23. BRENT-MONTACUTE

Sampson  Tree

 ROBERT DE BRENT and ISABELLA DE MONTACUTE (23)

 

SIR ROBERT DE BRENT was the second of three consecutive Robert de Brents.

He was born around 1250 in Somerset, the son and heir of Robert de Brent and his wife Millicent.

He may have been born at South Brent, close to Brent Knoll, which today stands above the M5 just inland from Burnham on Sea. He was probably a young child when his father was granted the manor of Cossington in 1254.This stands on the northern slopes of the Polden Hills which divide the Somerset Levels. It is 9 m west of Glastonbury, where the Brents were benefactors of the Abbey.

He came to manhood around 1272, when Edward I ascended the throne. Edward was nicknamed “Longshanks” because of his height, and “Hammer of the Scots” for his belligerent conduct towards that country.

 

ISABELLA/ ELIZABETH DE MONATACUTE. These forenames were interchangeable. She was the daughter of Simon de Montacute, the first Baron Montacute, by his second wife Isabel.

The Montacutes became known later as the Montagues.

We know of one sister and two brothers.

Their home was Yarlington near Wincanton in Somerset. This is 11 m east of Glastonbury, near the source of the River Cam.

Robert and Isabella had one known son, also named Robert, and possibly a daughter Anastasia.

Edward I was married at fifteen to the Castilian princess Eleanor. This brought him the lordship of Gascony, the area of France bordering on the Pyrenees. Robert attended him there in 1277 on military service.

In 1292 Richard de Axbridge owed £40 to Robert de Brente and Robert went to court to claim this.

The following year, he was the debtor, owing 73s 4d to Master Thomas de St Leonard, clerk (clergyman).

Scotland was then a separate kingdom from England, but King Edward claimed lordship over it. In 1296 he invaded Scotland, seized the “Stone of Destiny”, the Scottish coronation stone, and installed it in Westminster Abbey. Robert de Brent accompanied him on most of his Scottish expeditions.

Isabella’s father Simon de Montacute, took part in the same campaigns.

Some time during this service Robert was knighted.

In 1297 he served in the Parliament at Westminster as knight of the shire for Somerset.

In the family tradition, he was a noted benefactor of Glastonbury Abbey.

Robert was the first of the Brent family to use the wyvern as his seal of arms.

Robert died around 1309, shortly after the death of Edward I. He was buried in the abbey church at Glastonbury on the north side of the choir.

Isabella outlived him, but is thought to have died not long after.