Henry de Cobham, 1st Baron Cobham


Henry de Cobham, 1st Baron Cobham lord of the Manor of Cobham, Kent and of Cooling, both in Kent, was an English peer.

Origins

He was the son and heir of John de Cobham, of Cobham and of Cooling, Sheriff of Kent, Constable of Rochester Castle in Kent and one of the Barons of the Exchequer, by his wife Joan de Septvans, whose monumental brass survives in Cobham Church, a daughter and co-heiress of Sir Robert de Septvans of Chartham in Kent.
His uncle was Sir Henry de Cobham, of Rundale, Kent, Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, who by his wife Joan Pencester , was the father of Stephen de Cobham, 1st Baron Cobham "of Rundale" and of John de Cobham, the latter who died childless.
The Cobham coat of arms was: Gules, on a chevron or three lions rampant sable, as visible on the top two shields on the brass in Cobham Church of Joan Septvans, wife of John de Cobham and mother of Henry de Cobham, 1st Baron Cobham.

Brass of mother

A monumental brass, laid down in 1320, survives in St Mary Magdalene's Church, Cobham, of Joan Septvans, wife of John de Cobham and mother of Henry de Cobham, 1st Baron Cobham. It displays one of the earliest known specimens of a Gothic canopy. The inscription, in Longobardic letters and Leonine verse is as follows:



. Concerning the famous Cobham brasses William Belcher in his Kentish Brasses stated: Kent is peculiarly rich in Brasses. It has, perhaps, a larger number and a more representative collection than any other county, although individually finer examples may be found elsewhere. No church in the world possesses such a splendid series as the nineteen brasses in Cobham Church, ranging in date between 1298 and 1529. Thirteen of the brasses belong to the years 1320–1529 and commemorate members of the Cobham family and of the Brooke family, their heirs.

Career

He was made Constable of Rochester Castle for life in 1303/4, of Dover Castle, of Tonbridge Castle in 1324 and of Canterbury, all in Kent. He was Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports in 1307 and between 1315 and 1320 and he served thrice as Sheriff of Kent.
On 8 January 1312/13 he was created Baron Cobham "of Kent" by writ. He presided at the arraignment of Bartholomew de Badlesmere, 1st Baron Badlesmere for treason at Canterbury in 1322.

Marriage and issue

At sometime before July 1285, he married Maud de Moreville, widow of Matthew de Columbers , and a daughter of Eudes de Moreville. By his wife he had issue including:
He died at Hatch Beauchamp in Somerset, the seat of the Beauchamp family's feudal barony of Hatch Beauchamp, and was buried in the Beauchamp Chapel at Stoke-sub-Hamdon, Somerset.