Dewarenne:
The earliest Heraldic emblem that can be found for the De Warenne family goes back to John de Warenne and is contained on a seal of about 1301, it is a shield with a chequer board design upon it, no colours are shown.
There is a shield of a later period for the family of Warren, which again is of a chequer board design, the colours are Azure blue on a gold (yellow) background.
Our Coat of arms: (See right)
The Escutcheon (Shield) is divided per cross (quarterly), in the Dexter Chief side of the escutcheon are two swords crossed, on the Sinister chief side is a cannon, the Dexter base side is a bill, and the Sinister base side is a chequer board design in blue and yellow.
The Helm should be a Sallet, and be shown in profile to represent a Peer or Gentleman rather than full face which would represent Royalty.
The supporter on the Dexter side is a Wyvern. The Wyvern of mythology typifies viciousness and envy, and became the symbol of pestilence and plague, in heraldry it is used as a symbol for overthrowing the tyranny of a demonic enemy.
The supporter on the Sinister side is a Cockatrice. The Cockatrice is hatched on a dunghill from a cocks egg by a serpent, it is so venomous that its look or breath is lethal to all other creatures ((except for the weasel). At the age of nine years the Cockatrice will will lay an egg on a midden and a toad will come to hatch it and produce,not another Cockatrice, but a Basilisk, which has a dragon`s head at the end of its tail. So dreadfull is its appearance that should it catch sight of its reflection it will instantly burst with horror.
William Warenne, first earl of Surrey (died 1088):
The above appears to have been the son of Rudolph or Ralph by his second wife, Emma, Rudolph himself being the son of Hugh, Bishop of Coutances, by a sister of Gunnor, wife of Richard 1 Duke of the Normans. His name was derived from his fortress situated on the left bank of the Varenne. He was a knight at the battle of Mortemer in 1054, and, when after the battle, Roger de Mortemer, his kinsman, offended Duke William, the Duke gave the castle of Mortemer to William Warenne.
He was one of the Lords consulted by the Duke with reference to his complaints against Harold (King of England), and was present at the Battle of Hastings. When the Conqueror returned to Normandy in March 1067 he appointed William, with other Lords, to assist the two vice-roys in England. Grants of land were given him by the King, in Sussex he held Lewes, where he erected a castle, and about a sixth part of the County. He is said to have built another castle at Reigate in Surrey, and a third castle at Castle Acre in Norfolk.
In 1069 he received Conisborough in the West Riding, with its appendages, and he became wealthy, for in 1086 he held lands in twelve counties. He fought against the rebels in the Isle of Ely in 1071, and is represented as having a special grudge against Hereward the Wake who is said to have slain his brother Frederic.
During the absence of the king in 1075 Warenne was joint chief justiciar with Richard de Claire and took a leading part in suppressing the rebellions of the Earls of Hereford and Norfolk. William de Warenne remained faithful to William Rufus in the rebellion of 1088, and the position of his castle at Lewes rendered his loyalty especially useful to the King, probably in that year Rufus gave him the Earldom of Surrey at an assembly held at Winchester.
It is said that the Earl was wounded in the leg by an arrow at the siege of Pevensey, and was carried to Lewes, where he died. He was buried in the chapter house of Lewes, with an epitaph given by Orderic. He is described as being remarkably valiant. His remains were discovered at Lewes in 1845, and were re-interred at Southover in that borough.
