Author Topic: Hampshire Church - unidentified Shield  (Read 1959 times)

Offline munjoanron

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Hampshire Church - unidentified Shield
« on: Sunday 08 April 18 16:08 BST (UK) »
Can anyone help to identify the attached shield.  It was found on the roof of a church in North Baddesley, Hampshire.  The church belonged to a preceptor of the Knights Hospitaller and we believe the roof dates to the late 15th early 16th century.  There are 11 other shields in the roof and they all seem to relate to prominent families/individuals located in Hampshire at that time.

Offline Viktoria

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Re: Hampshire Church - unidentified Shield
« Reply #1 on: Sunday 08 April 18 20:59 BST (UK) »
Excuse me if you know this:-The Knights Hospitallers were a charitable organisation providing shelter and care for pilgrims.
 The shrine of Thomas a Becket at Canterbury drew many pilgrims,re Chaucer`s Canterbury Tales.
They had bases in Malta and Rhodes,presumably for pilgrims to the Holy Land.
What the significance of this particular shield might be I am not at all sure.
It looks as if it has recently been painted,is this so?
I don`t know to whom you could enquire,but what a wonderful find.
Perhaps The Diocese?Good luck and do let us know.
                                                    Viktoria.

Offline munjoanron

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Re: Hampshire Church - unidentified Shield
« Reply #2 on: Monday 09 April 18 07:57 BST (UK) »
Just to square the circle - I have found the answer in an old book on www.archive.org.  It was a book on Church heraldry for decorators printed in 1911.  It shows this shield and says it is the depiction used for churches dedicated to "All Saints".  Our church was originally dedicated to All Saints but rededicated on 17 July 1304 when the Knights Hospitaller appropriated it.
 

Online KGarrad

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Re: Hampshire Church - unidentified Shield
« Reply #3 on: Monday 09 April 18 08:24 BST (UK) »
The full URL for that book is:
https://archive.org/stream/heraldryofchurch00dorl/heraldryofchurch00dorl_djvu.txt

The relevant text says:
All Saints. November r

Party silver and sable a crown gold between three scrolls gold having the word "Sanctus " gules upon each.

This shield is offered as a heraldic emblem for churches dedicated in honour of All Saints.

The field divided perpendicularly into two equal halves, silver to the dexter, sable to the sinister, is intended to symbolize the brightness and the trials of the heavenly and the earthly life. A gold crown has ever been the emblem of sanctity ; and the scrolls with their red words are suggested as typifying the hymn of the redeemed.


So, it looks as if the shield has been repainted at some time, with the red words on gold scrolls becoming gold words on red scrolls?
Garrad (Suffolk, Essex, Somerset), Crocker (Somerset), Vanstone (Devon, Jersey), Sims (Wiltshire), Bridger (Kent)