Serlo (Cobham) de Cobham (1157 - 1187)

the village, first comes into notice in the twelfth century, when one Serlo de Cobham was possessed of property in the parish. His son Henry purchased the manor of Cobham, with the marshes of Bulham and Swanpool, from William de Quatremere, in 10 John (1208), and it is said that he was one of the crusaders present at the siege of Acre in 1191. Of this fact, perhaps, the crest of the Saracen's head, which was borne equally by both of the families who descended from him, was a memento. He held the ofiice of Lieutenant of Dover castle, and died 12 Hen. Ill (1225-6). John, his son, often called the " elder," in the first year after his father's death made a division of the estates with his two brothers. In 21 Hen. Ill (1236-7) he was Keeper of ^Rochester castle, an ofiice of importance, which, it will be seen, was often held by his descendants. In 26 Hen. Ill (1241-2) he was Sheriff of Kent, and was one of the Justices Itinerant from 1244-1246, being also a Justice of the Common Pleas from Michaelmas 1244 to 1251, in which year he died. He purchased the manors of Cowling and West Chalk in 1241. He was twice married, first to Maud, daughter of Warine Eitzbenedict, secondly to Joan, daughter of Hugh Neville (one of a Hertfordshire family), widow of John de la Lynde of Bolbroke, Suffolk, from whom descended 54 THE LORDS OF COBHAM, the Sterborough branch. She survived ber husband and was living in 1275. https://www.kentarchaeology.org.uk/Research/Pub/ArchCant/Vol.011%20-%201877/011-08.pdf