Simon de Montford

Who was Simon de Montford?

Simon de Montford was an English nobleman who had the manor of Coleshill passed onto him from the de Clinton family. He built moated manor houses at Coleshill and Kingshurst. He was executed in 1495 for helping in the attempt to oust King Henry VII, who then granted his lands to Simon Digby in 1496.

In medieval documents clerks wrote down names as they were sounded, so they were often spelt differently. Montford is a good example - it can be spelt Montfort, Moford, Molford, Mulford, Munford, Mountfort or Mountford.