Picot of Cambridge

Who is Picot of Cambridge?

Picot of Cambridge was a Norman landowner and Sheriff of Cambridgeshire.

Born in Saye, Normandy, he rose from obscurity to become Sheriff of Cambridgeshire as early as 1071 until at least 1090. He treated Cambridge as his own, knocking down 27 houses to build a castle, confiscating land, building mills, seizing goods and raising taxes. The local Abbot of Ely described him as "A hungry lion, a ravening wolf, a cunning fox, a dirty pig and an impudent dog".

He married Hugolina de Gernon. When she thought she was dying, she made a vow to build a priory, which Picot subsequently honoured, building a monastic foundation near his castle in Cambridge. After Picot's death the canons were moved to nearby Barnwell to found Barnwell Priory.

He had a son and heir Robert who became implicated in a conspiracy against King Henry I, and fled the country. His estates were forfeit and given to Pain Peveril who had been the standard bearer to Robert Curthose in the Holy Land.