Heraldic images in the library of Combermere Abbey

I have recently been pleased to assist the archivist at Combermere Abbey, Steven Myatt, in his efforts to identify a number of plaster moldings in the library of the abbey which are  presently undergoing conservation.

Steven stated that he had been examining a number of plaster moldings which show heraldic devices and seemed to relate to local families; “there are the crests of the Cholmondeleys, Grosvenors and Stanleys, but I am unable to identify a couple of other. These a horse's head, reined, with a crescent; and an elephant and castle.There is a third, which is a pigeon or a dove, and which I assume relates to the Bishop of Chester.”

Image taken from http://www.combermere-restoration.co.uk/

I would lay odds on the "horse's head" being the bear's head crest of either Brereton of Ashley Viz: Crest: A bear's head erased Sable, muzzled Gules, a crescent for cadency or the crest of Brereton of Malpass.  The arms of Brereton of Malpas (as recorded in the Visitations of Cheshire) do not have a crescent for cadency on the crest itself however the arms themselves do feature a crescent for the second son. Fox-Davies tells us that the differencing of crests for cadency is very rare but theoretically these should be marked equally with the shield. It seems to me that when the crest is used in isolation, it probably makes sense to use a cadency mark where one is ordinarily used with the shield.  

Brereton of Ashley Crest [Martin Goldstraw]

Image taken from http://www.combermere-restoration.co.uk/

Once it is accepted that there is a Brereton connection, the elephant and castle and the bird can be explained.

Although I have only seen a portion of the shield featuring the bird, (and an image of the full shield might assist here) I can see that it is basically a bird that is black in colour upon a gold shield. The fifth quarter of the arms of Brereton of Brereton are those of Corbet. The arms of Corbet are Or, two ravens Sable (a gold shield upon which are two corbies or ravens black in colour). The basic arms of Corbet are Or, a (single) raven Sable. BUT more importantly, the arms of Corbet bring us the connection with the elephant and castle as the Corbet crest is An elephant Argent, on his back a castle triple towered Or, trappings of the last and Sable. (Visitations of Shropshire 1623)

There is also an image of an impaled shield on the Combermere restoration site (forgive the small image) which confirms the Cotton/Corbet connection.

Image taken from http://www.combermere-restoration.co.uk/

It's nice to be asked to help and it's even nicer when you can!

 

New heraldic beastie hits the ground running ... or is it flying!

A new heraldic beastie has appeared on the horizon. Invented by US Armiger Kathy McClurg as her heraldic badge and affectionately known as Gilbarta, the Dravencoon is an heraldic beast with the body of a Dragon (colour must be specified), the wings and hind legs of a Raven (Proper) and the tail of a Raccoon (Proper). The default aspect of a Dravencoon is Rampant.

Personal Badge of Kathy McClurg: A Dravencoon Azure clutched in the dexter foreclaw an arrow point to chief Or.



[Image emblazoned by Ljubodrag Grujic]

http://www.armorial-register.com/arms-us/mcclurg-ka-arms.html

Artist says farewell to heraldry

I am shocked to learn that Andrew Stewart Jamieson has decided to lay down his heraldic paint brush and will no longer be taking any more commercial commissions to paint armorial bearings. The information has come straight from the horse’s mouth (so to speak) as Andrew has recently made the announcement on his “Queen’s Scribe and Illuminator” Facebook page.

There is no doubt that Andrew is an excellent artist and I’m sure that his work, which is always a joy to see, will be greatly missed however, of late, he appears to have unfortunately been embroiled in a great deal of controversy and seems to have been in disagreement with quite a few people over what can and can’t be regarded as “heraldic art”. It also appears that many have also felt that Andrew’s use of the title “Queen’s Scribe and Illuminator” has been unwarrantably self assumed* when it appears that no Royal Warrant is actually held. It is to be hoped that it was not these continued unfortunate conflicts which caused Andrew to withdraw from heraldic work. No one likes to see petty squabbles taking place in their chosen hobby.



Those who are now in need of a good and reputable heraldic artist to replace the void left by Andrew might like to consider Sally Mangum.

*Sally Mangum has a Royal Warrant and is therefore fully entitled to say that she is Calligrapher to Her Majesty the Queen.

Quote "Calligrapher Sally Mangum has a way with words—she makes them beautiful, and surrounds the letter forms with richly colored designs. And she does this for some of the most prestigious customers in the world, including the British Lord Chamberlain’s office.

As holder of a “royal warrant” for calligraphy, Sally displays the royal coat of arms on her business cards and letterhead. But she doesn’t advertise, as referrals bring her business."

Tayleur (Taylor) Arms

Following on from yesterday’s discussion over strange and incorrect pub signs, I spoke to Lawrence, the landlord of the Tayleur Arms at Longdon on Tern and he very kindly let me have a copy of an old photo of the pub showing the previous, correct, sign. He is reluctant to change the incorrect sign because of the newer and arguably more famous connection with the clipper (and of course the cost of having a new sign painted would be prohibitive) but has stated that I have sewn the armorial seed in his head and he will give consideration to commissioning an armorial banner to fly on a flag pole. I’ve let him have a suitable design for the banner (to avoid any further heraldic fau-pas) and provided details of the entries in Burke’s and the Visitations.

19C Armorial Bookplate of Rev. Henry Leigh Bennett

19C Armorial Bookplate of Rev. Henry Leigh Bennett



Not in the Franks Collection.

Dimensions of paper: 112x77mm.   

Condition:  Good. Pencilled prices in top margin.

The Bookplate of Philip Bliss

The bookplate of Philip Bliss is not particularly in good condition but I am nevertheless pleased to have it because of the man and, if I’m honest, it has a sort of Cheshire look about it too. Franks 2840.

 

Arms: Argent, on a bend cottissed Azure three garbs Or:
Crest, A garb Or.
A brief biography can be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_Bliss_%28academic%29

 Here is a second scan of the same bookplate (this time in greyscale).

A brief biography can be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_Bliss_%28academic%29

 

A portrait of Philip Bliss, Registrar of the University of Oxford from 1824 to 1853 and Principal of St Mary Hall from 1848 to 1857. The original portrait is at Oriel College, Oxford.
Date  Painting undated, but from before Bliss's death in 1857
Source  http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/2654 Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
Artist: John Bridges (fl. 1818 – 1854)

The Tayleur (Taylor) Arms - or not!

Another one for my armorial lost opportunities section however, unlike The Granville Arms, this one at least has some tenuous connection between the name and the painting depicted on the pub sign. The Tayleur Arms at Longdon on Tern is actually a pub well worth visiting with a good restaurant* but it is stretching the point a bit (well, armorially at least) to depict a clipper instead of the armorial bearings of Tayleur, it is after all called The Tayleur Arms and not The Tayleur Clipper!



The arms of Taylor of Longdon upon Tern (yes, it is spelt Taylor and not Tayleur) are recorded in the Visitations of Shropshire 1623 as Ermine, on a chief Sable three escallops Argent. Burke’s General Armory record the arms of Tayleur (Buntingdale, co. Salop; settled at a very early period at Roddington, was High Sheriff co.Salop. 1691) Ermine, on a chief sable three escallopes Argent with a crest of Out of a ducal coronet Or, a dexter arm in armour holding in the hand a sword all Proper.



A history of the Clipper connection can be found on their web site:
http://www.tayleurarms.co.uk/history.html
*Many years ago, under a previous ownership, the pub used to have a grandfather clock, the face of which stated W. W. Goldstraw, Leek, standing in the lounge. I always meant to take a photograph of it but never got around to it. I wonder where it ended up.