Fortescue Heraldic Window Buckland Filleigh Church Devon
Ancient stained glass window in Buckland Filleigh Church, Devon, displaying various historic impaled arms of the Fortescue family of Spridleston in the parish of Brixton, Devon. The estate of Spridleston was inherited by the Fortescues of Buckland Filleigh, who married the Fortescue heiress of Spridleston. The stained glass was brought here from Spridleston, as is explained in a manuscript note by Rev. Richard Lane (d.1858), Vicar of Brixton, as follows: "The windows in the front of the house were ornamented with a variety of armorial bearings in painted glass which were taken down a few years since and given to John Inglett-Fortescue late of Buckland Filleigh who placed them in his parish church" (see: File:NotesOn SpridlestonBrixtonDevon ByRevRichardLane Died1858.jpg[1]. John Inglett-Fortescue died in 1840, aged 82. He was the grandson of Caleb Inglett (1702-1752) of Dawlish by his wife Rebecca Fortescue (1699-1764), heiress of Buckland Filleigh and Spridleston. The shields were replaced in an apparently random order.
Heraldry:
- Left lancet window, top to bottom:
- Azure, a bend engrailed argent, plain cotised or (Fortescue) impaling Gules, on a bend wavy argent three water bougets sable (Falwell of Falwell, Devon (Pole, Sir William (d.1635), Collections Towards a Description of the County of Devon, Sir John-William de la Pole (ed.), London, 1791, p.482)). For Isabel or Mabel Falwell, daughter and heiress of John Falwell of Falwell (today Velwell) in the parish of Rattery, Devon, and wife of William Fortescue of Wimpstone, brother of Sir John Fortescue (fl.1422) Captain of Meaux. (Vivian, p.352)
- Fortescue impaling Ermine, three battle-axes gules (Denys of Holcombe Burnel)
- Fortescue impaling Argent, a chevron gules between three hounds courant sable (Sackbye). In the Carew Scroll of Arms
- Centre lancet window, top to bottom:
- Fortescue impaling Or, three torteaux a label of three points azure each charged with three plates (Courtenay of Powderham). Nicholas Fortescue (a son of John Fortescue (d.1538) of Spridleston by his wife Alice Cookworthy, daughter of John Cookworthy (Vivian, Heraldic Visitations of Devon, p.353)) married Elizabeth Courtenay, daughter of William Courtenay of Loughtor in the parish of Plympton Sy Mary, Devon, a junior branch of Courtenay of Molland.
- Fortescue impaling vair (Beauchamp of Ryme (Pole, p.469)). For Elizabeth Beauchamp, daughter of Sir John Beauchamp and a sister and co-heiress of Thomas Beauchamp of Ryme (Vivian, p.352) (Ryme Intrinseca) in Dorset, wife of William Fortescue of Wimpstone, parents of of Sir John Fortescue (fl.1422) Captain of Meaux. (Vivian, p.352). Beauchamp of Ryme in Dorset, a junior branch of the Beauchamp feudal barons of Hatch Beauchamp in Somerset.
- Fortescue impaling Gules, on a bend wavy argent three water bougets sable (as top left) (Falwell of Falwell, Devon (Pole, Sir William (d.1635), Collections Towards a Description of the County of Devon, Sir John-William de la Pole (ed.), London, 1791, p.482))
- Fortescue impaling Fortescue, with a crescent or for difference
- Centre lancet window, top to bottom:
- Fortescue impaling Argent, three birds gules; the trace of a chevron is visible, which would make these the canting arms of Cockworthy/Cookworthy of Ernscombe (Cockworthy in the parish of Yarnscombe, Devon): Argent, a chevron between three cocks gules (Pole, p.475). John Fortescue (d.1538) of Spridleston married Alice Cookworthy, daughter of John Cookworthy (Vivian, Heraldic Visitations of Devon, p.353)
- Fortescue impaling Argent, a lion rampant gules (Vivian of Trelowarren in Cornwall ?[4] John Fortescue (born 1514) of Spridleston married Florence Vivian, a daughter of Richard Vivian of Trelowarren (Vivian, p.353).
- Fortescue impaling Argent, two bendlets gules (Haket?)