Picot of Cambridge

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Picot of Cambridge (c.1022–after 1090) was a Norman landowner and Sheriff of Cambridgeshire.

Born in Saye, Normandy, he rose from obscurity to become Sheriff of Cambridgeshire aa early as 1071 until at least 1090.^[1] He treated Cambridge (then known as Cantebrigge or Grentebrige) as his own, knocking down 27 houses to build a castle (probably of wood), 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".^[2]

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.^[3]

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 (or Paganus) Peveril.^[4]

References