." Against them were arrayed the forces of Northumbria and Mercia under Siward and Leofric. At the instance of Leofric the Witan was adjourned to London, where it met on 29 September. There, or earlier at Gloucester, the outlawry of Swegen was renewed, and was shortly followed by that of Godwin and his family." The whole party was driven into exile. Herefordshire was now entrusted to King Edward's nephew Ralph, who has already been mentioned. He was the son of the king's sister Godgifu, by her husband Drogo, count of the French Vexin.^° In 1052 Gruffydd ab Llywelyn, the king of Gwynedd, broke his alliance with the English and ravaged Herefordshire." Near Leominster he was met by the levies of the shire, together with the ' Frenchmen of the castle,' but defeated them with great slaughter.^* Very probably Ralph was at this time absent, for in the same year he and Earl Odda were placed in charge of the fleet at Sandwich intended to oppose Godwin's return, but owing to their inactivity they were both superseded later in the year. Ralph was not disturbed in the possession of his earldom by the return of Godwin and his family in September, for Swegen was excepted from the restoration, and remained in exile. There was, however, a general flight of foreigners from the court, some riding west to Pentecost's Castle.*" According to Florence of Worcester Osbern, whose cognomen was Pentecost, was compelled to surrender his castle, and with his ally Hugo was then allowed to proceed to Scotland under a safe-conduct." As has been already stated Pentecost's Castle was probably identical with Ewyas Harold. There are two points in favour of the identification. After the Conquest William Fitzosbern repaired a previous castle at that place,^' and Alured of Marlborough, who held Ewyas Harold in the time of Domesday, had an uncle named Osbern, who is recorded in Domesday as having held lands in the neighbour- hood when Godwin and Harold were exiled.*^ Freeman's identification of Pentecost with Osbern son of Richard Scrupe may be rejected. Osbern " J. H. Round, Feud. Engl. 324. '" On this question see Round, Geoffrey de Mandevilk, 328-46 ; Arch. Iviii, 313-40. Jngl.-Sax. Chron. (Rolls Ser.), i, 315. '* Ibid, i, 314. '* Ibid, i, 314, 316 ; Flor. Wore. Chron. i, 205-6. '° Orderic Vitalis, Hist. Eccles. (Soc. de I'Hist. de France), iii, 224; Will, of Malmesbury, Gesta Regum {Rolls Ser.), 241; cf. J. H. Round's Peerage Studies, 148-9. " The first mention of the shire in the Chron. ^ Jngl.-Sax. Chron. (Rolls Ser.), i, 316; Flor. Wore. Chron. i, 207. »' AngL-Sax. Chron. (Rolls Ser.), i, 317. *" Ibid. 321. «' Flor. Wore. Chron. (ed. Thorpe), i, 210.
- Domesday (Rec. Com.), i, 186. '^ Ibid.; ef Round, Peerage Studies, 156.
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