Held at:	Private collection
Reference:	RS
Source:	Original photographs and documents
Title:	Digital Archive: Armorial Shields in St Bartholomew’s Church Vowchurch
Place name:	Golden Valley
Date:	2019

Description:

A unique feature of this small parish church is the extensive range of Armorial Shields with which the interior is embellished. At first sight a visitor might imagine that these are the Arms of the great aristocratic families of the area who have attended and sponsored the church over the centuries. But a research paper by CJF Comyn published in the Newsletter of the Golden Valley Study Group reveals that all is not quite as it seems. A summary of his research is in a folder inside the church for the benefit of visitors, the pages of which are photographed below. In essence it shows that while many of the landed families of the Golden Valley - for example the Parrys of Poston, the Clives of Whitfield and the Vaughans and Howorths of Whitehouse - do appear to be represented, many of the Arms are of more doubtful pedigree.

 

 

Observations:

Pictures of St Bartholomew’s Church, Vowchurch are also available on this website.