John FitzWalter, 2nd Baron FitzWalter.
John FitzWalter, 2nd Baron FitzWalter (c. 1315 – 1361), was a prominent Essex landowner who waged an armed campaign against the neighbouring town of Colchester. With connections to the powerful de Clare family, who had arrived in England at the time of the Norman conquest, the FitzWalter family was of a noble and ancient lineage. They held estates across Essex, as well as properties in London and Norfolk. John FitzWalter played a prominent role during the early years of King Edward III's wars in France. FitzWalter's dispute with Colchester was exacerbated when townsmen illegally entered his park in Lexden; in return, he banned them from one of their own watermills. In 1342, he ransacked Colchester, destroyed its market, and besieged the town, preventing anyone from entering or leaving. In 1351, he was arrested and imprisoned in the Marshalsea. He languished in the Tower of London for over a year until the king agreed to pardon him.
