Gerard de Canville

[2][circular reference] Born before 1153, he was the son of Richard de Canville, lord of the manor of Middleton Stoney in Oxfordshire where he had a castle, and his first wife Alice.

His father was a loyal supporter of King Stephen of England, and of his successor Henry II, until his death in 1176 when most of his lands passed to his son.

[1] Already from 1174 a close associate of the king, by 1185 he had married a widowed heiress, Nicola de la Haie, and as her husband held not only her lands in England and Normandy but also her hereditary offices of sheriff of Lincolnshire and constable of Lincoln Castle.

Though he was able to buy back the right to his estates, but not his posts, he then faced legal charges brought by Longchamp over sheltering criminals and participating in John's illegal seizure of the castles of Nottingham and Tickhill.

[5] In addition to Middleton Stoney, from his father he inherited lands at King's Sutton and Duddington in Northamptonshire, Godington in Oxfordshire and Avington in Berkshire.