On the death of Edward the Confessor, Britain was invaded by the Danes, Normans and Scots.

Harold I defeated the Danes under Tostig at Stamford Bridge in the North, but immediately had to hurry south to meet the invasion from Normandy by William the Conqueror.

He was defeated and killed and William went on to take London and claim the throne.
1070 - The Harrowing of the North.

In response to resistance in the North, William laid waste much of the area between Durham and York.

"to be taxed 13 carucates and 7 ploughs.

Uctred had there one manor.

Richard now has it of Earl Hugh,

In the demesne 1 plough and 12 villanes, with 3 ploughs and 20 acres of meadow,

Wood- pasture 2 miles long and 12 quarentens broad.

The whole manor 5 miles long and 2 broad. Value in King Edwards time 40s, at present 16s"

1087 - Death of William the Conqueror.

He was succeeded in Normandy by his eldest son Robert Curthose and in England by his second son, William Rufus.

1088 - There was an abortive conspiracy to put Robert, Duke of Normandy on the English throne.

It was essential to support the right side - William dispossessed those not loyal to him and rewarded his supporters .

This could have been the time when Robert De Brus came into possession of his extensive estates - "43 manors in the East and West Ridings of Yorkshire and 51 in the North, totalling 402 carucates"
or 48 thousand acres of arable land with the woodland etc that went with it.

But - see the year 1106.

To the Norman mind the De Brus's did not "own" this land.

They were the King's tenant-in-chief and held the land on the king's behalf.

In turn anyone who held land from the De Brus's owed them the same duties.

All over England the Normans built stone castles on prominent positions, from which they could dominate their newly won territory and the De Brus's sited theirs at Skelton.

The first Robert De Brus was born in Normandy.

Whether he had fought at Hastings is not known.

One version of history says that he came by his lands in this area when William the Conqueror rewarded his allies, but the Domesday entry contradicts this.

Robert De Brus I was married to Agnes, the daughter of Walter, Earl of St Clair and they had two sons, Robert and William.

1094 - Robert De Brus I died and was succeeded by his eldest son, also called Robert.

This second Robert De Brus had married Agnes, the daughter of Fulk Pagnell, and through her he became lord of Hart and Hartness [manors around Hartlepool] and Carlton and other manors in Cleveland.

They had two sons, Adam and Robert.

The younger son Robert married the heiress to Annandale in Scotland and thereby became lord of that area.

Other versions of history suggest he came by this territory by other means, but, however it was, thus began the chain of events which would see his direct successor Robert the Bruce take the throne of Scotland two hundred years later.

1100 - William Rufus was killed [possibly murdered] while out hunting and the throne of England was claimed by both of his brothers, Henry I and Robert, Duke of Normandy.

Robert landed at Portsmouth and was supported by a number of barons who held land in England and in Normandy and wanted to see the two areas united.

This issue was settled by negotiation, Henry was recognised as King at the expense of a large regular payment to Robert.

1106 - Henry I invaded and conquered Normandy, defeating his brother at the Battle of Tinchebrai.

Henry kept his brother a prisoner for the next 28 years and now sought to avoid any recurrence of rebellion and according to the Anglo Norman chronicler Orderic:-

"treated the magnates with honour and generosity, adding to their wealth and estates, and, by placating them in this way, he won their loyalty,"