I do not recall who asked the question as I have lost most of my e-mails and
am trying to recover what data I can. The question asked was if the
references to Thorfinn was necessarily to Thorfinn, Earl of Caithness.
Admittedly, I cannot find the reference right now. I thought it might have
referred to as Earl. However, the volume was not on the shelf for the three
the reference to Thorfinn being an Earl.
appreciate them sharing it with me. If not, I will continue on with my
search. Thanks.
-----Original Message-----
Sent: Friday, August 22, 2003 9:07 AM
Subject: RE: Orkneyinga Saga
The evidence for the existence of a son Dolfin is found in
several secondary
Ellis, Alfred S., "Biographical Notes on the Yorkshire Tenants Named in
Domesday Book," The Yorkshire Archaeological Journal 4:385 states,
"Gospatric [son of Arkill] took to wife a daughter of Dolfin, son of
Thorfin, and had a son, Gospatric, who "of late ought to have fought with"
(his cousin) Waltheof, son of Eilsi of Tees, perhaps about some of those
lands of the see of Durham, which bishop Aldun had given his
daughter, from
whom both were descended." He does cite Ordericus IV.iv and IV.v in this
general section, but I do not have access to this and do not know if there
is relevant info relating to Dolfin.
Turner, Joseph Horsfall, "Ancient Bingley or Bingley, Its History and
Scenery"(Bingley: Thomas Harrison, 1897.), p. 62 states, "Gospatric fitz
Arkill married a daughter of Dolfin son of Thorfin..."
Speight, Harry, "Chronicles and Stories of Old Bingley"(London: Elliot
Stock, 1898., p. 73 states, "Archil, the father of Gospatric, who lived in
the reign of Edward the Confessor, also rebelled against the
Conqueror, and
was likewise dispossessed. Gospatric took to wife a daughter of Dolphin,
son of Thorfin, and ones of his sons was named after him. Gospatric, the
elder, was the only Englishman in Yorkshire permitted to keep any of his
estates after the survey of England completed by the Conqueror in 1086.
Gospatric forfeited the manor of Bingley, but retained many others,
including the manor of Holden-in-Craven, which he continued to hold as the
king's thane. He must not be confounded with Gospatric, ancestor of the
Earls of Dunbar..."
On page 74 of Speight's book is a pedigree chart showing the relationship
between Gospatric, Earl of Dunbar and Gospatric, son of Arkil. In addition
to Gospatric, Arkil is the father of another Arkil who was the father of
Alwyn, ancestor to the Earls of Lennox as noted in "Complete Peerage" VII,
p. 586. This chart fills in the early part of the pedigree
suggested in CP.
The elder Arkil, son of Uchtred, Earl of Northumbria, is not to be confused
with a contemporary Arkil of Ripley, who Ellis identifies as the son of Ulf
(Ellis, 4:390).
Gospatric Fitz Arkil had another son named Dolfin, which name does not
appear in the family of Gospatric before his supposed marriage with the
daughter of Dolfin, son of Thorfin. Gospatric also had a son
named Thorfin,
presumably named for Thorfin, the son of Sigurd, who later became the Earl
of Caithness (cf. CP II: 473).
Dolfin, son of Thorfin, held the manor of Appletreewick. Dolfin, son of
Gospatric later held three manors: Appletreewick, Hartlington, and
Rilleston. "Ilbert de Laci acquired Dolfin's manor in Bradley" (Ellis,
4:392). This Dolfin also became the ancestor of the family of 'de Hebden',
benefactors to Fountains Abbey, as well as the Brodelegh/Bradley family of
Bingley & Halifax.
I can provide more info if there is any interest in this early family.
Thanks for any help anyone can provide by pointing me in the
right direction
to further verify this line.
Hal Bradley
-----Original Message-----
Sent: Friday, August 01, 2003 1:20 PM
Subject: Re: Orkneyinga Saga
How reliable is the "Orkneyinga Saga" for the period of 1000-1100?
Apparently it was recorded c. 1200. I am trying to document a
third son for
Thorfinn, Earl of Caithness, named Dolfin. "Complete Peerage",
II:473 names
sons Paul and Erland. Apparently, Dolfin died before his father.
Thanks for
your help.
See other responses in this thread for some general comments. As for
the specific matter of an alleged son named Dolfin, the "Orkneyinga
Saga" mentions no such son. That does not mean that no such son
existed, but the question then becomes: What evidence is there for
such a son in the first place?
Stewart Baldwin