Transcript

of

Ancient Heraldic Glass in Slapton Church

Devon & Cornwall Notes and Queries vol. VI, (January 1910 to October 1911), illus. p. 149.

by

Wilfred Drake

Prepared by Michael Steer

Slapton was recorded in the Domesday Book as Sladone. The Collegiate Chantry of St Mary was founded in 1372 or 1373 by Sir Guy de Brian. Sir Guy served in the wars with Scotland, Flanders, and France; was made Governor of St. Briavel's Castle and Warden of the Forest of Dean 1341 till his death; succeeded his father in 1349, being then 40 years old and more, and had the temporary custody of the Great Seal in that year. The article, from a copy of a rare and much sought-after journal can be downloaded from the Internet Archive. Google has sponsored the digitisation of books from several libraries. These books, on which copyright has expired, are available for free educational and research use, both as individual books and as full collections to aid researchers.

Note 137. ANCIENT HERALDIC GLASS IN SLAPTON CHURCH. - Amongst some fragments of ancient glass which I have recently restored and collected together in the west or tower window of Slapton Church, are the three coats of arms of the De Brian family, sketched herewith. The shield with no cadency marks dates from circa 1350 and doubtless is that of Guy, Lord Brian, standard-bearer to King Edward III. at Calais, A.D. 1349. This shield was probably painted for one of the two Tracery quatrefoils in the east window. The other two shields which, judging from their workmanship, date from about half a century later, show, as cadency marks, the label of three points and the pierced mullet or spur-rowel respectively, denoting the arms of the eldest and third sons.

But I can only discover that Lord Guy de Brian had two sons, and these by his second wife, who, according to Dugdale, was Elizabeth Montacute, daughter of William, Earl of Salisbury [Sir William Pole on the contrary speaks of her as Margaret]. By her he had Guy and William, the younger of whom died 21st Richard II. without issue, whilst Guy the elder, leaving two daughters, Philippa Devereux and Elizabeth Lovell, predeceased his father, who died in 1391.

Can any reader of D.&C.N. & Q. explain the presence of a third son's cadency mark as shown ? Heraldic errors in glass are so unusual at this date that I should be very reluctant to accept such an explanation.                 Wilfred Drake