A northern baron (Warkworth) and East Anglian sheriff who holds, through his wife, the Chesney inheritance: Horsford castle north of Norwich and the barony of Blythburgh on the Suffolk coast.
He founded the Premonstratensian abbey of Langley in 1195. On 1 January 1200 he is the sheriff of Norfolk and Suffolk.
Who he is
- Name
- Robert FitzRoger (Robert fitz Roger, of Clavering)
- Title
- Sheriff of Norfolk and Suffolk (from Michaelmas 1197 to Easter 1200); lord of Warkworth; lord of Horsford and Blythburgh in right of his wife
- Since
- His marriage to Margaret de Chesney, widow of Hugh de Cressy (after 1189; not pinned)
- Born
- Not pinned
- Family
- Married Margaret, daughter and co-heiress of William de Chesney, who brought the bulk of her father's estates. Their son John FitzRobert is the heir. He bought royal confirmation of Warkworth in 1199.
- Confidence
- high
His sheriff's terms are from the Wikipedia article (Michaelmas 1190 to Easter 1194 and Michaelmas 1197 to Easter 1200). Under Longchamp he had custody of Orford and Eye castles.
Overlord
King John
What it holds
- Horsford castle and its manors north of Norwich
- The barony of Blythburgh (Suffolk)
- Langley abbey (Premonstratensian, his foundation of 1195)
- Warkworth in Northumberland (eno) and Clavering in Essex (ese)
- The shrievalty of Norfolk and Suffolk with Norwich castle (to Easter 1200)
How it was acquired
By marriage; Warkworth by inheritance from his father Roger FitzRichard.
Allies and rivals
A trusted royal servant under Longchamp and John.
How things stand that morning
Sheriff in office; holds Horsford and Blythburgh.
Wealth
His wife's estates; the sheriff's profits.
Military
Horsford castle; Norwich castle as sheriff.
Threats
- Loss of the shrievalty at Easter 1200
What the year holds
What happened next, if nothing in play changes it. Each event carries what it depends on and what would stop it.
- Easter 1200Leaves the shrievalty of Norfolk and Suffolk; he is sheriff of Northumberland in the 1200s.Depends on: the king's Easter appointments Stopped by: John keeping him in East Anglia
Places of note
- Horsford castle: Chesney castle
- Blythburgh: Barony caput
- Langley abbey: His foundation, 1195
Where the sources disagree
Evidence: Offices firm (Wikipedia); the marriage date not pinned.
On the map: Two capita drawn; the wife's other manors not drawn.
Primary sources for England
Chronicles, registers, sagas and inscriptions written in or near 1200 that cover this entry. Each has its own page with editions, translations and where to read it.
- Chronicle of Jocelin of Brakelond, Jocelin of Brakelond (about 1198 to 1203). An inside account of Bury St Edmunds under Abbot Samson, written while the events were fresh. Read online
- Chronicle of Melrose, Anonymous (monks of Melrose abbey) (about 1173 to 1270, in many hands; the 1200 entries are near contemporary). The main Scottish annal for the year, kept at a Cistercian house on the Tweed. Read online
- Chronicle of Roger of Howden, Roger of Howden (about 1192 to 1201). The fullest single narrative for the year. Read online
- Chronicle of the Princes, Anonymous (Welsh translation of a lost Latin chronicle kept at Strata Florida) (Latin original to about 1282, compiled from contemporary annals; Welsh versions about 1300 and later). The native Welsh record of the year. Read online
- Chronicle; Deeds of the Kings, Gervase of Canterbury (Chronica about 1188 to 1199; Gesta Regum about 1199 to 1210). The Chronica stops in 1199, so for 1200 the witness is the briefer Gesta Regum, which notes John's peace with Philip, the coronation of Isabella at Westminster on 8 October 1200, and matters touching Canterbury: the archbishop Hubert Walter as chancellor, the cathedral priory's quarrel with him, and the Lambeth college dispute lately settled by the pope. Read online
- English Chronicle of Ralph of Coggeshall, Ralph of Coggeshall (about 1200 to 1224, in stages). Short but independent entries for 1200 from a Cistercian house in Essex: John's levy on the Cistercians and the carucage, the peace with Philip, the king's new marriage and the queen's coronation, and the death of Hugh of Lincoln. Read online
- Flowers of History, Roger of Wendover (about 1220 to 1235 at St Albans). For 1200 Wendover is mostly Howden rewritten, so he is a second witness only where he adds St Albans material: a long account of Hugh of Lincoln's last months, death and funeral, and anecdotes about John's conduct toward the Cistercians and his new queen. Read online
- Images of History, Ralph de Diceto (about 1188 to 1202). A London view of the year from the dean of St Paul's, who knew the justiciar and the bishops personally. Read online
22 more in the sources library for The British Isles.
Sources and studies
Last revised 4 November 2026. Published 4 November 2026. Suggest a correction on the OMNIA Discord.