Devon heraldry

File:Powderham Castle, 2009.jpg

The arms of Courtenay on display above Powderham Castle in Devon in 2015, a seat of that family since the 14th century

The landed gentry and nobility of Devonshire, like the rest of the English and European gentry, bore heraldic arms from the start of the age of heraldry circa 1200-1215. The fashion for the display of heraldry ceased about the end of the Victorian era (1901) by which time most of the ancient armigerous families of Devonshire had died out, moved away or parted with their landed estates. In 2015 a very few ancient families remain in the county represented by direct male descendants, most notably Courtenay of Powderham, Fulford of Fulford, Kelly of Kelly, Cruwys of Cruwys Morchard, Clifford of Chudleigh, Acland of Killerton and Broadclyst, Wrey of Tawstock, etc. A few ancient Devon estates are still owned by descendants via female lines, for example Castle Hill, Filleigh, Molland, Incledon, Braunton, Hall, Bishop's Tawton, Newnham Park, etc. In most cases the laws of English heraldry preclude the transmission of paternal armorials via a female heiress (other than in the form of quartering), thus most of these inheritors via female lines, generally deriving from the same pool of high-status English armigerous families, bring their own paternal heraldry, possibly previously foreign to Devon, to the estates inherited. For example, the Irish arms of Gore (Earl of Arran) are now associated with Castle Hill, Filleigh, until 1958 the seat of the last male representative of the Fortescue family which originated in Devon in the 12th century. In a few cases however, male heirs via female lines have been required by the legator to seek royal licence to adopt his own arms and surname, otherwise destined to disappearance, in lieu of the legatees own. This was the case with the families most notably of Rolle, Basset, Stucley, Walrond, etc.

The standard sources for students of the heraldry of Devon are as follows:

Documents

• Heraldic Visitations of Devon: Vivian, Lt.Col. J.L., (Ed.) The Visitations of the County of Devon: Comprising the Heralds' Visitations of 1531, 1564 & 1620, Exeter, 1895.
• Pole, Sir William (d.1635), Collections Towards a Description of the County of Devon, Sir John-William de la Pole (ed.), London, 1791:
  • "The Armes of such nobles and gentlemen which have anciently dwelled & had lands in Devonshire", pp. 444–467;
  • "An alphabet of the armes of the gentlemen of Devonshire as well of those being as of those which have bine", pp. 467–510;
• The Notebook of Tristram Risdon (d.1640)[3]
• Lysons, Samuel and Lysons, Daniel, Magna Britannia, Volume 6: Devonshire, London, 1822:
  • Ancient Families, of which the principal Branch is extinct, or removed, since 1620, yet some of the Descendants remain in the County.
  • Families known, or supposed, to be extinct since 1620, or removed out of the County.
• Prince, John, (1643–1723) The Worthies of Devon, 1810 edition, plates I-V, "Arms" (monochrome depictions of 145 shields)
• Baring-Gould, Sabine & Twigge, Robert, An Armory of the Western Counties (Devon and Cornwall): From the Unpublished Manuscripts of the XVI Century, published by J.G. Commin, 1898 [4]
• Carew, Sir George (1555-1629) (created in 1626 Earl of Totnes), Carew's Scroll of Arms 1588, Collected from Churches in Devonshire etc., with Additions from Joseph Holland's Collection of Arms 1579, Exeter, 1901. ( See also: Devon & Cornwall Notes and Queries, Vol. 1, pt. 2)

Observation

Observation of surviving monuments in parish churches and mansion houses. Frequently discrepancies between these sources exist. Painted monuments in parish churches often have been restored, in some cases several times over the centuries, and the arms depicted may not be as originally painted. Heraldry sculpted in relief on stone is liable to wear and crumbling, especially when placed in the favourite location, exposed to the elements for centuries, on the porch or gatehouse of the family mansion. Ancient monumental brasses do not show tinctures but otherwise provide lasting records of heraldry. Stained glass depictions are optimal sources as they include tinctures, but ancient survivals are rare. Mural monuments placed high up on walls generally survive vandalism of past ages whilst paintings of arms on escutcheons sculpted in stone on mediaeval chest tombs have rarely survived and often were "scraped" clean of all decoration in the 17th century. Heraldic monuments displaying a family's arms are generally found in the church of the parish in which is situated their seat, but the paternal arms may also be found in remoter parish churches where a daughter of the family has married into a family resident there. In such a case the arms are shown impaled by the arms of her husband. Clearly the greatest problems in tracing heraldry relate to long extinct families. A few ancient Devon families survive, such as the Fortescues, and a flag showing the Fortescue arms still flies above Castle Hill in 2013. There is no shortage of surviving examples of the arms of the Chichesters and Rolles, but surviving heraldry of the ancient Courtenay Earls of Devon seated at Tiverton Castle is rare, although frequently shown as quarterings in the arms of related families.

List of Devon arms

The following armorials are listed in the Heraldic Visitations of Devon:

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

Name	Escutcheon	Blazon	Seats
Acland		Chequy argent and sable, a fesse gules	Acland Barton, Landkey; Holnicote, Somerset; Killerton, Devon; Fremington House, Fremington; Hawkridge, Chittlehampton; Combe, Goodleigh; Sprydon, Broadclyst
Adams		Or, a lion rampant between six crosses crosslet within a bordure engrailed sable	Townstal, Dartmouth; Bowden, Ashprington(?); (Charlton Adam, Ilchester, Somerset)
Amory		Barry nebulé of six argent and gules, over all a bend azure	Whitechapel, Bishops Nympton
Arscott		Per chevron azure and ermine in chief two buck's heads cabossed or	Arscott, Holsworthy; Dunsland, Bradford; Tetcott; Annery, Monkleigh
Ashe/Aysshe/Esse		Argent, two chevrons sable	Sowton, alias Clist Fomeson/Somson
Ayshford		Argent, between two chevrons sable three ashen keys vert	Ayshford, Burlescombe
Bampfylde/Bampfield		Or, on a bend gules three mullets argent	Poltimore; North Molton; Warleigh, Tamerton Foliot
Barry		Barry of six argent and gules	Winscott, St Giles in the Wood
Basset		Barry wavy of six or and gules	Whitechapel, Bishops Nympton; Umberleigh; Heanton Punchardon; Watermouth Castle
Bastard		Or, a chevron azure	Efford, Egg Buckland; Garston, West Alvington; Kitley, Yealmpton; Sharpham, Ashprington
Beaple		Gules, a bend vairy between six escallops argent	Barnstaple
Beaumont		Barry of six vair and gules	Youlston, Shirwell; Gittisham
Bellew		Sable fretty or	Stockleigh English; Ash, Braunton
Bere (alias Beare)		Argent, three bear's heads erased sable muzzled or	Huntsham; Morebath
Berry		Or, three bars gules	Berrynarbor
Blewett		Or, a chevron between three eagles displayed vert	Holcombe Rogus
Bodley		Argent, five martlets saltirewise sable on a chief azure three ducal crowns or	Dunscombe, Crediton; Exeter
Bonville		Sable, six mullets argent pierced gules	Shute
Bourchier		Argent, a cross engrailed gules between four water bougets sable	Tawstock; Bampton
Budockshed		Sable, three fusils in fess between three buck's faces argent	Budockshed, St Budeaux
Burgoyne		Azure, a hound passant argent	South Tawton
Bury		Ermine, on a chevron engrailed azure three fleurs-de-lys or	Colleton, Chulmleigh
Cade		Argent, three piles in point wavy sable	Fremington; Barnstaple
Calmady		Azure, a chevron between three pears or	Calmady, Penfound, Poundstock, Cornwall;Langdon, Wembury; Stoke Climsland, Cornwall; Leawood, Bridestowe;
Carew		Or, three lions passant sable	Crowcombe; Antony, Cornwall; Tiverton Castle; Haccombe; Bickleigh Castle; Mohuns Ottery
Cary		Argent, on a bend sable three roses of the field	Cary, St Giles on the Heath; Clovelly; Cockington; Torr Abbey
Champernowne		Gules, a saltire vair between twelve billets or	Modbury; Bere Ferrers; Dartington; Ilfracombe
Cheney		Gules, five fusils in fess argent on each an escallop sable	Pinhoe
Chichester		Chequy or and gules, a chief vair	Raleigh; Eggesford; Hall, Bishop's Tawton; Pill, Bishop's Tawton; Arlington; Youlston
Cholmeley		Gules, in chief two close helmets argent in base a garb or	Tiverton
Chudleigh		Ermine, three lions rampant gules	Ashton; Haldon
Clifford		Chequy or and azure a fess gules	Chudleigh
Coffin		Azure, three bezants between eight crosses crosslet or	Portledge, Alwington; Monkleigh; Inwardleigh
Cogan		Gules, three (mulbery) leaves argent	Bampton
Coplestone		Argent, a chevron engrailed gules between three leopard's faces azure	Copplestone, Colebrooke; Warleigh, Tamerton Foliot
Courtenay		Or, three torteaux	Okehampton; Tiverton; Powderham; Molland; Colcombe Castle; Upcott, Cheriton Fitzpaine
Crossing		Or, on a chevron azure between three crosses crosslet fitchée gules as many bezants	Exeter
Culme		Azure, a chevron ermine between 3 pelicans vulning their breasts or	Molland Champson; Canonsleigh Abbey
Davie (Bardolph arms)		Azure, three cinquefoils or on a chief of the last a lion passant gules	Creedy, Sandford; Canonteign, Christow; Ruxford, Sandford;
Davie (de Via arms)		Argent, a chevron sable between three mullets pierced gules	Creedy, Sandford; Canonteign, Christow; Ruxford, Sandford;
Denys/Dennis		Ermine, three battle-axes gules	Holcombe Burnell; Bicton
Denys/Dennis		Azure, three Danish battle axes erect or	Orleigh
Docton		Per fess gules and argent, two crescents in chief or another in base sable	Docton, Hartland
Dowrish		Argent, a bend cotised sable a bordure engrailed of the last	Dowrish, Sandford
Drake		Argent, a wyvern wings displayed gules	Ash, Musbury
Drewe		Ermine, a lion passant gules	Sharpham, Ashprington; Killerton, Broadclyst; The Grange, Broadhembury
Duck		Or, on a fess wavy sable three lozenges of the field	Heavitree, Exeter; Mount Radford, Exeter
Duke		Per fesse argent and azure, three chaplets counterchanged	Otterton
Elford		Per pale argent and azure, a lion rampant gules	Sheepstor
Floyer		Sable, a chevron between three arrows points downward argent	Floyer Hayes
Ford		Party per fesse or and sable, in chief a greyhound courant in base an owl within a bordure engrailed all counter-changed	Nutwell; Chagford; Ashburton; Bagtor, Ilsington
Fortescue		Azure, a bend engrailed argent cotised or	Whympston, Modbury; Castle Hill, Filleigh; Weare Giffard; Fallapit, East Allington; Buckland Filleigh; Preston, Devon; Wood, Woodleigh
Fownes		Azure, two eagles displayed in chief and a mullet in base argent	Plymouth; Kittery Court, Kingswear; Nethway, Kingswear; (Dunster Castle, Somerset)
Fulford		Gules, a chevron argent	Great Fulford, Dunsford
Gale		Azure, a fesse argent fretty of the field	Crediton
Gay		Or, a chevron between three escallops azure	Goldworthy, Parkham; Frithelstock
Giffard		Sable, three fusils conjoined in fesse ermine	Brightley, Chittlehampton; Tiverton Castle; Halsbury, Parkham
Glanville		Azure, three saltires or	Holwell; Kilworthy, Tavistock
Gould		Per saltire azure and or a lion rampant counterchanged	Downes, Crediton; Floyer Hayes; Lew Trenchard
Hamlyn		Gules, a lion rampant ermine crowned or	Widecombe; Buckfastleigh; Woolfardisworthy; Clovelly
Hancock		Gules, on a chief argent three cocks of the field	Combe Martin; Mount Radford, Exeter
Hatch		Gules, two demi-lions passant guardant in pale or	Hatch/Hacche, South Molton; Aller, South Molton; Woolleigh, Beaford
Haydon		Argent, three bars gemels azure on a chief gules a fess dansettée or	Cadhay, Ottery St Mary; Ebford, Woodbury
Harvey		Gules, on a bend argent three trefoils slipped vert	Aylesbeare
Hooker alias Vowell		Or, a fess vair between two lions passant guardant sable	St Mary Major, Exeter
Howper/Hooper		Gyronny of eight or and ermine, over all a castle triple-towered sable	Musbury; Fullabrook, Braunton; Raleigh, Pilton
Incledon		Argent, a chevron engrailed between three tuns sable fire issuing from the bung hole proper	Incledon, Braunton; Buckland, Braunton; Colleton, Chulmleigh; Pilton House, Pilton; Yeotown, Goodleigh
Kelly		Argent, a chevron between three billets gules	Kelly
Kirkham		Argent, three lions rampant gules a bordure engrailed sable	Blagdon, Paignton
Leach		Ermine, on a chief engrailed gules three ducal coronets or	Cadeleigh; All Hallows, Goldsmith Street, Exeter
Luttrell		Or, a bend between six martlets sable	Hartland Abbey; Saunton; (Dunster Castle, Somerset)
Mallet		Azure, three escallops or	Ash, Iddesleigh; Woolleigh, Beaford; Deandon, Widdecombe; Hatch, South Molton
Martyn		Argent, two bars gules	Feudal barony of Barnstaple; Oxton, Kenton; Lindridge
Mohun		Or, a cross engrailed sable	Tavistock; Mohuns Ottery; (Dunster, Somerset; Hall, Lanteglos, Cornwall)
Monk		Gules, a chevron between three lion's heads erased argent	Potheridge, Merton
Moore		Argent, a chevron between three moorcocks sable	Moore, near Tavistock; Upcott, Cheriton Fitzpaine
Northcote		Argent, three crosses-crosslet in bend sable	Northcote, East Down; Newton St Cyres; Pynes, Upton Pyne
Northleigh		Argent, a chevron sable between three roses gules	Northleigh, Inwardleigh; Peamore, Exminster; Matford, Alphington
Parker		Sable, a stag's head cabossed between two flaunches argent	North Molton; Boringdon; Saltram; Whiteway, Chudleigh
Petre		Gules, on a bend or between two escallops argent a Cornish chough proper between two cinquefoils azure	Bowhay, Dunchideock; Tor Newton, Tor Bryan
Pincombe		Per pale gules and azure, three close helmets argent garnished or	South Molton; North Molton; Filleigh; East Buckland
Pole		Azure semée of fleurs de lis or, a lion rampant argent	Shute; Colcombe Castle
Pollard		Argent, a chevron sable between three escallops gules	Way, St Giles in the Wood; Grilston, Bishop's Nympton; King's Nympton; Langley, Yarnscombe; Abbots Bickington; Horwood
Pollard (de Via arms)		Argent, a chevron sable between three mullets pierced gules	Way, St Giles in the Wood; Grilston, Bishop's Nympton; King's Nympton; Langley, Yarnscombe; Abbots Bickington; Horwood; Ford Abbey, Thorncombe; Knowstone
Pomeroy		Or, a lion rampant gardant gules armed and langued azure within a bordure engrailed sable	Berry Pomeroy Castle; Bowden, Ashprington
Popham		Argent, on a chief gules two stag's heads cabosed or	Lynton
Prideaux		Argent, a chevron sable in chief a label of three points gules	Orcharton, Modbury; Adeston, Holbeton; Thuborough, Sutcombe; Soldon, Holsworthy; Netherton, Farway; Ashburton; Nutwell, Woodbury; Ford Abbey, Thorncombe; (also Prideaux Place, Padstow and Prideaux Castle, Luxulyan, Cornwall)
Prouse		Sable, three lions rampant argent	Chagford; Barnstaple; Tiverton
Prust		Gules, on a chief argent two estoiles sable	Thorry, Hartland; Gorven, Hartland; Annery, Monkleigh
Prye		Ermine, a chevron sable a chief azure fretty or	Horwell, Colebrooke
Radford		Sable, three lampagoes passant coward in pale argent	Upcott, Cheriton Fitzpaine; Okeford; Rockbeare
Raleigh		Gules crusilly or, a bend vair or Gules, a bend vair between six cross-crosslets or	Raleigh, Pilton; Fardell, Cornwood
Reynell		Argent, masonry sable a chief indented of the second	Forde, Wolborough; East Ogwell
Risdon		Argent, three birdbolts sable	Winscott, St Giles in the Wood; Bableigh, Parkham
Rolle		Or, on a fesse dancette between three billets azure each charged with a lion rampant of the first three bezants	Stevenstone; Bicton; Hudscott, Chittlehampton; Beam, Great Torrington; Heanton Satchville, Petrockstowe
Seymour		Gules, two wings conjoined in lure or	Berry Pomeroy
Shapcott		Sable, a chevron (or) between three dovecotes argent	Shapcott, Knowstone
Smith of Totnes		Barry undé of sixteen argent and azure on a chief gules three barnacles or	Totnes
Southcott		Argent, a chevron gules between three coots sable	Indio, Bovey Tracey; Mohuns Ottery, Luppitt
Sparke		Chequy or and vert, a bend ermine	The Friary (Whitefriar's Priory), St Jude, Plymouth
Speccot		Or, on a bend gules three millrinds argent	Speccot, Merton; Thornbury; (Penheale, Cornwall)
Strode		Argent, a chevron between three conies courant sable	Old Newnham and Newnham Park, Plympton St Mary
Stucley		Azure, three pears or	Affeton Castle; Hartland Abbey; Daddon/Moreton House
Tothill		Azure, on a bend argent cotised or a lion passant sable	Peamore, Exminster; City of Exeter
Tremayne		Gules, three dexter arms conjoined at the shoulders and flexed in triangle or the fists clenched argent	Collacombe, Lamerton; Sydenham, Marystow
Trevelyan		Gules, the base barry wavy argent and azure a demi-horse issuant of the second maned and hoofed or	Yarnscombe; (Nettlecombe, Somerset)
Tristram		Argent, three torteaux a label of three points azure a chief gules	Duvale & Castle Grove, Bampton
Turberville		Argent, a lion rampant gules crowned or	Sampford Peverell; (Bere, Dorset; Coity Castle, Glamorgan)
Upton		Sable, a cross flory argent	Puslinch; Lupton
Venner		Gules, three bends or a chief per fess ermine and argent	Hudscott, Chittlehampton
Walrond		Argent, three bull's heads cabossed sable armed or	Bradfield, Uffculme; Bovey House, Beer
Webber		Gules, on a chevron engrailed argent between three plates three annulets of the first	Incledon, Braunton; Buckland, Braunton
Wollocombe		Argent, three bars gules	Wollocombe, Mortehoe; Combe / Over Wollocombe, Roborough
Worth (Wrothe)		Argent, an eagle with two heads displayed sable beaked and legged gules	Worth, Washfield, near Tiverton
Yeo		Argent, a chevron sable between three ducks azure	Heanton Satchville, Petrockstowe; Huish; Hatherleigh; Fremington

Blazons by Sir William Pole

The following blazons, with spellings corrected and modernised, were recorded by Sir William Pole:

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

• Abbot, of Hartland:Or, a cross voided between four eaglets displayed sable
• Adiston, of Adeston: Argent, a fess between three pellets
• Affeton, of Affeton: Argent, a chevron engrailed between three fleurs-de-lys sable
• Acland, of Acland: Barry argent and sable, two pales counterchanged a fess gules over all
• Alabaster, of Bicton: Azure, three cross-bows bent or
• Alley, Bishop of Exeter: Azure, a pale engrailed between two lions rampant ermine crowned or
• Ameredith, of Pole: Argent, a lion rampant sable collared and chained gules
• Aller, of Aller: Argent, three parrots vert 2 and 1 beaked and membered gules
• Arundell, of Hempston Arundell: Sable, six swallows (martlets) argent 3,2,1
• Arundell of Hempston Arundell: Argent, six swallows sable, 3,2,1
• Ank of Anke: Gules, two bars three annulets in chief argent
• Ayshford of Ayshford: Argent, three ash crops vert between two chevrons sable
• Ashlegh of Ashlegh: ...a pheon...
• Ashton of Ashton: Vert, three bends argent
• Ashthorp of Sampford Peverell: ...a bend...
• Amidas of Plymouth: Azure, a chevron argent between three acorn stalks and leaves or
• Appleton: Or a chevron sable between three apples vert
• Ashenden of Dartmouth: Argent, a lion rampant gules collared or
• Atcomb of Atcombe: Sable, three wings argent
• Atwill of Exeter: Argent, a chevron sable a pile in point counterchanged
• Appeldor: Gules, a fess undee argent
• Atwill: Argent, a fess three piles in chief
• Atway: ... on a chief three lion's heads erased over-all a bend
• Archdeacon of Haccombe: Argent, three chevrons sable
• Audleigh of Tawstock, (feudal) baron of Barnstaple and Dartington: Gules fretty or
• Avenell of Shepewas (Sheepwash): Three spread-eaglets (Three eagles displayed)
• Avenell of Loxbere: Argent, five fusils in fess sable between two barrulets gules
• Auncell: Ermine, a fess sable between a demi-lion in chief and three fusils in base 2 and 1 gules
• Arscott of Dunsland: Ermine, on a chief azure two buck's heads cabossed or
• Atwill: Argent, three leopard's faces azure
• Atwood: Sable semee of acorns or, a lion rampant argent
• Basset of Stevenstone and Beaupire: Argent, a chevron azure between three bugle horns sable
• Bathe or Bathon, of Colbrooke: Ermine, a bend gules
• Bastard of Efford: Or, a chevron azure
• Basset of Umberleigh: Barry undée of six or and gules
• Batten of Dunsland: Argent, three battle axes erect azure
• Batten of Exeter: Argent, a chevron between three battle axes erect azure
• Bawceyn of Washborn Bawceyne: Argent, two bars undée gules a quarter sable
• Barry of Winscott: Barry of six argent and gules
• Battishull of Westwike: Azure, a saltire crosslet between four owls argent
• Bamfild (Bampfield): Or, on a bend gules three mullets argent
• Bamfild (Bampfield): Paly of six or and vert on a bend gules three mullets argent
• Baker: Argent, on a saltire engrailed sable five escallops argent on a chief of the second a lion passant argent
• Barron of Buckland Barron: Argent, a chevron between three men's hearts sable
• Barnhous of Kingston: Gules, two wings conjoined in lure argent
• Bawcomb of Bawcombe: Argent, three bats displayed sable
• Barkley or Bartlet of ... : Sable, a fess ermine between three escallops argent
• Balun of ... : Barry dancetty of six argent and gules
• Baunton of Combaunton (Combe Baunton): Gules, a bend between three escallops or one in chief two in base
• Bale of ... : Argent, two bars gules between three mullets sable
• Beandyn of ... : Azure, on a bend or three torteaux
• Beaudyn: ... , a chevron between three martlets
• Beaumont of Yolston (Youlston): Barry of six vairy and gules
• Beaumont of Sebrescot: Barry of six vairy and gules a bezant on the second bar
• Beauchamp of Ryme: Vairy, a label of three points gules
• Beaupell(Beauple) of Knoweston (Knowstone): Gules, a bend vairy cotised or
• Beaupell(Beauple) of Knoweston (Knowstone) (sic, Richard Beaple Mayor of Barnstaple): Gules, a bend vairy between six escallops argent
• Bellew of Ashe Rogus (Ash, Braunton): Sable fretty or

See also

• Cornish heraldry