John de Havering was a son of Richard de Havering, who was steward of the estates of Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester. His father died in 1267, whereupon de Havering inherited his possessions. During the reign of King Henry III. he was Lord of Grafton in Northamptonshire. From October 1274 to October 1278, de Havering served as Sheriff of Hampshire. After the conquest of Wales, he became Deputy Justiciar of North Wales in 1284. In July 1287 he was one of the commanders of the army, which suppressed the rebellion of the Welsh Lord Rhys ap Maredudd. After the suppression of the rebellion Havering was replaced in November 1287 as Justiciar and travelled with the king in the Gascony. Before returning to England in the summer of 1289, Edward I appointed de Havering Seneschal of Gascony. Right at the beginning of his tenure, Havering interfered in the administration of Bordeaux. The angry citizens turned to the Parlement in Paris, the tribunal of the French kings who were chief lords of Gascony. As a countermeasure, Havering seized wine that was to be exported to England. As early as 1290, the king received disturbing news from the Gascony, and when it was in 1294 because of the Gascony to the war with France came, were numerous citizens and barons of the Gascogne dissatisfied with the English administration. In 1294, Havering returned to England, where the king him to a gathering of English prelates. On behalf of the king, Havering threatened the clergy with outlawry if they did not grant higher taxes. During the Welsh Rebellion from 1294 to 1295 he was charged with the defense of Merionethshire. In 1295, the rebel leader Madog ap Llywelyn surrendered to him, which is why he claimed the reward of 500 marks, which was on the capture of Madog. From 1295 to 1301 he served as Justiciar of North Wales, while he was to investigate the causes of the rebellion.However, he showed little understanding for the Welsh, who were dissatisfied with the high levies and forced recruitment of soldiers for the king's wars. In 1299, Havering was appointed by the King to Parlement. In 1305 Havering was again seneschal of Gascony, which had been occupied during the war with France largely by France and 1303 returned to the English administration. His son Richard de Havering accompanied him to France and served as commander of Bordeaux. As a seneschal Havering but had little income and had only a limited jurisdiction. Therefore, he had trouble ending the feuds between the Sire d ' Albret and the Sire de Caumont and between Count Gaston of Foix and Count Bernard of Armagnac. In April 1306, the king transferred theDuchy of Aquitaine including Gascony the heir to the throneEduard, and after this 1307 English king had become, Havering was replaced in 1308 as Seneschal.
Family and issue
Havering apparently died around 1309. His widow Margaret still owned 1336 estates in Essex and Hertfordshire Havering's heir was his son Richard de Havering
