Ela Longespée
Ela Longespée, Countess of Warwick was an English peeress. She was the daughter of Ela of Salisbury, 3rd Countess of Salisbury and William Longespée, and sister to, among others, Nicholas Longespee, Bishop of Salisbury. Ela married, first, Thomas de Beaumont, 6th Earl of Warwick, and, secondly, Philip Basset. She was a great religious benefactor, and contributed to the foundation of Merton College, Oxford.
Ela was probably born sometime around 1210, and married Thomas de Beaumont in 1229. He died in 1242, leaving her a wealthy widow. Ela was involved in her mother's foundation of Lacock Abbey during the 1240s. She settled mainly in Oxfordshire. In about 1254, she married Philip Basset. Together they patronised the friars, and gave money and support to Walter de Merton's new college. She had no issue of either marriage.
After the death of Philip Basset in 1271, Ela gave money and lands to Oseney Abbey, St Frideswide's, Bicester Priory, Thame Abbey, Rewley Abbey, Studley Priory, Oxfordshire, Lacock Abbey and Godstow Abbey. In return, she acquired a complicated set of masses and services. In 1293, she founded the University of Oxford's Warwick chest - substantial bursaries for poor scholars - and gave money towards the chapel of Balliol College.
Ela retired in the 1290s to Godstow, dying a year after her brother Nicholas, in 1298. Her body was buried at Oseney and her entrails at Rewley. Her heart may have been buried elsewhere.
Ela kept her Longespée name, and her seals all display her own coat of arms prominently, as well as carrying those of her husbands.
