John FitzWalter (1315 – 18 October 1361) was a prominent Essex landowner best known for his criminal activities, particularly around Colchester. He waged an armed campaign against the neighbouring town of Colchester, almost from the moment he reached adulthood. In 1342 he besieged the town, preventing anyone entering or leaving for some weeks, as well as ransacking much property and destroying the market. He was finally brought to justice in 1351 after a royal commission to investigate a broad range of social ills, among which he and his gang were found guilty. He died in 1361, still paying off his fine, leaving a son, Walter, as his heir.
About John FitzWalter, 2nd Baron FitzWalter in brief
John FitzWalter (1315 – 18 October 1361) was a prominent Essex landowner best known for his criminal activities, particularly around Colchester. He waged an armed campaign against the neighbouring town of Colchester, almost from the moment he reached adulthood. In 1342 he besieged the town, preventing anyone entering or leaving for some weeks, as well as ransacking much property and destroying the market. He was finally brought to justice in 1351 after a royal commission to investigate a broad range of social ills, among which he and his gang were found guilty. He died in 1361, still paying off his fine, leaving a son, Walter, as his heir. Historians have considered his criminality as illustrating how the disorder that pervaded the 15th century had its origins in the 14th. The FitzWalters held estates across Essex, aswell as properties in London and Norfolk. The family was of a noble and ancient lineage, with connections to the powerful de Clare family, who had arrived in England at the time of the Norman conquest of England. John’s ancestor, also named Robert, had been a leading rebel against King John in the early 13th century. John was raised by his widowed mother, who may have turned him into a difficult and dangerous adult by law. Although he could not receive his inheritance until he was 21, in the event he was allowed to enter into his estates and titles slightly early in 1335, when he was about 20 years old.
This may have contributed to his later criminal behaviour, and a wish to augment his wealth later in life. He received livery of two-thirds of his inheritance, held by his mother as her dower, by the remainder being held by her mother. He also served on the royal council and attended parliament regularly, but notwithstanding his royal service, he never held office in his county. The King despatched a commission to Chelmsford to investigate ills in the county, including the ransack of the market in Colchester in 1342. Although most of his force received little or no punishment, Fitz Walter himself was arrested and sent to London; he was immediately imprisoned in the Marshalsea. He then languished in the Tower of London for over a year until the King agreed to pardon him. Fitzwalter was released and restored to his estates, but only on the condition that he buy the lands back from the King for the immense sum of over £800. The family has been described as ‘warlike as well. as rich’ even before FitzWaler was born. The house of Dunmow in north-Essex was a wealthy and long-established family in the north- Essex area. Descended from the conquest-era Lords of Clare, the family held estates concentrated around the lordship ofDunmow. They also held estates as distant as Woodham, Chigwell, Diss in Norfolk, and Castle Baynard in London.
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