Our common ancestors - English Royal family - Contents

Sir Charles Somerset

References:
- The history of Bristol by John Corry, 1816. See p.180.
- The Archaeological Magazine of Bristol, Bath, South-Wales, and the South-western Counties, Vol.1, No.1, 1 May 1843. See p.18 and p.19.
- A Popular History of Bristol by George Pryce, 1861. See p.180 and p.181.
Sources yet to be consulted:
- Excavations at St James's Priory, Bristol, R. Jackson, 2006.
- "Saving St James's Priory", Sandra Manley, Context, Issue 153, IHBC, March 2018.
- Gloucestershire Archives. Papers of the Blathwayt family of Dyrham Park. D1799/T34. "Site of priory of St. James" and other papers. Dates 1543-1703. "Includes deed of partition of lands of Hen. Brayne".

Tomb of Sir Charles Somerset, St.James' church, Bristol.
Photo 2019. See larger and full size.

Sir Charles Somerset (see biography and here), born 1535.
Male-line descendant of Edward III (and hence of Henry II and the House of Plantagenet).
He was educ St. John's college, Cambridge, entered 1548.
His father, the 2nd Earl of Worcester, died 1549. His older brother became 3rd Earl of Worcester.

He mar 1570-72 to Eme Brayne [dau of Henry Brayne, a London merchant].
Henry Brayne was granted in 1544 the confiscated St.James' Priory, Bristol. He built a mansion at the site (now vanished).
Henry's will dated Aug 1558, refers to his house in Bristol as "St. James's". He died Dec 1558.
Eme was widow of Giles Morgan, of Newport, SE Wales.

Charles was knighted 1573.
By 1580 he and another son-in-law of Henry Brayne had inherited the property of the former St.James' Priory, Bristol.
Eme died 1590.
Charles died Mar 1599, age 64 yrs [using [NJ] date format, note that at the time this was regarded as the end of 1598].
One reading of the tomb inscription says died 11 March. Another reading is VII March (7 March).
They are both bur St.James' Priory church, Bristol.
Sir Charles and Eme had issue:

Elizabeth Somerset,
born est c.1572.
She mar 1stly to Ratcliffe Gerard and had issue.
She mar 2ndly to Edward Foxe [or Fox].
She is represented on her parents' tomb.

Henry Brayne's house, St.James' Priory, Bristol

St.James' Priory, Bristol, in the late Norman period.
N is approximately top left.
Note location of the cloisters to the N side of the church.
From [Manley, 2018].

St.James' Priory, Bristol, in the late medieval period.
Henry Brayne's house "St. James's" was constructed on the N side of the church, replacing or incorporating the cloisters and associated buildings. Brayne's house stood here as at his death in 1558.
In the 17th century, a new mansion was built at the NW corner.
From [Manley, 2018].

Modern 3D view of St.James' Priory, Bristol.
Apparently no trace survives of Henry Brayne's mansion.
Part of the 17th century mansion survives as Church House, NW corner.
From Google Maps.

Tomb of Sir Charles Somerset, St.James' church, Bristol

Tomb of Sir Charles Somerset, St.James' Priory, Bristol.
This used to be at the E wall, on the S side of the altar.
It was moved during the modern restoration of the church.
It is now in the N porch at the W end of the church (now a side room behind a new partition).

Centre of tomb of Sir Charles Somerset, St.James' church, Bristol.
Photo 2019. See full size.
See top of tomb.

Sir Charles Somerset.
Photo 2019. See larger and full size.
See wider shot.

Eme Brayne.
Photo 2019. See larger and full size.
See wider shot. Her daughter Elizabeth is behind her.

Upper inscription in English.
Photo 2019. See full size.

Transcript of the inscription.
The inscription confirms the link to Gerard.
From [Pryce, 1861].

Lower LHS inscription in Latin.
"Carolus" is Charles Somerset.
Photo 2019. See larger and full size.

Translation of the inscription.
From [Pryce, 1861].

Lower RHS inscription in English.
Photo 2019. See larger and full size.

Transcript of the inscription.
From [Pryce, 1861].

St. James' Priory (designingbuildings.co.uk)
St. James' Priory church site.
- History