Sir Osmer de Bostock

brief biography

Saxon lord of Botestock and Shipbrook

The earliest member of the Bostock family, Sir Osmer Bostock, who before 1066 held the manor of Bostock and from this small holding his family surname derived. Osmer held severel manor’s before 1066.

Claverton, Ati’s Cross, Cheshire Bostock, Middlewich, Cheshire Davenham, Middlewich, Cheshire Leftwich, Middlewich, Cheshire Shipbrook, Middlewich, Cheshire Audlem, Warmundestrou, Cheshire Austerson, Warmundestrou, Cheshire Crewe, Warmundestrou, Cheshire Frith, Warmundestrou, Cheshire Wisterson, Warmundestrou, Cheshire

Osmer was also known as Osmer of Shipbrook, so I would presume that the manor’s of Shipbrook and Bostock were particularly important to him. Little is known about this ancient Saxon Thane, who at the time of the Norman invasion would have likely fought against the invading army, The Visitations of Cheshire record his details as follows:

‘Sr Osmer [Oliver] de Bostock an’o 1066’

Many family trees have reached the conclusion that an’o 1066 (event 1066) is a clear indication that his death occurred during the Battle of Hastings. Which is certainly a big possibility, however it’s a conclusion that we can’t prove as only about 25 people are actually remembered and recorded as being at the battle. Although there were obviously many more. At the time of the conquest of England Osmer was Lord of Bostock, Shipbrooke, Davenham, Audlem, Claverton, Crewe, a part of Edlaston, a part of Wybunbury-cum-Frith, a part of Leftwich, a part of Wistaston, he had two hedged enclosures for deer, an eyrie for hawks, houses in Chester, and a salt pit in Northwich, all in Cheshire. (Most of these lands were granted after the conquest to Richard de Vernon, Baron of Shipbrook, as recorded in the Doomsday Book. for his services to William the Conquer)” For the next 100 years The Bostocks held arms under the Vernon family. “It is probable that after confiscation of his lands Osmer Botestoch family were allowed to live in the manor of Bostock, one of his smaller manors, and either allowed to retain it, or hold it doing feudal service to the Vernons in the 12th Century.”

links

• https://www.stirnet.com/genie/data/british/bb4fz/bostock01.php#top (membership required to view without interruption)