Sir Henry de Cobham - St Peter & St Paul - Shorne, Kent - Stone Church Artefacts on Waymarking.com

Stone effigy of Sir Henry de Cobham (d. 1316) in St Peter & St Paul's church, Shorne.

Sir Henry was one of the de Cobhams of Cobham Hall and an eminent statesman. He was Lord of the Manor of Randall and his home in Cobham Woods Country Park is being excavated. His tomb is in the Randall Chapel of the church which tradition says he built.

"The life of Henry de Cobham was an epitome of the life of a knight of the times. He married a rich heiress, Joan, the daughter of Stephen de Penchester, through whom he acquired Allington Castle and other estates. He was elected as knight of the shire in 1307. Royal favour was gained as a result of his personal bravery in the wars of King Edward I with the Welsh and Scots and he is said to have been made a knight banneret in the field for gallantry at the siege of Calaverock in Scotland in 1300 (visit link) . Following this he was sheriff of Kent in 1301, 1302, 1307 and 1315. Upon the death of Edward I he seems to have supported Edward II against the barons and probably because of this loyalty he was created Lord of Randall and received a writ of summons to the Lords in the year before his death.
He built Randall Chapel (now the south chancel) at Shorne church and his effigy as Lord of Randall still rests ‘armed with mail and cross-legged’ in the rebuilt chapel. On the tomb is an inscription said to be a modern copy of the original.

SIR HENRIE DE COBHAM LE EINE SEIGNOUR DE ROUNDALE FUST APELE GIST LEY DIEU DE SALME ET MERCI


The helmet on which the effigy’s head rests is remarkable as having its interior carefully carved to show the method of fitting and padding the helmet, not unlike the padding of a modern crash helmet.

On the death of ‘le eine’ his son, Sir Stephen, succeeded to the barony and for something like a hundred years the manor was to be an important part of the life of the village, though after a couple of generations it was usually occupied by collaterals of the main line of the family. In 1368 Thomas Morice, a wealthy pleader in the King's Courts left to his son-in-law Sir Thomas de Cobham his leasehold interest in Randall and – a strange appurtenance for a lawyer – his armour."

SOURCE - (visit link)

Approximate Age of Artefact: 1316 Relevant Website: Not listed

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