Just walking through a nearby neighborhood and saw this house number. So what happened in 1240? Simon de Montfort returned from France in April to raise funds for his projected crusade. He was welcomed by Henry III despite the fact that Henry nearly had him thrown in the Tower eight months earlier after Simon ran up enormous debts and named him, the king, as security for them. He also accused Simon of seducing his sister Eleanor and in this way forced his hand in allowing them to marry. The Montforts figured it was better to leave the country and did so in such haste that they had to leave their newborn son, named after the king, behind with his wet nurse. That was another reason for Simon to make the trip to England, to bring the infant boy to his mother. Queen Eleanor (of Provence) hoped to put that squabble behind them and gave Simon, while he was there, a pot and two cups made of silver, costing £14 for the set, about £10,000 today.
In the year 1240
