Stephen de Turnham

Stephen of Thornham (died 6 March 1214) was a British justice and administrator. He was the son of Robert of Thornham, a Kentish landowner, and the older brother of Robert of Thornham, and first came to official attention in 1170 when, along with his father, he acted as a benefactor to Combwell Priory. He served Henry II, and in 1188 was one of the agents tasked with ensuring the return of normal religious service in Canterbury after a dispute between the Archbishop and local monks, with Henry rewarding him for his work with lands in Artington, Surrey. After Henry died in 1189 Thornham served his son and successor, Richard I, with the same loyalty and skill. 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’.[1] 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.

Wikisource Page:The Victoria History of the County of Surrey Volume 3.djvu/34 (A History of Surrey)

BRABOEUF MANOR, which extends very widely about St. Catherine's Hill and towards Godalming, includes that portion of Stephen de Turnham's manor which was assigned to his daughter Alice de Bendeng, for she granted her portion of Artington to Geoffrey of Braboeuf in 1232," and he had confirma- tion of the grant in 1251. He had other lands in Artington and Guildford, and in 1257, together with Richard Testard, obtained a royal grant of the sites of old mills in Guildford which they had recently sold to the king, and also of new mills which they were to remove to the site of the old ones. Cicely ' la Braboeuf held a quarter of the manor at ' Artington next Braboeuf at her death in 1 347," probably as dower. John Braboeuf witnessed deeds of Artington in 1337 and again in 1350.* Andrew Braboeuf, son of Andrew and Cecily de Braboeuf, died seised of one quarter of Artington in 13612, leaving a daughter Agnes, who married first Robert Dan- hurst, and secondly, Robert Loxley. At her death her grandson Robert Danhurst inherited her lands. He died s.p.m. in 1481-2, having settled Braboeuf on Bernard Jenyn and his wife Elizabeth, who was niece of Agnes Braboeuf 's second husband Robert Loxley ." Bernard Jenyn settled the manor on his second son Thomas, who died in March 1508-9. Sir John Jenyn, kt., son of Thomas Jenyn, died holding Braboeuf in 1545, leaving a son Edward aged five," who died a minor and was succeeded by his aunt Joan, wife of Robert Kemp. Agnes, wife of John Wight of Wimbledon, and daughter of Joan Kemp, was in possession of Braboeuf in 1559," and was succeeded by her son Rice (Riceus) Wight, who died at Artington 31 October 1602. His son John was born in 1674 an died ' n 1656...