General Notes

The first baron Montacute by writ was Simon de Montacute, one of the most eminent persons of the period in which he lived. In the 10th Edward I [1282], he was in the expedition made into Wales, and within a few years after, received considerable grants from the crown. In the 22nd [1294], he was in the wars of France, where he appears to have been engaged for the two or three following years, and them we find him fighting in Scotland. In the 27th [1299], he was constituted governor of Corfe Castle, and summoned to parliament as a Baron from the 28th Edward I [1300], to 9th Edward II [1316]. In the 4th Edward II [1311], his lordship was appointed admiral of the king's fleet, them employed against the Scots; and he obtained, in three years afterwards, license to make a castle of his mansion house, at Perlynton, in Somerset. He m. Aufrick, dau. of Fergus, and sister and heir of Orry, King of the Isle of Man, and had issue, William, his successor, and Simon, m. to Hawise, dau. of Almeric, Lord St. Amand. His lordship d. about the year 1316, and was s. by his elder son, Sir William de Montacute. [Sir Bernard Burke, Dormant and Extinct Peerages, Burke's Peerage, Ltd., London, 1883, p. 317, Montacute, Barons Montacute, Earls of Salisbury]

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In the reign of Edward II, Sir Simon de Montacute obtained a grant to a weekly market on Tuesday at his Manor of Yardlington, county of Somerset, and a fair on the eve day and morrow after the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin. In the 7th of Edward II [1314], he obtained a license of the King to fortify his Manor house at Yardlington. This Manor was very beautifully situated in a picturesque locality upon a very fine lawn, and remained in this family through many descents until, through the last Countess of Salisbury, who was beheaded at the age of 70 years by Henry VIII, it passed to the Poles and thence to Henry Stafford, Duke of Buckingham. Sir Simon also owned the Manor of Goat-hill, granted to him by Edward I, and it descended to Gen. Thomas Montacute, 4th Earl of Salisbury, thence to Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, and to John Neville, Marquis of Montacute. Sir Simon bore as his coat of arms the original shield of his ancestor Drogo, viz., "Azure - a gryphon segreant, or," but later changed the arms to "Argent three fusils in fess gules."

Sir Simon married Aufricia, daughter of Fergus, King of Man, descended from Orry, King of Denmark. The Historian records that Aufricia, daughter of Fergus, King of Man, having fled to King Edward when dispossessed by Alexander III, King of Scots, Edward bestowed her in marriage upon Simon, Lord Montague, baron of Shipton Montague, who, by the King's assistance, recovered the island and enjoyed it in her right many years. Their issue was William and Simon, the former succeeded his father and continued the line, the latter was married to Hawise, daughter of Almeric, Lord St. Amand. He had been summoned to parliament from the 28th of Edward I [1300] to the 8th of Edward II [1315], soon after which he died. [Montagues in Great Britain, Terry and Jason Fritts, Gladstone, Missouri]