The Baron's Rebellion

Roger de Bradbourne's eldest son, Henry de Bradbourne, had followed Thomas, Earl of Lancaster & Leicester, and rebelled against the King in 1321 but were defeated at the Battle of Boroughbridge and taken prisoner. 

Before this though Henry had been pardoned in 1313 together with the Earl of Lancaster and many others for theft in Newcastle upon Tyne and elsewhere. (Calendar of Patent Rolls Edw II Vol 2 Membrane 12 p 25). He was accused of rape in Cheshire but acquitted and the husband of the woman he had been accused of raping was imprisoned instead! (Chester City Quarter sessions Crownmote Court Rolls QCR/1 1316-1318. Cheshire and Chester Archives and Local Studies services). 

Thomas was convicted of treason and sentenced to death.  After the Battle of Borough and due to the Kings kinship and Lancaster’s royal blood (his mother was a French Queen of Dowager of Navare and niece of King Louis IX of France), the King commuted the sentence to beheading as opposed to being hung drawn and beheaded and was executed near Pontefract Castle. However, Henry de Bradbourne was hung at Pontefract in 1323 and his lands seized.  

Apparently, after Thomas’s death, miracles were reported at his tomb at Pontefract and he became venerated as a martyr and a Saint!

Henry de Bradbourne’s step mother’s petitioned to Parliament and fought to reclaim their lands back over a number of lengthy petitions which lasted years but eventually ended successfully.  

It seems Henry assigned all his inheritance to Phillipa before leaving to battle.  Phillipa’s other stepson Roger, took succession of the Manor of Bradbourne and Hough. 

Phillipa and Roger’s other sons/stepsons are Richard, John and William (it is believed William is Roger and Phillipa’s son) were accused of assaulting the vicar of Bakewell and carrying away his goods. Richard escaped and moved to Cheshire to seek refuge, however, he was later accused of maritime offences and stealing goods from vessels washed ashore. 

John Bradbourne was later arrested for illegally hunting on properties in 1330 and taken to Nottingham Castle but escaped and hid as a monk in the Priory of Tutbury. John participated in the uprising with his brother Henry, but he was pardoned and did not return to polite society. William and John had a criminal record dating back to 1318 as well as a man called John ‘the Little’ and they all took part in a burglary at Harrington (Yorks). 

They were part of the Coterel Gang (1328-33) based in the peaks of Derbyshire and heavily wooded areas of North Nottinghamshire like Sherwood Forest. They conducted murder, exortion, kidnap, robbing of churches and started the legend of Robin Hood together with Robert III de Ferrers 50 years earlier. It was an exceptionally lawless and violent period. 

By June 1330 they had murdered Sir William Kniveton and John Matkynson at Bradley and kidnapped a Chief Justice. The Coterels and their allies built themselves a considerable reputation. This group is first mentioned in official records on 2 August 1328 when the three Coterel brothers allying with Roger le Sauvage attacked the vicar of Bakewell. Roger le Sauvage was heir to John le Sauvage, Lord of Stainsby, joined after getting into debt and being outlawed when they were unable to pay their creditors and entailed the manor of Stainsby on his wife before joining the band.

Roger de Wensley, Lord of Mappleton was requested to arrest the Coterels in December 1330, but instead joined the outlaws, caught, and when let out on bail, wrote ‘pretended letters to arrest certain persons by means of extortion money daily’. (The Coteral Gang: An Anatomy of a Band of 14th Century Criminals, J G Bellamy, University of Nottingham). 

The gang supported the political factionalism within central government and rallied around Thomas Earl of Lancaster (above) who rebelled against King Edward II and continued into Edward III reign. Regardless of this criminal activity, the Bradbournes continued to hold their position in society and Roger II and his son John continued to be Lords of Bradbourne and Hough.