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 Bef 1168 - 1214 (> 46 years)
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| Name |
Stephen DE THURNHAM |
| Prefix |
Sir |
| Born |
Bef 1168 |
| Gender |
Male |
| Died |
6 Mar 1214 |
| Buried |
Waverley Abbey, Surrey, England  |
| Person ID |
I13551 |
Young Kent Ancestors |
| Last Modified |
5 Jan 2017 |
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| Notes |
The ruins of Thurnham Castle
High up on the North Downs with superb views to the south as can be seen at LinkExternal link Thurnham Castle consists now of just a few walls up to ten feet high.
The history of Thurnham Castle is partly conjecture. It was first mentioned in a document of 1225 but the castle may be much older than this, maybe dating to the late 11th century. The first owner is thought to have been Ralph de Courbepine (or Curbespine), a tenant of Bishop Odo of Bayeux, the half brother of William the Conqueror. Stephen de Thurnham, great grandson of Ralph de Courbepine held the manor in the 12th century during the reign of Henry II. By the 14th century the manor had passed to the Northwood family and then to Robert Corbie.
The castle was abandoned by the 15th century for Corbier Hall, south-west of Thurnham village. In 1540 the antiquarian John Leland noted that the castle was "now all clene ruine". In later centuries chalk quarrying damaged the site. Kent County Council acquired the site in 1999 to preserve it and make it accessible and the castle is now part of the White Horse Wood Country Park.
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Turnham. Gilbert, Lord of Garlande, in Brie, [France] time of William I., had issue Ansel de Garlande, Seneschal of France 1108, and Gilbert de Garlande, Butler of France; the latter of whom had issue Guy, who purchased Turnham, and went to Palestine in 1147 (Des Bois). He had issue Robert de Turnham, of Kent, 1156, 1165, and Michael de Turnham, of Surrey, 1165. Stephen de Turnham was a baron time of Henry II. and Richard I., and he is mentioned in Normandy 1180-95 (MRS). Stephen de Turnham held in Salop 13th cent. (Testa de Neville).
[Source: https://archive.org/stream/normanpeopleand00unkngoog#page/n443/mode/2up, pp. 425-426]
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[Source: Gatton Pedigree. See KAS journal http://www.kentarchaeology.org.uk/Research/Pub/ArchCant/005-1863/005-09.pdf]
He was a British justice and administrator. In 1190 he accompanied Richard on the Third Crusade, visiting Jerusalem in 1192, and in 1193 he escorted Queen Berengaria and Joan of England on their journey from Palestine to Rome.
After this his work was limited to England, managing royal Demesnes and Escheats, as well as vacant Bishoprics. Although these jobs made the holder unpopular, he apparently had a good reputation, with Adam of Eynsham describing him as 'a faithful and godly man and devoted to our holy bishop'. From 1197 until 1200 he served as High Sheriff of Berkshire and Wiltshire, and in 1198 as High Sheriff of Lancashire. His royal favour faltered after 1200, but he was still a favorite of John, serving at various times as warden to Eleanor, Fair Maid of Brittany, Isabella of Angoulême and the future Henry III. He died on 6 March 1214 with no sons, leaving his possessions to his five daughters and their husbands.
Charter dated between 1174 and 1184.
Richard, Archbishop, on petition of Stephen de Thurnham, gives to the Abbey of Cumbwell the advowson of the Church of Thurnham, after the death of Robert its existing chaplain, and settles a dispute between Stephen and the chaplain, by providing that Stephen should grant to the Church of Thurnham six acres and three virgates eastward, in exchange for land westward in his park, and should confirm to it three acres next Dun Street, which his father had given [Michael de Thurnham?]. Robert agreeing to perform service in Stephen's chapelin his court at Thurnham, when Stephen and his family are there, on Sundays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays (feast-days excepted), and once a week in their absence to offer prayers there for the departed faithful.
On even date Stephen de Thurnham grants the Church of St. Mary at Thurnham and a garden and messuage next the church on the ast, for the better sustenance of the Vicar, to the intent that the Vicar for the time being may the better daily remember himself and his ancestors.
Charter dated May, 1194.
Stephen de Thurnham, in Chinon Castle [Touraine, France], grants to the Abbey of Cumbwell, for the sould of King Henry, the body and soul of King Richard, the souls of his father and mother and all his ancestors, and for himself and all his friends alive or dead, the Dea called LECHINCHESE, without prejudice to the right therein of the Prior of the Holy Trinity at Canterbury.
Footnote notation in source: "This interesting Charter was granted by Stephen de Thurnham about a month after the coronation of Richard I., on his return from captivity. It is remarkable for the mention of the safety of Richard's body as well as soul for one of the objects of the gift, - no unreasonable addition when we remember the state of rebellion in which he found his kingdom on his arrival at home. The spot from which it is dated, Chinon castle in Touraine, shews it to have been executed in the course of the grantor's [Stephen de Thurnham] owner safer but little less tedious journey home from the Crusade. He had not been in the King's train, but was honoured by being entrusted with the escort of Queen Berengaria, her sister, and companions, as we learn from the Chronicle of Roger Hoveden, who thus particularizes their route: -
"Eodem anno (1193) Berengera regina Angliae, et Johanna quondam regina Siciliae, et filia Imperatoris Cypri, venerunt Romam sub custodia Stephani de Thurnham...et moram fecerunt ibi fere per dimidium anni spatium propter metum Imperatoris...Et perrexerunt usque Pisam, deinde usque Genoam, deinde usque Marsiliam. Apud Marsiliam suscepit cas rex Arragoniae...et conduxit eas usque ad fines regni sui. Et comes de Sancto Aegidio conduxit eas per terram suam. Et sic pervenerunt Pictaviam." (Savile's 'Scriptores post Bedam,' p. 417.)"
"The Castle of Chinon was, no doubt, the very point of safety for which Stephen had been making with his anxious charge through the whole of their long and perilous journey. It was situated on the borders of Touraine and Poitou, so that it is sometimes said by the Chroniclers to be in one, sometimes in the other. It was one of the strongest of the English fortresses in France, and much used as a royal residence for those provinces: - a castle, as Gulielmus Armonicus tells us, "non solum munitione, verum et edificiis, et habitatoribus, et situ amoenissimo, praeclarum." (Recucil des Hist. xvii. 80d.) Hither Henry II. had retired to died, in the middle of a campaign with Philip. (Chroniques de S. Denis, an. 1190.) Here Richard kept his reasure, which, on his death, Robert de Thurnham, then custodian, handed over to John. And hither, two years later, came Berengaria again, to receive her dower from John, who was holding his Court here. (Roger Hoveden, Savile's 'Scriptores', pp. 451, 466.) Four years later it was lost to England, Philip having taken it from John.
"The party then, safe at last on English territory, and in one of Richard's strongest castles, and fearing no more immediate danger for themselves, from either King of France or Emperor, might well take the first opportunity of doing all that in them lay for the safety of the King in the dangers which still awaited him at home, - an opportunity which, in the interest of the Church, the two monks who figure as witnesses to this Charter (their attendants and confessors probably) would certainly not let slip. Stephen's thoughts on such an occasion would naturally turn to his own Abbey at home, but we may well suppose a word to have been at the same time put in by the ecclesiastics, and probably with success, for the claims of their own respective foundations.
"I cannot help conjecturing the motto of Stephen de Thurnham, which we find on his two counterseals (Charters IX and XI) to have been assumed on the occasion of this honourable service and translating DEVS SALVET CVI MITTOR "God save her to whom I am escort." It is unfortunate that we have no specimen of his seal prior to this date which might either refute this idea by an earlier use of the motto, or strengthen the probability by its absence.
"I have placed this deed, and those following, late in Stephen's life, partly for the names of Adam d Bending and Roger de Leybourne, his sons-in-law, which occur in them. The Robert de Gatton who is witness to this may perhaps be his son-in-law's uncle, as conjectured in the Pedigree."
Charter circa 1210
Stephen de Thurnham grants to the Abbey of Cumbwell his land of Herindenn.
Charter circa 1210
Edeline de Thurnham grants to the Abbey of Cumbwell the tenement which she holds of the King at Hamwold, to be held "cum corpore suo". The grant is confirmed in a second deed of evidently even date, by Stephen de Thurnham, her husband.
Source: Archaeologia Cant., Vol. V, p. 201-210
Gatton Pedigree in ibid,
Stephen de Thurnham
Seneschal of Anjou 1186; escort of Queen Berengaria 1193-4. Charters V. -XI., XIII. Alive 1209 (Rot. Pip. 10 Jo.) Dead before 1214 (Rot. Fin. 16 Jo.)
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There is another reputed daughter Alicnore, wife of Bel h FitzBernard, who, it is conjectured in Archaeologia Cant. Vol. V was either the step-daughter of Stephen de Thurnham, or was one and the same as Alianora who married de Say.
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