Joan (Cobham) le Despenser (abt. 1318 - bef. 1357)

Born about 1318 in Kent, England [uncertain]

Ancestors

Wife of Philip (Despenser) le Despenser — married about Jun 1339 in England

Descendants

Died before 15 May 1357 before about age 39 in England

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Biography

Joan de Cobham was the daughter of John de Cobham, Knt., 2nd Lord Cobham,^[1] and Joan de Beauchamp.^[2][3][4] Her place of birth is unknown: she may have been born in Kent, where her father held the Barony of Cobham, or in Wiltshire, where he also held lands. Joan's birthdate is also unknown and is estimated.

Joan married by contract dated June 1339 to Philip le Despenser, son and heir of Philip le Despenser, Knt., and Margaret de Goushill.^[1][2] They had three sons and one daughter:

• Philip, Knt., Lord Despenser, born 18 October 1342,^[5] died 4 August 1401, married Elizabeth ______ and had issue^[1][2]
• Hugh,^[2] aged 12 in 1359, when a guardian was appointed^[6]
• Roger, clerk^[2]
• Hawise, wife of Andrew Luttrell, Knt.^[2] She was aged 14 in 1359, when a guardian was appointed.^[6]

Philip died on 22 (or 23) August 1349.^[1][2][7] His son, Philip, aged 7 years, was his heir.^[7] On 20 January 1349/50, the Archbishop of Damascus received a commission to receive the vow of chastity from Joan and, in 1352, she received a papal indult for a portable altar.^[2]

Joan died before 15 May 1357^[1] and was buried at Newhouse Abbey, Lincolnshire.^[2]

Research Notes

In some genealogies of this family, it is stated that this Joan was "Joan Strange" and that her son, Philip, married "Margaret Cobham." These genealogoes are incorrect. Joan's son Philip's wife was named Elizabeth, and it appears from the Close Rolls that Philip le Despenser (who married Joan), and John de Cobham, were arranging a marriage in June 1339. The Philip le Despenser who died in 1401 left a frontal to Goxhill Church that was charged with his own arms and those of the Lord of Cobham.^[1]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5} G.E. Cokayne and Vicary Gibbs eds. Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, Vol. IV: Dacre - Dysart, 2nd ed. London, 1916, pp. 288-290. Archive.org.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8} Douglas Richardson. Royal Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families, Vol. IV. Salt Lake City, UT: the author, 2013, p. 215, NETTLESTEAD 12.
3. ↑ Dougas Richardson. Royal Ancestry. Vol. V, p. 404, WYATT 12.
4. ↑ Douglas Richardson. Magna Carta Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families, 2nd ed., vol. III. Salt Lake City, UT: the author, 2011, p. 233, NETTLESTEAD 7. Google Books.
5. ↑ M. C. B. Dawes, 'Inquisitions Post Mortem, Edward III, File 180', in Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem: Volume 11, Edward III. London: 1935, pp. 414-438. British History Online: proof of age of son, Philip.
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1} Alfred Gibbons. Early Lincoln Wills, 1280–1547. Lincoln: James Williamson, 1888, p. 23. Google Books. Bishop's Register: "Philip Despenser, knight. xvi Kal. Mar. 1359. [fo. 145.] Commission to Wm. de Askeby, canon of Lincoln, to appoint guardians for Hugh aged 12, and Hawise aged 14, children of deceased."
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1} J. E. E. S. Sharp, et al. 'Inquisitions Post Mortem, Edward III, File 96', in Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem. Volume 9, Edward III. London, 1916, pp. 175-201. British History Online: his IPM (#217) and that of his mother, Margaret de Roos (#216).

Acknowledgements

Magna Carta Project

This profile was developed for the Magna Carta Project on 11 November 2022 by Thiessen-117 and reviewed for the Project by Michael Cayley on 12 November 2022.

Joan de Cobham appears in badged trails identified by the Magna Carta Project from Magna Carta Surety Baron William Malet to the following Gateway Ancestors:

• William Clopton: badged 2022, see trail HERE.
• William Farrar: trail badged Nov 2022. This trail is set out HERE.
• Henry Isham: trail badged Nov 2022. See the trail HERE.
• Kempe Gateways (Richard, Edward, Edmund and Matthew): badged 2022. Trail can be viewed [|HERE].

See Base Camp for more information about identified Magna Carta trails and their status. See the project's glossary for project-specific terms, such as a "badged trail".