Sir John Kentwood was an unimportant knight from Kentwood Manor at Tilehurst, near Reading.

He fought with the Black Prince in the French campaigns of the Hundred Years War. They were about the same age.

The Prince only took notice of John after he captured Prince Philip of France at the Battle of Poitiers in 1356.

John was able to sell his prisoner to the Black Prince for nearly £3,000. That's about £1 million in today's money! It was so much that John had to be paid slowly over many years.

Both were very pleased with the deal and John became friends with the Prince.

Sir John married the sister of Bishop Braybrooke of London. Their son became the Dean of St. Paul's Cathedral in London.

When the Black Prince's son became King Richard II, he appointed Sir John as Steward of the Duchy of Cornwall.

This meant that he was in charge of all of Cornwall. It was a very important job, but it kept him a long way from home and he missed all the exciting things happening at the Royal court in Windsor and London.