Henry de Cobham, 1st Baron Cobham facts for kids

The arms of the Cobham family from Kent. It shows three black lions on a gold chevron, all on a red shield.

Henry de Cobham, 1st Baron Cobham (born around 1260 – died August 25, 1339) was an important English noble. He was the lord of the lands of Cobham, Kent and Cooling, both in Kent, England.

His Family and Early Life

This monumental brass in Cobham Church shows Joan Septvans (died 1298). She was the wife of John de Cobham and the mother of Henry de Cobham, 1st Baron Cobham.

Henry was the son of John de Cobham (died 1300). His father was also a lord of Cobham and Cooling. John de Cobham held many important jobs, including Sheriff of Kent and Constable of Rochester Castle. Henry's mother was Joan de Septvans (died 1298). Her special memorial, called a monumental brass, can still be seen in Cobham Church today. She was the daughter of Sir Robert de Septvans.

The Cobham family had a special coat of arms. It was a red shield with a gold chevron (a V-shape). On the chevron were three black lions standing on their hind legs. You can see this design on the brass of Henry's mother in Cobham Church.

A Special Memorial: His Mother's Brass

A beautiful monumental brass was placed in St Mary Magdalene's Church in Cobham in 1320. It honors Joan Septvans, Henry's mother. This brass is one of the oldest examples of a Gothic canopy design.

The words on the brass are in an old language called Longobardic letters and rhyme. They say:

This means: "Dame Jone de Cobham lies here, may God have mercy on her soul. Whoever prays for her soul shall have forty days of pardon."

Cobham Church is famous for its many brasses. One expert, William Belcher, said in 1905 that no other church in the world has such a wonderful collection. There are nineteen brasses there, dating from 1298 to 1529. Thirteen of these brasses remember members of the Cobham family.

What Did Henry de Cobham Do?

An illustration from Henry de Cobham's Apocalypse, a special book made in the 1330s.

Henry de Cobham held many important positions for the King. In 1303/1304, he became the Constable of Rochester Castle for his entire life. He was also Constable of Dover Castle, Tonbridge Castle, and Canterbury. All these places are in Kent.

He was the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports in 1307 and again from 1315 to 1320. This was a very important job, protecting the main ports along the coast. He also served three times as Sheriff of Kent (in 1300–1301, 1307, and 1315). The Sheriff was like a chief law enforcement officer for the county.

Becoming a Baron

On January 8, 1312/1313, Henry was given the title of Baron Cobham. This meant he was a noble and could be called to the King's Parliament. His title was "Baron Cobham of Kent" to show which branch of the Cobham family he belonged to. In 1322, he was in charge of the trial of Bartholomew de Badlesmere, 1st Baron Badlesmere for treason.

His Family and Later Life

Before July 1285, Henry de Cobham married Maud de Moreville. She was the daughter of Eudes de Moreville. Henry and Maud had children, including their son and heir:

• John de Cobham, 2nd Baron Cobham (died 1355).

Where He Died

Henry de Cobham died at Hatch Beauchamp in Somerset. This was the home of the Beauchamp family. He was buried in the Beauchamp Chapel at Stoke-sub-Hamdon, also in Somerset. He left a beautifully illustrated book called an Apocalypse to Juliana Leybourne.