ep-06 Issue - The Heraldry Society

THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER
OF THE HERALDRY SOCIETY REGISTERED AT STATIONERS HALL
ISSN 0437 2980
THE HERALDRY
GAZETTE
To contact the Membership Secretary, Ingrid Phillips, write to: PO Box 772, Guildford GU3 3ZX
phone: 01483 237373 email: memsec@theheraldrysociety.com
NEW SERIES 106
December 2007
THE HERALDRY SOCIETY AUTUMN DINNER 2007
Top Left; Sir Godfrey Milton-Thompson and Mr Peter Gwynn-Jones. Top Right; Mary, Lady Soames presents the Corporate Heraldry
Award to the Dean of Southwark. Below Left; Our Guest of Honour addresses the assembled dinner guests. Bottom Right; Mr John
Mueller and Sir Robert Balchin.
1

2
THE SOCIETY’S
AUTUMN DINNER
by John Tunesi of Liongam
It was a late autumnal evening when on
Wednesday, 14th November some 71 members and
their guests foregathered within the magnificent
Apothecaries’ Hall in the City of London.
As usual, the evening was one of conviviality and
good fellowship. We were honoured to have as our
guest of honour for the evening, Mary, Lady Soames,
LG, DBE, daughter of that great parliamentarian, Sir
Winston Spencer Churchill and widow of the diplomat
Sir Christopher Soames, the last Governor of Rhodesia.
In his introduction to Lady Soames, our Chairman,
David White, Somerset Herald spoke of the
indiscretion of his erstwhile colleagues at the College
of Arms in foisting on Lady Soames’ ancestors, the
Spencers, a wholly bogus connection with the
mediaeval family of Despencer in order to concoct for
the newly risen family of Spencer a more perceivably
ancient lineage. Lady Soames in responding to the
health of the Society gave one or two anecdotes
regarding her late father that were well received by
the company.
During the course of the evening, Lady Soames
presented the Society’s Corporate Heraldry Award for
2007 to Dean Colin Slee, Dean of Southwark on
behalf of Southwark Cathedral. This year’s award was
made to the cathedral for its creative use of its
recently granted arms in and about the environs of the
cathedral. In receiving the award, a splendid example
of the herald painter and scrivener’s work, the Dean
gave a totally impromptu rationale behind the
granting of the cathedral’s new armorial bearings
interspersed with a good deal of humour that was
greatly appreciated by those present.
On driving home to North Hertfordshire, my wife
and I were, as you do, set to discuss how the evening
went, and we were of the opinion that the evening
was a great success. For those of you who have never
attended one of Society’s biennial dinners, I think you
would be best advised to try to come to next such
dinner that is due to be held in 2009. You will find it
a great pleasure to attend!
ABOVE The full achievement of arms of Mary, Lady
Soames as depicted by Dr Jiří Louda. Dr Louda has
painted the achievements of all of the Knights and
Ladies of the Garter from 1348 to the present day,
thus producing an Armorial of the Order.
BELOW When an appointment is made to the Order
of the Garter, a shield, or a lozenge in the case of a
Lady, is placed in St George’s Hall at Windsor Castle
on which is depicted the arms of the Companion.
Below is the Lozenge created for Mary, Lady Soames
by Baz Manning. It depicts the arms of Christopher,
Lord Soames impaling the perhaps better known
arms of Churchill.
Reproduced with the kind permission of the Royal Household,
Windsor Castle.
Items for inclusion in the Gazette post to: The Editor, The Heraldry Gazette, at the address given on
page 14, or e-mail to: heraldry.gazette@mac.com

GREATER MANCHESTER
STUDY DAY 2007
The 13th Study Day was
held in Salford on October
12th and was a great
success with over thirty
attenders from various
heraldry societies. It was
particularly gratifying to
welcome the Secretary of
the Heraldry Society, Melvyn
Jeremiah and the Treasurer
of the Scots Society, Stuart
Emerson. The speakers
covered a variety of topics
and all were well received.
The venue and the services
provided were of the highest
order and there were lots of
positive comments and two
attenders have become members of the society which is always encouraging. This success always depends upon
the hard work of the organisers and thanks are due to Alan Fennely (whose sixth conference this was) and Barry
Wilde (making his organising debut). We particularly thank the Heraldry Society for their generous grant which
makes this (now annual) event possible. The photograph shows the Secretary, Melvyn Jeremiah, with organizers
Alan Fennely (left) and Barry White (right). With them is Stephen Slater.
STANDARD of CLIVE ALEXANDER
Commissioned and recently executed in fine needlework by Margaret French who trained at the
Royal College of Needlework where she was commended for teaching young embroiderers.
Margaret specialises in Regimental, Masonic, Ecclesiastical, Commemorative and Celebratory work.
The arms in the hoist are Blazoned Per Pale Argent and Sable. in Chief two Strakes of the
Worshipful Company of Pewterers in Base a Rose all Counter Changed. The Badge a Strake Or
charged with a Fleur de Lys bendwise, per bend Argent and Sable. Motto. Vires in Scientia,
Strength in Knowledge. Granted by The College of Arms 2004,
Items for inclusion in the Gazette: post to the Editor, The Heraldry Gazette, at the address given on
page 14 or by e-mail to heraldry.gazette@mac.com
3

4
BARCLAYS
EAGLE
by Martin Davies
One of Britain’s largest heraldic
devices (right) has been removed
from the Barclays building in Poole,
Dorset. Barclays has denied it
removed the eagle because of
concerns that it has possible Nazi
connotations. Some national
newspapers said the bank - at that
time trying to buy Netherlands
group ABN Amro - "feared its eagle
might offend Dutch customers".
Barclays said it removed the sign
because it is moving to new offices.
The leader of Poole council, Brian Leverett said: "One
is always sorry when you see a familiar landmark go
from the area. One could almost see it as a piece of
local art. It is a decision tinged with sadness."
Resident Amanda Steele, 45, said: "I'm really sad
that the eagle has been taken down as it has been
watching over the town for so long. I have grown quite
attached to it over the years. Lots of people work in the
building and so it has become very important in the
town and the eagle is a part of it."
A spokesman for the bank said: “The logo has been
taken down purely because it is a very old version of
our eagle. We are moving out of the building, which
is a back office, in stages to another site by 2010. Our
corporate logo is Barclays and the eagle. If we were to
merge - and this is by no means certain - it would be
known as Barclays, with the shield of ABN Amro. We
will continue to use the eagle in UK branches”.
The Spread Eagle emblem has featured prominently
throughout the history of Barclays. In the late
seventeenth century a goldsmith-banker called John
Freame was living in the City of London. The exact
date he started his business is not known, but in 1690
he was a partner in a banking business which traded
at premises in Lombard Street. In those days very few
people could read and write and business houses used
pictorial signs so that their customers could find them
easily. The use of street signs to identify buildings goes
back to a decision of the Corporation of London in
1580 which ordered “that shopkeepers shall hang out
signs at theire shopps”
In 1728 the partnership moved to 54 Lombard
Street at the sign of the Black Spread Eagle, and in
1736 Freame's son Joseph took on his brother-in-law
James Barclay as a partner. The business expanded
over the years and other properties in Lombard Street
were acquired, many with their own signs, but the
Spread Eagle was to remain associated with the
Barclay partnership.
In the 1930s Barclays Bank Limited sought and
obtained a Grant of Arms (above). The Bank naturally
wanted to keep the Eagle it had used for so long but,
because other ancient and royal houses carried it in
various forms, the College of Arms ruled that it must
be “differenced”. This was done appropriately by
adding three silver crowns (since numbers 43 and 55,
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oth part of the Head Office site, bore the
signs of the Three Crowns and the Three
Kings), and the Grant of Arms was
accordingly made in 1937. The
College of Arms having said that they
had no objection, a Board Resolution
in 1947 authorised the closely
associated Barclays Bank (Dominion,
Colonial and Overseas) to use the arms,
with the addition of “D.C.O.” In practice,
this addition was usually placed on a scroll
beneath the shield, as if it were a motto.
As Barclays grew and expanded over the years,
many different versions of the Eagle appeared, so in
August 1981 a woodcut design by the celebrated
engraver Reynolds Stone was adapted and simplified
by John York to produce one authorised version for the
whole of the Barclays Group.
In 1999 design agency Interbrand
Newell and Sorrell were briefed to
update the Barclays brand including
the eagle. The new design had to be
warm, open and highly accessible but
reflecting the stature and heritage of a
world respected bank. The ‘eagle globe’
(left), designed to be less imposing and
aggressive than the heraldic version, took
Barclays into the new millennium. However, the
design proved technically difficult to reproduce on
paper, so in 2004 the brand was refreshed and a new
visual identity created incorporating a simpler style of
eagle and standardising the 'Barclay blue' (below).
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6
Rev Canon ANDREW
by Jorge Rivera
My great friend, The Reverend Canon John G. B.
Andrew, OBE DD, Rector Emeritus of Saint Thomas
Church Fifth Avenue in New York City, celebrated his
50th anniversary as a priest this summer. As a special
gift, I asked Marco Foppoli if he would be willing to fit
a rendering of Canon Andrew’s arms into his (I am sure
very busy) summer schedule. Thankfully, he accepted
the commission. Below is his rough sketch and to the
right the final rendering. The scan, of course, does not
do the actual piece a bit of justice. His highlighting
and gold work make the piece appear to float on the
paper!
Taking some creative/interpretive licence with
Marco’s reasoning for the layout of the composition (I
wish my Italian was half as good as his English), here
is what he said:
“I think this oval shield is very good for the
composition. I like the joints (offered by placing the
shield over the cross.) (I also like) the bi-dimensional
sense (offered by the positioning play between the
cords, the tassels and the cross). The round high part
of the shield is very useful for this (use) of joint, and
(the space offered) below its strong curve (provides for
better display) of (the) tassels and better show of the
ribbons.”
E-mail the editor at heraldry.gazette@mac.com
Thank you to Marco for a wonderful piece! Canon
Andrew loved it!
Canon Andrew and Jorge Rivera at the reception in
honour of Lord Lyon King of Arms Robin Orr Blair CVO
WS, where Lord Lyon received the New York
Genealogical and Biographical Society’s Medal for
Heraldic Achievement on 5 March 2007 in New York
City. The black-tie gala was organized with the
participation of members of the board of the College
of Arms Foundation. What a great event!

Archbishop Emeritus
MAURICE COUVE de MURVILLE
A Christmas gift
suggestion
A HUMOROUS GUIDE TO
HERALDRY by Jack
Carlson. £9
ISBN 0-9766108-0-9
A book on heraldry
written by a teenager for
teenagers but which will
appeal to anyone with a
sense of humour
whatever their age!
Copies can be ordered through the Heraldry Society
Bookstall.
We were saddened to hear of the death of one of
our Vice Presidents, the Most Reverend Maurice Couve
de Murville, Archbishop Emeritus of Birmingham, He
died on 3 November at St. Joseph ‘s Convent,
Littlehampton. A Requiem Mass was held at Arundel
Cathedral on Friday 16 November in the presence of
His Grace The Duke of Norfolk, the Society’s President.
The Society was represented by the Chairman, David
White. The Archbishop had returned to Sussex on his
retirement from Birmingham in 1999, much of his
earlier career having been spent as a Sussex parish
priest and Chaplain to Sussex University. . At the
Reception of the Body at the Cathedral his coffin was
covered with a white pall by four of the Franciscan
Sisters of Littlehampton who had looked after him in
his final illness. Further ceremonies took place later at
St. Chad’s Cathedral, Birmingham with a Requiem
Mass being held there on 21 November followed by
interment at St. Mary’s College, Oscott.
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8
AN EXCHANGE OF LETTERS
After the Birmingham International Heraldry Conference this year, the following
letters were exchanged between Mr Ralph Brocklebank and Garter Principal King
of Arms, Mr Peter Gwynn-Jones. Both correspondents were keen to share their
thoughts with readers of the Heraldry Gazette and the editor hopes that they will
inspire some lively and interesting debate through this publication’s
correspondence columns.
From Ralph Brocklebank to Garter King of Arms:
The Birmingham International Heraldry Conference
held earlier this month was rated a great success by
those who attended, and finished with a debate on the
Future of Heraldry. I thought you might be interested
to hear some of the concerns and points that were
discussed.
It was generally felt that if heraldry is to have a
prosperous and flourishing future, it needs to take
greater account of changes in society, such as the
increasing emancipation of women and the
disappearance of class barriers. There is a large
number of worthy people who have a nascent interest
in heraldry as something belonging to our English
heritage, but are given to believe that it is only for the
rich and famous, or else of purely historic value. They
need to be encouraged to think that heraldry is
something that they can embrace personally, to have a
family asset that can be passed down to their children
and successive descendants.
One of the deterrents to getting involved was seen
to be the high cost of a Grant of Arms. It was asked
whether it would not be possible to institute a form of
Certificate of Arms that would confirm the legality of
a Grant without incurring the expense of a luxurious
Letters Patent, to be offered as an alternative. No
doubt many discerning people would prefer the highclass
quality of a traditional Grant of Arms, but to have
a more affordable equivalent would open the field to
a lot of worthy people, neither pop stars nor life peers,
who have a great love for heraldry but cannot at
present justify the expense.
Another concern was expressed about the use of
cadency marks. Although many Grants contain a
phrase such as "and to his descendants duly
differenced according to the Law of Arms," it appears
that this form of differencing is widely ignored, even
by Officers of Arms, one of whom was quoted as
saying that "We don't pay much attention to cadency
marks these days." If this is true, it does the College
no good. Perhaps it is time the Law of Arms was
revised, but at any rate the matter needs clarification.
Several of those present, keen and knowledgeable
armorists, reported that designs they had submitted,
although fully in accord with good heraldry, being
both simple and distinctive, had been rejected or
greatly altered on grounds that seemed somewhat
arbitrary, such as "We no longer allow open books”
I hope you will find these comments helpful, and
assure you that I greatly admire the work that you and
your colleagues do, wishing only that it were available
to a wider public.
Garter’s response:
Many thanks for your letter of 24th August.
I am delighted to learn that the Birmingham
International Heraldry Conference was a success. I
was also particularly interested to hear the conclusions
of the final debate. I am therefore taking the
opportunity to reply to these conclusions.
During my forty years at the College of Arms there
have been noticeable changes in the nature of
heraldry. On the one hand there has been a
considerable drop off in the number of overseas
grantees. At the same time corporate heraldry has
declined in favour of logos. On the other hand the
number of personal grantees from England, Wales and
Northern Ireland has been on the increase. This has
included a very considerable number of female
grantees who were almost non¬existent forty years
ago. Heraldry is still very much alive. It is always
difficult to predict the future; but I do not envisage its
immediate demise.
You refer to the deterrent of the high cost of a grant
of Arms and whether some form of certificate might be
issued. I do not see that this is a solution. The cost of
production is not a major problem. The main bulk of
grant fees goes into the Marshalcy Crown Monies
Account which is used for running the College of
Arms, paying for the College Staff and other running
costs. Some years ago an attempt was made to avoid
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increasing the cost of a grant of Arms. This drove the
College into serious financial difficulties which have
only been resolved by reversing the policy.
Some slight saving might be obtained by revising
the official recording of each grant in the College
books of registration. Each such grant could be
precised so that the name of the grantee, the blazon
and date is only recorded without such as the
repetition of the Earl Marshal's name. However, this
would only resolve in a small reduction in the cost of
production and has already been rejected by Chapter.
With regard to the use of cadency marks. I have to
confess that I may be one of your "culprits". I have
never favoured the system of cadency unless there is a
need to mark out distinct branches of a particular
family. To use cadency marks for each and every
generation is something of a nonsense as it results in
a pile of indecipherable marks set one above the other.
I therefore adhere firmly to the view that they should
be used sparingly.
I am not aware of any restriction on ships in Crests
nor is there any ban on barry Azure and Argent to
represent water. The one device which you mention as
having a restriction placed upon it is the open book.
The restriction was imposed by Sir Anthony Wagner
some forty years ago. It is now considered that the
open book should be confined to places of education
and distinguished authors. I do not propose to
encourage any lifting of this restriction which I
consider to be sound.
I would be perfectly happy for you to circulate or
publish this letter should you think it appropriate. It
may also clear up some misunderstandings!
To a further enquiry as to the use of cadency marks,
Garter wrote as follows:-
Unfortunately, compulsion is not the way ahead for
twenty-first century heraldry. However, official
recognition and certification of any Armorial Bearings
can only be effected when the person in whose favour
the Arms are being recognized or certified appears in
the appropriate book of record at the College of Arms.
I believe it right in England and Wales for a branch
to use cadency marks sparingly and only if they wish
to do so. I see no need to alter the wording on Letters
Patent as there have been no fundamental changes.
(So it seems that continental-style “family arms” are
tolerated and here to stay!) RB
SITUATION
VACANT
Our congratulations to our Programme Secretary,
Howard Connell, who has been appointed as a
Parliamentary Draftsman for the Isle of Man. He will
be leaving our shores to take up the appointment on
1st March. This means we are looking for a successor
as Programme Secretary.
The programme for the 2007-08 season is fixed,
and the programme for the following year is well on
the way. The new Programme Secretary will therefore
have time to acclimatise to the job. We would like to
make an appointment as soon as possible so that the
new incumbent can have the opportunity to pick
Howard’s brains whilst he is still here.
Applicants should write to the Hon.Secretary at
the Heraldry Society address (PO Box 722, Guildford
GU3 3ZX) with a short CV.
The deadline for contributions to the next Gazette is 1st February 9

HERALDRY OF NEW LIFE PEERS
by Peter Ll Gwynn-Jones CVO, Garter Principal King of Arms
Baron Griffiths of Fforestfach (Brian Griffiths) cr 1991 (Baron Griffiths of Fforestfach, of Fforestfach in the
County of West Glamorgan)
Arms: Paly of four Vert and Argent per fess enhanced indented of two points upwards each
point double barbed throughout issuing in base a pile double barbed throughout all
counterchanged
Crest: Upon a Helm with a Wreath Argent and Vert a Bear sejant erect Gules holding in the
dexter forepaw a Leek proper
Supporters: On either side statant upon a Stack of two closed Books Vert garnished Or a
Male Gryphon reguardant Gules beaked forelegged and rayed Or
Badge: In front of an Osprey statant to the sinister Vert the crest and throat Argent beaked
and legged Or an Osprey statant Gules the crest and throat Argent beaked and legged Or
Baroness Coussins (Jean Elizabeth Coussins) cr 2007 (Baroness Coussins, of Whitehall Park in the London
Borough of Islington)
10
Green and white are the ancient Welsh livery colours. The paly
formation is arranged to suggest spruce clad mountains and hence
an allusion to Fforestfach which means ‘fair forest'. Further puns
are provided by the bear for Brian and the gryphons for Griffiths.
Arms: Gules on each of two Pallets Argent between three Goblets in fess Or a Pallet
Purpure
Supporters: On either side a Heraldic Dolphin Argent finned Or holding in the beak a
Quill Argent spined Or
Badge: A Chef's Hat Argent irradiated Or
The three goblets represent the grantee's three children. Together
with the chef’s hat they reflect the family's interests and
connections with food and drink. The grantee was educated at
Godolphin School; hence the dolphins which are shown with quills,
alluding to the grantee's academic interests.
Baron Lee of Trafford (John Robert Lewis Lee) cr 2006 DL 1995 (Baron Lee of Trafford, of Bowdon in the
County of Cheshire)
Arms: Paly of six Gules and Sable on a Bend wavy Argent three Bulls’ Heads caboshed per
pale Sable and Gules armed Or
Crest: On a Helm with a Wreath Argent and Gules a Male Griffin sejant erect Sable beaked
forelegged and rayed Or supporting a Staff also Or attached thereto a triangular Pennon
Argent
Supporters: On either side a Salmon Argent enfiling an Ancient Crown Or
Badge: Two Salmon in saltire Argent anciently crowned Or
A career in banking and accountancy before turning to politics is reflected in
the black and red pales for credit and debit, the bulls’ heads representing the
bull market on the Stock Exchange. The gryphon is associated with treasure,
in particular gold; and the grantee's interests in golf and fly fishing feature
in the Crest, Supporters and Badge. The spellings of gryphon or griffin are
both found in contemporary heraldry.
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Baron Jay off Ewelme (Michael Hastings Jay) cr 2006 GCMG 2006 (Baron Jay of Ewelme, of Ewelme in the
County of Oxfordshire)
Arms: Per saltire Argent and Sable two Clarions in pale each ensigned with an Ancient
Crown Sable and two Clarions in fess Argent each ensigned by an Ancient Crown Or
Crest: Upon a Helm with a Wreath Argent Or and Sable an Otter sejant erect Sable
holding with both forepaws and blowing a Trumpet Or
Supporters: On either side a Manx Shearwater contourny supporting with the wings
addorsed and inverted proper beaked and legged Or in the beak a Trefoil slipped also
Or
Badge: An Otter's Face Sable anciently crowned Or
The grantee's career in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is
reflected in the pelagic Manx Shearwaters. The latter's short legs
prevent them from supporting the shield with a foot in a satisfactory
manner. Accordingly, they have been shown contourny, thus
enabling them to support with the wings. The natural black and
white of the shearwater is reflected in the Arms which are divided
to represent North, South, East, and West. Crown service is reflected
in the coronets which ensign clarions which, in turn, suggest the
initial J. General proclamation and industry is found with the trumpet-blowing otter in the crest. An industrious otter in the Crown
Service is an idea repeated in the Badge.
Baron Woolf (Harry Kenneth Woolf) cr 1992 kt.1979 PC 1986 (Baron Woolf, of Bames in the London Borough
of Richmond)
Arms: Per pale Sable and Argent per fess indented of two points downwards
counter¬changed three Harps the pillar of each terminating in the head neck and wings
of a Pegasus in the Sable Or in the Argent Sable
Crest: Upon a Helm with a Wreath Argent and Sable a Wolf sejant erect Sable gorged with
a plain Collar attached thereto a Chain reflexed over the back Or and grasping in the
dexter forepaw a Sword erect Argent hilt pommel and quillons Or
Supporters: On the dexter a Wolf Or gorged with a plain Collar attached thereto a Chain
reflexed over the back Sable and grasping in the interior forepaw a Sword bendwise
Argent hilt pommel and quillons Sable on the sinister a Wolf Sable gorged with a plain
collar attached thereto a Chain reflexed over the back Or and grasping in the interior
forepaw a Sword bendwise sinister Argent hilt pommel and quillons Or
Badge: A Harp the pillar terminating in the head neck and wings of a
Pegasus Or
The per fess formation suggests the initial W. The wolves are clearly a
punning allusion and the swords refer to the Law. The Harp in the Arms
and Badge is taken from the attributed Arms of King David and is combined with the Pegasus of the Inner Temple.
Baron Rana (Diljit Singh Rana) cr 2004 MBE 1996 JP 1986 (Baron Rana, of Malone in the County of Antrim)
Arms: Argent semy of Flames Gules three Peacocks reguardant in pale Azure
Crest: On a Helm with a Wreath Or and Azure issuing from a Lotus Argent a Lion's Face
Or
Supporters: On either side a Chinkara Argent armed and unguled Or in the mouth a Flax
Flower proper slipped and leaved Or
Badge: The Wheel of Ashoka Or encircled by a Garland of Flax Flowers proper slipped and
leaved Or
The achievement is full of allusion to North West India and the grantee's origins. The flax
flower is used as an emblem for Northern Ireland.
.
E-mail the editor at heraldry.gazette@mac.com 11

12
correspondence
A Carved Wooden Panel at Dickleburgh
The accompanying photographs, aided by
drawings, illustrate a carved wooden panel situated
above the front entrance of Dickleburgh Hall in South
Norfolk. Formerly open to the elements it is now, by
the good sense of the owners, John and Beryl Taylor,
protected by an enclosed porch. All efforts by the
writer to determine the bearer of such an unusual
heraldic assembly, having failed, he now submits it to
a wider audience for help.
In essence the outer ‘supporters’ appear as
curiously footed hounds gorged with coronets and
chains and these, in turn, support two large tusks
flanking a shield held in the hands and hanging from
the neck of a habited figure. The head of this figure,
like the tops of the head of the hounds, has been lost
to erosion and wear. Ralph Brocklebank has suggested
that if the head of the figure was present it might be
that of an angel with wings rather than what appear
to be tusks.
The secondary charges on the shield have been
accounted boars’ heads couped their turned up noses
being the worn remains of the boars’ snouts. There are
traces of single teeth although these do not project
above the gape of the mouth. The fact that the top
sinister head points to the sinister is curious but it may
well be the carver’s artistic attempt to provide a
uniform picture, the couped neck following the line of
the chevron.
As regards the owner of the shield one normally
looks at the owners of the hall. In brief, up to 1641 the
hall and manor belonged to the Howards, Dukes of
Norfolk. Then, for the remainder of the seventeenth
century, it rested in the families of Tindall, Laurence,
Congham, Buxton and Noblet. None of these have
arms like those on the panel.
In the same parish there were other manors with
much longer lists of owners but none with the arms in
question. One of the Le Grice family, who held the
Rectory Manor, has been suggested, no doubt because
a grice was another name for a boar. However, his
arms, once displayed in the church were Quarterly
Azure and Gules, on a bend Argent three boars sable.
In a similar manner Richard Bacon occurs as an owner
of a division of Semere manor but, while one of that
surname did have three boars’ heads on his shield, a
chevron did not accompany them.
If any reader has any suggestions the writer will be
pleased to hear of them at Morningthorpe Manor,
Morningthorpe, Norfolk NR15 2QL.
Ron Fiske
Items for inclusion in the Gazette: post to the Editor, The Heraldry Gazette, at the address given on
page 14 or by e-mail to heraldry.gazette@mac.com

almanac of events
january
7 Lancashire Visit to Cumbria Derrick Walkden
16 Heraldry Society Safe return doubtful: a study of British polar sledging
flags
Jeremy Goldsmith
16 Bath The English Hatchment Andrew Gray
19 Cheshire Chinese Armorial Porcelain John Titterton
february
4 Lancashire Welsh Wanderings Peter
16 Bath Steve’s Heraldic Favourites Stephen Slater
16 Cheshire Heraldic Pipe Banners Major Ian Kelly
21 Heraldry Society Anniversary Lunch at the RAF Club
27 Heraldry Society The civic heraldry of Cambridgeshire David Hopkinson
march
3 Lancashire AGM John
5 Norfolk AGM
15 Bath Arms of the Royal Consorts Anthony Ryan
15 Cheshire Some Favourite Bookplates Harold Storey
19 Heraldry Society The John Brooke-Little Memorial Lecture: Charles Burnett
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14
membership news
We welcome the following new members:
A. Craxford Tyne and Wear
P. Hooley Bucks
J. Baesch U.S.A.
J. Dunkin London
N. Bromley Devon
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NEW YEAR
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The Society has heard with regret of the death of
the following:
Mr. D.W. Betteley
PERCY VANT HERALD WITH A DIFFERENCE by Peter Field

KEMPSFORD PARISH CHURCH
by Revd David Ackerman
A painted ceiling in a Gloucestershire church
records some of the most important families of the
middle ages and their association with Kempsford and
its castle. Little remains of that association today
except the church and the shields on the lierne-vaulted
roof beneath its tower. One of its most striking features
is a circle of Lancastrian Roses, celebrating Kempsford
as the birth place of the man who was to be the first
Duke of Lancaster.
The shields bear witness to the power and wealth
of an age and the relationships through marriage of
great families. Also on display is the association
between the church and manor of Kempsford with
Leicester and the three dioceses it has been part of
over time. The Arms of St Edward the Confessor mark
the reign in which the church was founded.
The vaulting is itself 15th century but the painting
was undertaken in 1862 by the Rev H F St John and
Vernon Bembow. It is not known whether they overpainted
some of the arms that existed prior to that
date but they certainly introduced two that post-date
the vaulting: the arms of the diocese of Gloucester and
those arms impaled with the diocese of Bristol. Only
the four outer shields are carved and of those one
requires its own story.
First, some history. In 1283 the manor of
Kempsford was inherited by Maud de Chaworth from
her father and passed to her husband Henry, the third
Earl of Lancaster. Their son, Henry Grosmont, inherited
the manor of Kempsford from his father as well as
succeeding to the earldom in 1345. In 1351 Henry
was created the first Duke of Lancaster “in recognition
of astonishing deeds of prowess and feats of arms".
Henry grants the manor of Kempsford in 1355 to the
hospital of the Annunciation at Leicester, which held
the manor until 1548.
The first Duke died at Leicester Castle in 1361
without a male heir, his son, Henry, having drowned in
the river at Kempsford. The inheritance passed to
Henry's daughters, Blanche and Maude. Lancaster
was part of Blanche's dowry when she married King
Edward III's son, John of Gaunt, in 1359. Maude died
without children in 1362, and her portion of the
inheritance passed to her sister Blanche.
John of Gaunt was created second Duke of
Lancaster by Edward III in 1362. When Edward III died
in 1377, his ten-year-old grandson, Richard II, came to
the throne. Although Richard was heavily influenced
by his powerful uncle, John’s fortunes changed. His
son, Henry Bolingbroke, made an enemy of King
Richard II, and was banished. In 1399, upon the death
of John, Richard II confiscated the Lancaster
inheritance but in the same year Henry returned to
England. Supported by leading families, he regained
control of Lancastrian strongholds and captured
Richard II. The king abdicated and Henry Bolingbroke
was crowned Henry IV on 13 October 1399.
The stories of the alliances between the people
associated with the above brief history are many and
varied. Gilbert de Clare, 8th Earl of Hertford and 4th
Earl of Gloucester; Henry, Duke of Lancaster; Sir John
Cornwall; Patrick de Chaworth; Robert, Earl of
Gloucester; John de Welles, Baron Welles; the Earldom
of Leicester; Alan la Zouch; Thomas de Spencer; Earl of
Gloucester; Ralph de Morthermer, Earl of Gloucester
and Earl of Atholl and Hugh de Audley, first Earl of
Gloucester are all associated by marriage with the
people once associated with Kempsford and whose
arms can still be seen.
The remaining arms tell the story of the parish’s
ecclesiastical relationships. Kempsford is in the
province of Canterbury and the diocese of Gloucester.
Prior to the creation of Gloucester diocese by Henry
VIII, Gloucestershire formed a part of the diocese of
Worcester. Between 1836 and 1897 the dioceses of
Gloucester and Bristol were merged. The pallium on
the arms of the See of Canterbury remind us that prior
to the reformation the Archbishops of Canterbury
received that symbol of fidelity to the successor of
Peter.
Kempsford’s heraldic ceiling intertwines power,
wealth, people and place. Its colours have dulled over
time and the parish is exploring the possibility of a
Heritage Lottery Grant to conserve and clean the
ceiling and reversing the mistake made in the 19th
century which I alluded to at the beginning of this
article. The arms of Sir John Cornwall should be Ermine
a Lion Rampant Gules crowned Or a Bordure engrailed
Sable Roundelly Or. It appears that owing to damage
the carving of most of the Lion Rampant had
disappeared and the restorers instead painted a
gauntlet. The arms were then named Plantagenet! The
possibility of reversing this mistake is exciting.
Visit the website at www.theheraldrysociety.com 15

A Heritage Lottery Grant requires a commitment to
access and a part of the project will be to write a guide
to the arms of the ceiling (a good opportunity to
introduce people as well to heraldry). If you have any
information or guidance that might be of help please
16
do contact me. Kempsford Church is worth a visit and
I hope if a project is successful generations to come
will be able to enjoy our extraordinary and beautiful
heraldic ceiling.
Published by the Heraldry Society, Charity Reg No 24156, Reg Office, 110 Ashley Gardens, Thirleby Road, Westminster, London SW1P 1HJ.
Printed by Masterprint Ltd, London, SE18 5NQ