Walter de Beauchamp

Who was Walter de Beauchamp?

Walter de Beauchamp was an English judge, son and heir of William de Beauchamp, lord of Elmley, Worcester, and hereditary castellan of Worcester and sheriff of the county. A minor at his father's death, he did not obtain his shrievalty till February 1216. Declaring for Louis of France on his arrival, he was excommunicated by the legate at Whitsuntide, and his lands seized by the Marchers. But hastening to make his peace, on the accession of Henry, he was one of the witnesses to his reissue of the charter, and was restored to his shrievalty and castellanship. He also Attested Henry's 'Third Charter,' on 11 Feb. 1225. In May 1226 and in January 1227 he was appointed an itinerant justice, and 14 April 1236 he died, leaving by his wife, whom he had married in 1212, and who died in 1225, a son and heir, William, who married the eventual heiress of the earls of Warwick, and was grandfather of Guy, earl of Warwick.