Biography of Joan Burghesh Baroness Dunster 1319-1404

Before 1314 [her father] Bartholomew "The Elder" Burghesh 1st Baron Burghesh (age 26) and [her mother] Elizabeth Verdun Baroness Burghesh (age 13) were married. She a great x 4 granddaughter of King John of England.

Around 1319 Joan Burghesh Baroness Dunster was born to Bartholomew "The Elder" Burghesh 1st Baron Burghesh (age 32) and Elizabeth Verdun Baroness Burghesh (age 19) at Burwash.

On 31 Aug 1330 John Mohun 1st Baron Dunster (age 61) died. His grandson [her future husband] John Mohun 2nd Baron Mohun of Dunster (age 10) succeeded 2nd Baron Mohun of Dunster. Given his young age he became a ward of the King who sold his wardship and marriage to [her uncle] Bishop Henry Burghesh (age 38) who then married him to his niece Joan Burghesh Baroness Dunster (age 11), daugher of his brother [her father] Bartholomew "The Elder" Burghesh 1st Baron Burghesh (age 43).

On 03 Aug 1355 [her father] Bartholomew "The Elder" Burghesh 1st Baron Burghesh (age 68) died at Dover, Kent [Map]. He was buried in the St Catherine Chantry at Lincoln Cathedral [Map] with his father and brother. His son [her brother] Bartholomew "The Younger" Burghesh 2nd Baron Burghesh (age 27) succeeded 2nd Baron Burghesh. Cecily Weyland Baroness Burghesh by marriage Baroness Burghesh.

Cecily Weyland Baroness Burghesh: Around 1314 she was born to Richard de Weyland. Before 10 May 1335 Bartholomew "The Younger" Burghesh 2nd Baron Burghesh and she were married. He a great x 5 grandson of King John of England. She a great x 4 granddaughter of King John of England. In Aug 1354 she died.

In or before 1357 John Mohun 2nd Baron Mohun of Dunster (age 36) and Joan Burghesh Baroness Dunster (age 37) were married. She by marriage Baroness Mohun of Dunster. She a great x 5 granddaughter of King John of England.

Around 1357 [her daughter] Maud Mohun Baroness Strange Knockin was born to [her husband] John Mohun 2nd Baron Mohun of Dunster (age 37) and Joan Burghesh Baroness Dunster (age 38).

On 01 May 1360 [her mother] Elizabeth Verdun Baroness Burghesh (age 60) died. She was buried at Croxden Abbey, Staffordshire [Map].

Around 1367 [her daughter] Philippa Mohun Duchess AlbemarleDuchess York was born to [her husband] John Mohun 2nd Baron Mohun of Dunster (age 47) and Joan Burghesh Baroness Dunster (age 48) in Dunster, Somerset.

On 15 Sep 1375 [her husband] John Mohun 2nd Baron Mohun of Dunster (age 55) died. Since he had no male issue the title Baron Mohun of Dunster went into abeyance between his three daughters. [her daughter] Elizabeth Mohun Countess of Salisbury had one child who died in 1397. [her daughter] Philippa Mohun Duchess AlbemarleDuchess York (age 8) didn't have issue. [her daughter] Maud Mohun Baroness Strange Knockin (age 18) had one son [her grandson] Richard Strange 3rd Baron Dunster 7th Baron Strange Knockin who succeeded as 3rd Baron Mohun of Dunster on the death of his aunt Philippa Mohun Duchess AlbemarleDuchess York.

In 1376 Joan Burghesh Baroness Dunster (age 57) sold Dunster Castle [Map] and its associated estates including the manors of Minehead and Kilton, and the hundred of Carhampton for £5000 to Elizabeth Courtenay. She retained a life interest.

In or before 1381 1369 [her son-in-law] John Strange 6th Baron Strange Knockin (age 29) and [her daughter] Maud Mohun Baroness Strange Knockin (age 23) were married. She by marriage Baroness Strange Knockin. They were fourth cousins.

After 07 Aug 1385 [her son-in-law] William Montagu 2nd Earl Salisbury (age 57) and [her daughter] Elizabeth Mohun Countess of Salisbury were married. She by marriage Countess Salisbury. He the son of William Montagu 1st Earl Salisbury and Catherine Grandison Countess of Salisbury.

Before 07 Oct 1398 [her son-in-law] Edward 2nd Duke of York 1st Duke Albemarle (age 25) and [her daughter] Philippa Mohun Duchess AlbemarleDuchess York (age 31) were married. He the son of Edmund of Langley 1st Duke of York (age 57) and Isabella of Castile Duchess York. He a grandson of King Edward III of England.

On 03 Oct 1404 Joan Burghesh Baroness Dunster (age 85) died at Guest House Canterbury Cathedral. She was buried at Canterbury, Kent [Map].

Effigy of Joam Burwaschs, Lady Mohun. JOAN BURWASCHs, or de Burghersh, was the daughter of [her father] Bartholomew de Burghersh, and wife of [her former husband] John de Mohun, Lord of Dunster, in Somersetshire, who had during his nonage been in the wardship of her father. She founded a chantry in 1395, by indenture between herself and the Prior and Monks of Christchurch, Canterbury. In consideration of the payment of 350 marks, and the gift of certain appendages necessary for her chantry, and of the manor of Selgrave being amortized to them by royal licence, they covenanted that when she died her body should be laid in the tomb which she had already, at her own cost, erected in the Lady Chapel of the undercroft of Canterbury cathedral [Map], and that her remains should never be removed from the monument, which was to be honourably kept up. Hasted says, that the Dean and Chapter possess the manor, but that the tomb was in his day sadly neglected. The effigy of Lady Mohun lies on an altar-tomb under a gothic canopy, adorned with pinnacles and arches terminating in corbelled points. The inscription on the verge of the tomb is here copied from Dart:

"Pour Dieu priez por l'ame Johane Burwaschs, qe feut Dame de Mohun [For God pray for the soul Johane Burwaschs, who was Lady of Mohun]."

[her daughter] Elizabeth Mohun Countess of Salisbury was born to John Mohun 2nd Baron Mohun of Dunster and Joan Burghesh Baroness Dunster in Dunster, Somerset.