Commentary
Weis: "great-granddau. of Hugh de Grandmesnil, a companion to William the conqueror."

Europaische Stammtafeln Volume III/4 Tafel 700 gives her father as Hugues, Senechal of England. Sources for Tafels 700/701A/702-704 is quite a list.

CP Volume VII page 530-532 (really 532): In the main text her parents are not discovered but she is a great-granddaughter of (a) Hugues 'the Domesday Tenant'. In footnote h, is again mention of a Hugues as her father with the notation "this is clearly wrong" and goes into great detail.

Chris Phillip's webpage on Corrections and Additions to the Complete Peerage. See the website medievalgenealogy.org.uk, specifically the following URL:

http://www.medievalgenealogy.org.uk/cp/leicester.shtml

The probable descent (not showing all siblings) is likely as follows:
        Hugh de Grandmesnil  =  Adeliza de Beaumont-sur-Oise
            _________________I
            I
        Robert de Grandmesnil  =  1) Agnes de    =  2) Emma de
                _______________I     Bayeux      I    Stuteville
                I                                I_______
                I                                       I
        William de Grandmesnil                    Beatrix 'de Rye'
                I
                I
        Petronilla (or Pernel)  =  Robert de Beaumont
                                I   3rd Earl of Leicester
                                I
                                V

Peter Stewart: "Pernel's father was named William. There are two candidates of this name around the right time in the family of Grandmesnil - one was the son of Robert II apparently by his second wife, Emma de Stuteville, and the other was a son of Robert II's brother Guilluame of Cotrone by Robert Guiscard's daughter Mabilia known as 'Curta-lupa'. Interestingly, one or other of these was perhaps married to a lady named Agatha - they are recorded in an obituary under 3 October, "Willelmus de Grandmesnil et uxor ejus Agatha". The names Agatha and Petronilla (or Pernel) notably occur together in the comital family of Vendôme - Foulques l'Oison (died 1066) and his wife Petronilla of Château-Renaud had a daughter Agatha (living 1106) who married Raoul Payen of Montreveau (died 1098), a son of Raoul IV, viscount of Beaumont. However, there were of course other families closer to Grandmesnil using each of these names - for instance, Robert Giroie had a daughter Agatha by his second wife Felicia of Connerré. Robert Giroie's family used both names, though not in close association - his cousin Ernold, seigneur of Échauffour, had a daughter named Pernel (who became a nun in Angers) by his wife Emma."

Peter Stewart: "Orderic says that Robert de Grantmesnil's first wife Agnes was a daughter of Ranulf of Bayeux ("Primo duxit Agnetem Ranulfi Baiocensis filiam"), i.e of the viscount who died in November 1120, and not of his son Ranulf, earl of Chester, who married Lucy and died in January 1129."

http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/GEN-MEDIEVAL/2016-05/1463318946
From: Doug Smith
Subject: Re: Hugh de Grandmesnil - Companion of the Conqueror
Date: Sun, 15 May 2016

A start at references for ... Petronille: Cartulary of St-Evroult, ii, fo 33v. Runciman, A History of the Crusades, vol. 1, p 238. David Crouch [The Beaumont Twins, p. 91.

https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/soc.genealogy.medieval/2LxfjMCvo5Y
From: Chris Phillips
Date: 8/9/99

This is by way of a postscript to the discussion a few months ago about the ancestry of Petronella, heiress of the Norman honor of Grandmesnil, and wife of Robert, Earl of Leicester (d.1190). I have finally got round to looking at all the references people were kind enough to suggest (and a few more), and thought I would post the comments below, in the hope they might be useful.

To recap briefly, Petronella has long been known to have been a great granddaughter of Hugh de Grandmesnil, the Domesday tenant [1], and more recently it has been discovered [2] that Petronella’s father was called William. Assuming that William was a descendant of Hugh in the male line, the question is: which of Hugh’s five sons was the father of William?

Firstly, as Richard Borthwick pointed out during the previous discussion, Keats-Rohan [3] says that Petronella’s father William was the son of Robert (Hugh’s eldest son), by his second wife Emma [daughter of Robert] de Stuteville. A similar descent was tentatively suggested in the Complete Peerage, on the basis that it was Robert who had inherited the honor of Grandmesnil (although CP did not know the name of Petronella’s father, and wrongly guessed that he was called Hugh). If Keats-Rohan’s identification is based on direct evidence rather than inference, the question should be finally settled next year when vol.2 of ‘Domesday People’ appears.

In the meantime, what I’ve been able to find, for what it’s worth, is as follows.

Nearly all the genealogical evidence about the family derives from the Ecclesiastical History of Orderic Vitalis [4]. This includes an overall survey of the family written (possibly as a later edition to the work) after the death of Robert, the eldest son of Hugh, around 1136. Unfortunately, Robert’s heir is not named. However, there is no indication that he died without issue; at any rate, his longevity is contrasted with the fate of his younger brothers: ‘not one of them [the brothers] except Robert lived to old age or enjoyed peaceful prosperity for very long’.

Orderic does mention one grandson of Hugh who was called William. This was the son of Hugh’s son William, who went to Apulia and married Mabel, daughter of Robert Guiscard. The fullest accounts of the Apulian branch I have seen are those of Chalandon [5] and Jamison [6]. On this evidence, the younger William does not seem a very likely candidate as the father of Petronella. The elder William was dead by 1114 [7]. His initial heir seems to have been the younger William, but he was succeeded by his brother Robert by the late 1120s (apparently by 1127 [5]). Perhaps it could still be argued that an infant daughter of William (Petronella?) might be passed over in favour of his adult brother. But as Petronella married in the mid-to-late 1150s [8], presumably she would have been born around the late 1130s, so that, even given this special pleading, the Apulian William would have died 10-20 years too early to be her father.

Returning to the Norman branch, I came across a couple of documents which may refer to the William who was the father of Petronella:

(i) A charter of Henry II (1157) confirms to the hospital of Falaise (among other lands) ‘the chapel of Vilers and the land, given them by Hugh de Merlaio and William de Grentmesnil and other prudhommes of that vill’ [9]

(ii) A charter (undated), abstracted by Lechaude d’Anisy [10], by which Beatrix de Rye gives to St Jean of Falaise various pieces of land in Beauvane-en-Montabart, for the well-being of her mother Emma and of her brother William de Grentemesnil, and confirms their gifts to this abbey. (Her son is later named as William de Rye.)

Unfortunately, Beatrix’s charter is not dated, although if the abstract is accurate in referring to St Jean as an abbey, it must at least be later than May 1160 [11]. Perhaps someone with more specialist knowledge can comment on the dating. But granted that both charters refer to the same house, it seems probable that they refer to the same William de Grandmesnil. This would be in the right time-frame to be the father of Petronella.

If this identification is correct, Beatrix’s mother Emma could be the Emma, daughter of Robert de Stuteville, who was the second wife of Robert de Grandmesnil (Hugh’s eldest son) (and this is precisely the parentage for William stated by Keats-Rohan [3]). Perhaps it is also worth noting that the name Beatrix occurs in the de Stuteville family; in fact according to Clay’s reconstruction [12], Beatrix was the mother of Emma de Stuteville. On this basis, the Beatrix de Rye of the charter would have been named after her maternal grandmother.

I realise none of this is at all conclusive, although it does seem consistent with a straightforward inheritance of the honor of Grandmesnil
by Robert the eldest son of Hugh, followed by Robert’s son William, and finally, through William’s daughter Petronilla, by the ‘Beaumont’ earls of Leicester.

References
[1] J.H.Round, Cal. Docs France no 653.
[2] D.Crouch, ‘The Beaumont Twins’, p.91, citing Ctl St-Evroult, ii, fo 33v.
[3] K.S.B.Keats-Rohan, ‘Domesday People’ (1999), p.263.
[4] ed. M.Chibnall (1980).
[5] F.Chalandon, ‘Histoire de la Domination Normande en Italie et en Sicile’ (1907).
[6] E.M.Jamison, ‘Some Notes on the Anonymi Gesta Francorum ...’ (1939), in ‘Studies on the History of Medieval Sicily and South Italy (1992), p.291.
[7] Although [5] cites a supposed charter to which William is a party in 1122, [6] mentions at least three documents between 1114 and 1117 which imply he is dead.
[8] Complete Peerage, ‘Leicester’, citing J.H.Round, Cal. Docs France no 1062.
[9] J.H.Round, Cal. Docs France no 1157.
[10] Lechaude d’Anisy, ‘Extrait des Chartes, et Autres Actes, Normands ou Anglo-Normands, qui se trouvent dans les archives du Calvados’ (1834) i 232, no 9.
[The French text is: Beatrix de Rye, par une charte sans date, donne a Saint-Jean-de-Falaise, avec le consentement de son fils, diverses pieces de terre a Beauvane-en-Montabart, pour le salut d’Emma, sa mere, et de Guillaume de Grentemesnil, son frere, et confirme en meme temps les donations que ces deux derniers avaient faites a cette abbaye. La charte porte que Beatrix recut pour cette concession, non seulement diverses sommes d’argent, mais encore trois palefrois et une vache pour elle; et pour son fils Guillaume de Rye, un cheval du prix de cent dix sols angevins. Cette charte porte egalement qu’elle la scella de son propre sceau et qu’elle le fit confirmer aux assises de Falaise par les gens du roi, Guillaume de Creully, Henri de Pont-Audemer, Michel Belet et Julien de Rye. (Ce sceau est brise).]
[11] Before this date the house had been a priory. A.Meriel, ‘Histoire de l’Abbaye Royale de Saint-Jean-de-Falaise’ (1883).
[12] C.T.Clay (ed.) Early Yorkshire Charters, vol.ix, p.2 (1952). Beatrix certainly seems likely to have been an ancestress of the Emma who married Robert de Grandmesnil. But it is difficult to reconcile in detail the entry form the Liber Vitae of Durham with Clay’s pedigree (see separate posting).

http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/GEN-MEDIEVAL/2017-05/1494290821
From: Douglas Richardson
Subject: Re: Pernel de Grandmesnil, wife of Robert, 2nd Earl of Leicester
Date: Mon, 8 May 2017 17:47:01 -0700 (PDT)
...

There is a pedigree of the Earls of Leicester included in the foundation narrative of Hospital of St. Leonard, Leicester. This material was published by Dugdale many years ago and reads as follows:

“Robertus oves les Blanc Meins, Comes Leicestrensis tertius, post conquestum, desponsavit Petronillam filiam Hugonis Grantmenyl, cum qua accepit totum honorem de Hincley unà cum senescatu Angliæ, ex dono ejusdem Hugonis, &c. Hic genuit de dictâ Petronillâ, Robertum dictum filium Petronillæ hæredem; Rogerum, S. Andreæ in Scotiâ episcopum, et Willielmum leprosum, fundatorem hospitalis S. Leonardi Leicestriæ; Amiciam desponsatam Simoni de Monteforti, et Margaretam desponsatam Saiero de Quinci, &c.” Reference: Dugdale, Monasticon Anglicanum 6(2) (1846): 686 (ped. of founders of Hospital of St. Leonard, Leicester).

We see here that Pernel, wife of Robert, Earl of Leicester, is specifically called the daughter of Hugh de Grandmesnil ["filiam Hugonis Grantmenyl"]. The implication is made that she was an heiress, although this is not directly stated.

The foundation narrative was the source for the following statement in a well written article on the early Earls of Leicester in the Genealogist n.s. 10 (1893): 1–16. This sentence reads as follows:

“[Robert, Earl of Leicester] had married Petronilla, dau. and most probably sole heiress of Hugh de Grentemesnil. It is said that she was heiress of Hinckley, and that to this manor was attached the Stewardship of England.”).

... Countess Pernel issued a charter to the Abbey of Saint Evroul, which charter was granted for her soul, and for the souls of William her father and all her ancestors. This charter was first noticed by the historian, David Crouch, in his book, Beaumont Twins (1986): 91. If I understand the Latin of this charter correctly, Countess Pernel also confirmed the previous gifts to Saint Evroul of her great-grandfather ["pro avi"], Hugh de Grantemesnil [Reference: Cartulaire de l’Abbaye de Saint-Evroul, dioc. de Lisieux, Latin 11055, fol. 33v–35v.]. The surname of Pernel's father is not given in this record, and it has been assumed that he was a male member of the Grandmesnil family. While I think this is probably a correct assumption, this may or may not be right.

The noted medieval historian Mr. Round saw the original of another charter issued by the same countess to the same abbey, which charter had a fragment of a seal still attached to it [see transcript below]. He states that this charter was granted for the "weal" of the Countess' soul and "those of all her predecessors and successors." No mention is made of her father being named William in this record, nor is there any mention of her great-grandfather, Hugh de Grandmesnil. This charter was presumably issued about the same time as the other charter, as both are witnessed by her chaplains, Gregory and William, and William de Seneville.

Insofar as the names of Countess Pernel's parents are concerned, this is a matter of ongoing research. Keats-Rohan, Domesday People I (1999): 263 states that Pernel de Grandmesnil’s father, William, was the son of Robert de Grandmesnil by Emma d’Estouteville, but no evidence is cited for this relationship.

Charles Cawley in his online Medlands database states that inasmuch as Countess Pernel brought the honour of Grantmesnil in Normandy to her husband, her father, William/Guillaume, "must have been senior heir of the Grantmesnil family."
That is likely correct, but it deserves further study. Having said that, Mr. Cawley has suggested three different possibilities for the identification of Countess Pernel's father William and his place in the Grandmesnil family:

(1) The ancient necrology of the royal abbey of St. Denys records the deaths “V. Non. October" [3 October] [year not stated] of "Vuillelmus de Grandmesnil & uxore ejus Agatha” (i.e., William/Guillaume de Grandmesnil and his wife, Agatha”) [Reference: Felibien, Histoire de l’Abbaye Royale de Saint-Denys en France (1706): ccxvi]. Cawley suggests that this couple may be the parents of Countess Pernel.

(2) Mr. Cawley suggests that Countess Pernel's father, William, may be the William (or Guglielmo) de Grandmesnil, signore of Oriolo in Italy, who issued a charter in 1117 with his widowed mother, Countess Mabel, to Cava. References: Il monastero di S. Elia di Carbone e il suo territorio dal Medioevo all'età moderna (1996): 123; Monasteri, principi, aristocrazie: la Trinità di Cava nei secoli XI e XII (2008): 75.

(3) Mr. Cawley suggests that Countess Pernel's father, William, could have been the grandson of Hugh de Grandmesnil [died 1098] by a younger son or one of his daughters. This statement suggests that Countess Pernel's father, William, may or may not have been a male member of the Grandmesnil family.

What is my take of all of this? I think the charter evidence cited by Mr. Crouch is sufficient to accept that Countess Pernel's father was named William. Whoever this William was, he appears not to have lived in England. My guess is that he may not even have resided in Normandy. As such I'm attracted to Mr. Cawley's Italian alternative (Cawley Theory No. 2 above), but would like to know more about the Grandmesnil family in Italy before proceeding further.

...

Reference: Round, Cal. of Documents preserved in France 1 (1899): 228.

[N. D.]
(Original in archives, H. 900.
Fragment of seal.
Trans. I. fo. 300.)

651. Charter of Parnel (Petronilla) countess of Leicester. For the weal of her soul and those of all her predecessors and successors, she gives the abbey of St. Evroul and its monks the house (domus) of Charleia with all its appurtenances, etc., and a carucate of land in the vill of Anesty and her “demesne” meadow there and the mill, with its suit and ten “codselli” (fn. 22) of land … with their appurtenances on condition that the prior to be placed there by the abbot shall not be removed from that house so long as he is of honourable and good life.

His testibus: Thoma de Estleia; Radulfo de Martinwas; Willelmo Picot; Willelmo de Sennevilla; Symone de Turvilla; Radulfo Fridai; Gregorio capellano; Willelmo capellano Jordano clerico, et multi alii.
Family
ClaimDetailEvidence
FatherHugh de Grandmesnil (e1094-) [S756] [S905]
research
SpouseRobert de Beaumont III, 3rd Earl of Leicester (e1132-1190) 
Child +Margaret de Beaumont (e1160-1235) [S756] [S954]
research
Attributes
ClaimDetailEvidence
GenderFemale
NamePetronilla de Grandmesnil [S756]
research
NamePernell de Grandmesnil [S756]
research
NamePernel [S905] [S954]
research
NamePetronille [S905] [S954]
research
FatherHugh de Grandmesnil (e1094-) [S756] [S905]
research
Timeline
ClaimDateDetailAgeEvidence
Birthest 1133 (1132-1137)
 
Marriageabt 1155Robert de Beaumont III, 3rd Earl of Leicester (e1132-1190) [S756] [S905]
research
Marriagebef 1159Robert de Beaumont III, 3rd Earl of Leicester (e1132-1190) [S954]
research
DeathApr 1, 1212 [S756] [S905]
research
Sources
IndexTitle
[S756] Weis, Frederick Lewis, "Ancestral Roots of Sixty Colonists Who Came To New England before 1700, 7th Ed." (Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., Baltimore, 1999).
[S905] Cawley, Charles, "Foundation of Medieval Genealogy (Medieval Lands - Normandy: Alencon, Evereux, Meulan, Perche)" (2006-7 (v1.1 Updated 02 March 2007)) (https://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/NORMANDY NOBILITY.htm).
[S954] Cawley, Charles, "Foundation of Medieval Genealogy (Medieval Lands - England Earls 1067-1122)" (2006-7 (v1.1 Updated 23 April 2007)).