Rushbrook Heraldry Belchamp Walter

Heraldic Records from the Church of St Mary Belchamp Walter
Peter B. Rushbrook

14th August 1999 the P.C.C. received a presentation by Peter B. Rushbrook entitled: "Heraldic Records from the Church of St Mary Belchamp Walter". This presentation was illustrated by reproductions of the sheilds he found in the Church, These were hand drawn in full colour by Peter and he had performed reseaarch into their origin.

He says in his introdution:

St Mary the Virgin, visited 3rd February 1999, a large manorial Church, down a country lane and opposite the Hall, and displaying some lovely medieval wall paintings recently uncovered. I recorded eight shields from memorials and glass.

References:-

Burks General Armory - BGA
Papworths Ordinary of British Armorials. P (and preuambly a reference number/page number)
Morants History of Essex.
Dictionary of Names.
Church Guide. - not that there seems to be a of information taken from there.

Research on tempusfugit.me.uk

Peter's work has been of great assistance to the research performed prior to being given a copy in 2022. Some errors or alternative interpretations have been revealed and I believe that this is now the most important presentation of his efforts.

This page is a reproduction of Peter's work in HTML and uploaded to the web so that it can be found by those making internet searches.

Peter's work is based on his research, see above, in an attempt to cross-reference this with other research there are a number of areas of confusion.

Top

Featured Arms

What I am trying to do here is to reproduce Peter's work an cross-reference to my own.

The cross-reference: (this page - featured page(s))

FitzOtes - Thomas FitzOtes - The spelling is also Otho and Oates
Botetourt - Sir John Botetourt
Beauchamp - William de Beauchamo
Raymond
Bugge or Sterne
Clarendon or Villiers
Tyrell

FitzOtes and Botetourt

The FitzOtes and Botetourt arms

Peter's legend:

Bendy of six Argent and Azure, a Quarter Ermine.
P1033 FitzOthes
Or, a Saltire engrailed Sable.
BGA = Botetourte

The image above is taken from Peter's document. It depicts the FitzOtes and Botetourt arms.

Both seen twice on the fancy arch, and several times on the columns, part of a Chantry Chapel for the Botetourt family according to the Church Guide.
Tinctures from Burks General Armory and Papworths.

The Chantry Chapel is recorded in the Church Guide and also in other histories such as Thomas Wright's H and T of Essex.

Morant said that Sir John Boutetourt (who d.1324/5) married Maud, daughter and heir of Thomas FitzOthe and his wife, Beatrix, daughter and coheir of William Beauchamp.

Morant's - "History and Antiquties of Colchester" maybe the source for the information on FitzOtho and Boutetourt.

Peter says in his report:

The pedigree of Fitzotho and Boutetourt.

Otto, of Belchamp.
Otto Fitzwilliam
William Fitzotho
Thomas FitzOtho m. Beatrix, 2nd daughter and coheir of William Beauchamp.
Sir John Boutetourt m. Maude, daughter and coheir of d.1324/5 Thomas Fitzotho.
Thomas B--- m. Joanne, daughter and coheir of John de Somery, Baron Dudley.
2nd son John d.1339 m. Margaret d. 1376
John Boutetourt m. Joane, daughter and coheir of John Gernon
Robert Swynbourne m. daughter and heir of John Boutetourt.

Botetourt and Beauchamp

Peter's Legend

1. Or, a Saltire engrailed Sable, a Label of five points for difference. P1061 Botetourt.
Amongst others on the left pillar of Chantry Chapel arch. said that John the grandson died before his father. Tinctures from BGA.

2. Quarterly Argent and Gules, a Bend Gules. P195 Beauchamp (?)
Amongst others on the right pillar of the Chantry Chapel arch. Tinctures from Papworths. Morant said Sir John's mother in law was Beatrix daughter of William Beauchamp.
Also seen was ?? impaling Botetourt possibly for the heiress (great grand daughter) who married Robert Swynbourne.

The Raymond Crests

Peter's report starts with what he attributes to "The Arms of Raymond". Although not chronological it makes sense as the creast in seen both on the memorial in the Chancel and on the inside of the West Tower.

Peter's legend:

The Arms of Raymond

Quarterly 1+4 = Sable, a Chevron and three Eagles displayed on a Chief Agent, three Martlets Sable.
2+3 = Or, a Chevron and Three Crosses patonce Sable

High on West wall to the South Tower arch.
Also on a memorial in North Choir (but cross buttony); for fifteen members of the Raymond family from 1635 to 1732.

BGA P412 = Raymond, Belchamp Hall, co Essex.
Sterne. Richard Sterne, Bishop of Carlisle 1660. Archbishop of York 1664-83. (the same for both forms of Cross)

Arms of Raymond

Peter attributes the crest to both the Raymond and Sterne families.

Bugge or Sterne

Arms of Bugge

The Arms of Bugge,
Quarterly; 1+4 Argent goutty de Poix. 2+3 Azure, three Water Bougets Or, a Bordure Or, three Bulls Heads erazed Sable, Argent and Sable. Bordure compony

High on west wall to north of the Tower arch. P347 = Bugge. P942 no near match.

Name Origin :- Bugge Middle English (some one very scruffy??) Bugge' hobgoblin, bogy, scarecrow.

This coat of arms is seen on the North of the tower arch. The Raymond/Stern arms are on the South.

Clarendon and Tyrell

Peter's legend:

1. Argent, on a Cross Gules, five escallops Or.
P653 = Villiers, but could be another name.

2. Argent, two Chevronells Sable.
P541 = Lambourne of Essex, amongst others [Ashe; Kyne; Tyrell]

Arms of Tyrell

Cross Buttony

According to mistholme.com:

The “cross bottony” or “cross botonny” was an artistic variation on the cross crosslet in medieval heraldry; no distinction was made between them until late in our period (Legh, for instance, gives the crosses their separate names). Society blazon distinguishes the two for the artist’s sake, but no heraldic difference is granted.

Burke's General Armory

The link below (disabled - but availble on request) allows searches to be made on an on-line copy of Burke's Peerage.

The reference numbers used by Peter are different to the page numbers that I was able to find.

Bordure compony

This feature is not easy to see on the sheild painted on the tower wall in Belchamp Walter. Good work on the part of Peter Rushbrook. I have looked and photographed this shield many times and I didn't notice the border until I received Peter's paper.

A bordure compony can be used as a difference to delineate cadency and often indicates an illegitimate son, acknowledged but legally barred from inheritance of the feudal estates of his father. The first Earl of Somerset was later legitimized (allowed to inherit the feudal estates) by an act of Parliament, yet retained his original arms as also displayed by his legitimate descendants.

Heraldic Records from the Church of St Mary Belchamp Walter Peter B. Rushbrook

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Heraldic Records from the Church of St Mary Belchamp Walter
Peter B. Rushbrook