Challen History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The surname Challen was first found in Burgundy (French: Bourgogne) where John, Count of Chalon (1190-1267) called the Old (l'Antique), was a French nobleman. He was the son of Stephen III of Auxonne and Beatrice, Countess of Châlon. He had three wives and 16 children. Amoung them was John I of Châlon (1259-1316), seigneur d'Arlay, founder of the Châlon-Arlay branch of the house of Ivrea.

Some emigrated to England shortly after the Conquest. "In the time of Henry 11. Harduin de Chalons married the heiress of Leigh in Devonshire, where his successors flourished for not less than three centuries and a half ; though the time when they became extinct has never been accurately ascertained.

Lyons reckons up twelve descents from the founder of the family, which would bring them down to the reign of Henry VHL, if not later. Their pedigree furnishes a list of great alliances; among them we find co-heiresses of the famous houses of Cantelupe, Mauduit, and Beauchamp. " Challons-Leigh," says Westcote, " takes denomination from the issue of the great Earl of Challons, of whose third son came Sir Harduin de Challons ; and after, Sir Peter Challons of Challons-Leigh under King John ; Sir Ralph, under Edward I.: divers others in descent, until Catharine, a daughter and heir of the family, weakened the strength of their state by strengthening St. Awbin ; yet there remained a branch of the same stock, but planted in another soil." This was in the parish of Tavistock. 1