The shield of Margaret Neville, 2nd Countess of Rutland.
The Neville shield, representing the 2nd Countess of Rutland
Neil Fortey
Key to the heraldry on the shield of the 2nd Countess
Neil Fortey
This is the bottom-left quarter of the countess' shield. It is “Neville Ancient” and represents the family’s founder, the Saxon Robert fitz Meldred, who married the Norman heiress Isabel de Neville.
Neil Fortey
This shield is seen on the reverse side of the panel located on top of the tomb of the 2nd Earl and Countess of Rutland. The blazons displayed are those of Ralph Neville, 4th Earl of Westmorland.
Creator
John Daybell, Neil Fortey Place
Bottesford, St Mary the Virgin parish church, chancel Contributor
Neil Fortey Copyright
Bottesford Community Heritage Project Reference number
BOT/135/003 Storage location
Digital copy of original photograph held by Bottesford Community Heritage Project
Comments about this page
The third (bottom left) quartering is “Neville Ancient” and represents the family’s founder, the Saxon Robert fitz Meldred, who married the Norman heiress Isabel de Neville.
We are very grateful to the Norreys for providing us with this information. Neil Fortey (ed)
I’m not convinced by the attribution of the bottom left fourth quarter to Neville Ancient. Are there any other examples of this extant? It appears to be to be more like the Noel arms (red fret over gold with the top left corner ermine) although Noel doesn’t appear to have a ship?
Re: The shield of FitzMaldred, I’m afraid you have it reversed. The saltire is that of FitzMaldred and the fretty coat is that of the Norman Nevilles. The canton was originally Gules but as the office of ‘Admiral’ came to the family they introduced a “Nef” or a ship – a tie-up with their name.
Add a comment about this page