| What is this site about? |
| This site is
primarily concerned with the origin of the Scales
name among the Norman and Irish Vikings and the
genealogy of the noble Scales families of the 450
years following the Norman Conquest. The material
is relevant to all present bearers of the Scales
name. Many of us no doubt descend from the early
noble families even though none can by now
establish a direct line. I have integrated a lot
of material from different sources here and this
is probably the most comprehensive rendering of
the story of the Scales name in England in one
location on the Web. |
| The site also
includes a large page devoted to the author's
known relations over the last 200 years or so. If
you know any of these people I would be
interested in hearing from you. |
| I hope this
material proves interesting to other Scaleses out
there. I'd be glad to hear of any further
information that could be used on the site. |
| A
Quick Introduction |
| The Scales
name is Viking in origin and arrived in England
via two routes: the expulsion of the Irish
Vikings leading to their migration to north-west
England and the Norman conquest. The Italian Della
Scala name has the same Scandinavian roots
and arrived in Italy via the Nordic Lombards. |
| The name
arrived among the English nobility with Hardwin
de Scalers, supporter of William the Conqueror.
His descendants split into two branches, one
headed by each of his sons, which are referred to
as the Reed and Shelford branches. |
| The primary
line of the Reed branch in Hertfordshire
terminated with the death of Anne de Scalers in
1493. The primary line of the Shelford branch,
seated at Caxton in Cambridgeshire, terminated
with the death of Lucy de Scalers in 1256. |
| Lucy de Scalers
married into the de Freville family and her
primary line held Caxton Manor until the time of
William de Freville in 1424. A secondary line
married into the Marmion family in 1291 and
acquired Tamworth Castle for the de Frevilles.
This line ended in 1418 with the death of the
last Baldwin de Freville. |
| A secondary
line of the Reed branch became the Middleton
branch in Norfolk. This line became the Barons
Scales and ended with Robert 7th Baron Scales,
the most famous member of the family, and the
death of his daughter Elizabeth de Scales,
sister-in-law of Edward IV, in 1483. |
| The heirs of
the Middleton branch were the de Felbrigg family,
one of whose descendants was Sir William Tyndale,
protestant reformer and translator of the Bible
into English, and the Howard family, whose
descendants included Thomas Howard 3rd Duke of
Norfolk (prominent politician to Henry VIII),
Catherine Howard, Anne Boleyn and Elizabeth I. |
| Now read on! |
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| The
Scales Coat of Arms |
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