Blennerhassett Family Tree, Heraldry Illustrated, Heraldry, Coat of Arms, Crest, Arms, Badge, Escutcheon, Achievement, Blennerhassett Genealogy, Blennerhassett, Blennerhasset, Blenerhassett, Blenerhasset, Blenerhaset, Blenerhayset, de Blenerhayset

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Arms with crest decorating the rear (west face) of Ballyseedy Castle.

Prior to the 1880s remodelling by architect James Franklin Fuller, the west face was the front of the house.

A ^. B

1821

One of two identical shields on "foundation stones" set set into exterior walls of the north wing of Ballyseedy Castle, one by each of the carriage entrances into the stable yard. These record the remodelling initiated by Arthur Blennerhassett (b.1779 d.1815) and completed in 1821 by his son Arthur Blennerhassett (b.1799 d.1843), 100 years after the house was built.

1821 was also the year of Arthur Jr's marriage to Frances Grady, but his wife's initial does not appear with Arthur's.

This coat-of-arms, a shield with "chevron reversed between, in chief one lozenge, in base three lozenges" is on a stone set into the east facing exterior wall of a square tower at Ballyseedy Castle, Co.Kerry.

This square tower was added either during the remodelling by architect Sir William Morrison (completed in 1821) or during the remodelling by architect James Franklin Fuller in the 1880s - I am unsure which. tower in 2004 tower in 2006

These arms, and the 1821 shield shown to the left, are both unusual in having a reversed chevron (pointing down rather than up).

They are not the arms of any family the Ballyseedy Blennerhassetts married into.

Robert Noel, Lancaster Herald at the College of Arms in London tells me he can find no trace of these arms and they may perhaps be imaginary, purely decorative.

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Blennerhassett of Ballyseedy, Co.Kerry

© "Burke's Landed Gentry of Ireland" [BLGI]

by Sir Bernard Burke, 1899, 1904, 1912

reproduced in "Irish Book of Arms" I.G.F. 2001

Headstone for Sir Rowland Blennerhassett of London, 4th Bart. of Blennerville in Co.Kerry (died 22-Mar-1909) in St. Benedict's churchyard, adjoining the main gate to Downside Abbey & School, Co.Wiltshire

Blennerhassett of Blennerville,

with Baronetcy badge

© "Debrett's Illustrated Baronetage" [DEBRETT] 1899 p.52

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The title of this print is very faint:

Sir Thomas Blenerhasset Knt, Frense Ch. Norf'k

Drawn, Etched & Published by J.S.Cotman, Yar[mouth] 1816

Print from a drawing by John Sell Cotman (pub. in his “Sepulchral Brasses of Norfolk & Suffolk”, 2 vols, 1839)

of monumental portrait brass on the tomb of Sir Thomas Blennerhassett, Knt (d.27-June-1531)

at the church of St.Andrew, Frenze, Co.Norfolk [COTMAN vol.1, frontpiece pl.63, with notes on p.35].

An exceptionally fine effigy, lying in full armour with sword, dagger, gauntlets & spurs, wearing a tabard of arms.

His head rests on a helm with the Blennerhassett crest shown, unusually, as a wolf passant

He is wearing a surcoat or tabard of arms, with Quarterly:

1st

Blennerhassett

2nd

Lowdham

3rd

Orton

4th

Kelvedon

There were also four shields of arms, now lost:

1. Quarterly:

1st & 4th Blennerhassett, 2nd & 3rd Orton

(for his grandfather Ralph Blennerhassett, who descended from Orton)

impaling quarterly: 1st & 4th Lowdham, 2nd & 3rd Kelvedon

(for his grandmother Joan Lowdham who descended from Kelvedon)

2. Quarterly:

1st & 4th Blennerhassett, 2nd & 3rd Lowdham

(for his father John Blennerhassett whose mother was Joan Lowdham)

impaling Heigham (for his mother Jane Heigham)

3. Quarterly:

1st Blennerhassett, 2nd Lowdham, 3rd Orton, 4th Kelvedon

(for himself, Sir Thomas Blennerhassett, descended from Lowdham, Orton & Kelvedon)

impaling Braham, with a crescent for difference (for his 2nd wife Margaret Braham)

4. Quarterly:

1st Blennerhassett, 2nd Lowdham, 3rd Orton, 4th Kelvedon

(for himself, Sir Thomas Blennerhassett, descended from Lowdham, Orton & Kelvedon)

impaling two lions passant (for his 1st wife Jane, said to be named Sutton but this is uncertain)

JANE BLENNERHASSETT, first wife of Sir Thomas Blennerhassett, Knight

Sir Thomas Blennerhassett, Knight (b.c1461 d.1531) of Frenze in Norfolk, married est.c1495, as his first wife, a lady named Jane, said to be Jane Sutton. Little is known about her other than:

1. In 1492 she is described as cousin-german to Lady Surrey [SRO HD 1538/297/21 24-Jan-1492]. The term cousin-germain derives from cousin-germain, of which the modern definition is 1st cousin but in the 15th century meant simply "closely akin".

NOTE: Lady Surrey at that date was Elizabeth Tilney (d.4-Apr-1497) who married 2ndly to Thomas Howard, 1st Earl of Surrey from 1483 and 2nd Duke of Norfolk from 1514. She was daughter of Sir Frederick Tylney & Elizabeth Cheney, granddaughter of Sir Philip Tilney (b.bef.1437 d.c1453) & Elizabeth Thorp (d.10-Nov-1435, dau. of Edmund Thorp).

Who was Jane Blennerhassett, perhaps nee Sutton, and what is her relationship to to Lady Surrey?

2. She and her husband were represented on a small brass shield of arms, illustrated here, part of the monumental brass for Sir Thomas Blennerhassett in the Church of St.Andrew the Apostle at Frenze, Co.Norfolk. This brass shield was one of four formerly on the tomb but lost at some date after 1816.

The arms are:

Quarterly: 1st Blennerhassett, 2nd Lowdham, 3rd Orton, 4th Kelvedon (for Sir Thomas Blennerhassett)

impaling two lions passant (for his wife Jane, said to be named Sutton but this is uncertain)

Documentation relating to this brass shield of arms:

1805 - [BLOMEFIELD vol.1 1805 p.143] correctly describes "two lions passant" but does not mention the name "Sutton".

1816 - [COTMAN - “Sepulchral Brasses of Norfolk & Suffolk” by John Sell Cotman, 1839 (vol.1 Norfolk, vol.2 Suffolk) vol.1, frontpiece pl.63, illustration dated 1816] illustrates "two lions passant", the illustration shown here.

c18?? - [SPURDENS - "Historical Notes by W.T. Sputdens, NRO Ms.4576 p.241 p.139A, "Diss", "Family Tree of Blennerhassett Family" p.252]. He has Sir Thomas married "...1st wife Jane, daughter of Sutton...". Some information on this page is similar to that f.353 of the [DAVY] Ms. and this may perhaps be a source used by [DAVY].

c1840 - [DAVY - Ms. notes on the Blennerhassett family by Suffolk antiquarian David Elisha Davy c1840, 37 pages] in the Davy Collection at [BL Add. Ms.19118 f.353]. He has Sir Thomas m. "...Jane, daughter of _____ Sutton...". Some of the information on this page may have come from [SPURDENS].

1919 - [BOK - "The Blennerhassetts of Kerry: Earlier English Stock” by S.M.] in [KAM - “Kerry Archaeological Magazine”, vol.5 No.21 July 1919 p.38] this article is a summary of [DAVY].

This states Sir Thomas "...married 1stly Jane, daughter of Sutton..."

1944 - [MORIARTY/1 -“Genealogical Research in England - East Anglian Blennerhassets” by G.Andrews Moriarty pub. in [NEHGR] vol.98 No.1 Jan.1944, pp.67-73; vol.98 No.3 July 1944, p.277]

states Sir Thomas "...married first Jane Sutton..." but wrongly describes these arms as "...2 lions rampant (probably Sutton)..."

1976 - [BIFR -"Burke's Irish Family Records" 1976, republished 2007, p.133] describes the first wife of Sir Thomas as "...Jane Sutton (who bore arms similar to those of the Suttons, Barons Dudley - see BURKE'S Dormant and Extinct Peerages)..." but this is not the case, the arms of Sutton, Baron Dudley are a single "lion rampant".

1984 - [VoS - "The Visitation of Suffolk 1561", part II, p.358, as edited by Joan Corder 1984, published by The Harleian Society, New Series, vol.3, 1984] states that Sir Thomas married "1st., Jane, daughter of _____ Sutton" and also describes these arms as "Sutton Barons Dudley" but without illustration.

Was her name really Sutton?

Where did [SPURDENS] find the name Sutton? it does seem not to appear in any of the Visitations.

It could be that the later writers mentioned were misled by [DAVY] and [SPURDENS].

Is there any reference earlier than [SPURDENS] and [DAVY] c1840 to her being named Sutton?

Were "two lions passant" ever used as Sutton arms or Dudley arms? I cannot find them used as such, anywhere.

Could she perhaps be a Somery, of Dudley Castle, whose arms were "Or two lions passant azure" (see right). Is there a relationship between the name Somery and Lady Surrey?

This remained at Frenze in 1816 when Cotman made his drawing, but the portrait brass and four shields were subsequently stolen, leaving only the inscription.

The brass is said to have been recovered at Munich, Germany in 1820 & later acquired by one of Blennerhassett family. This may have been Sir Rowland Blennerhassett, Bart. (b.1839 d.1909). Munich was the family home of wife, Charlotte Lady Blennerhassett, and they visited often.

A descendant is said to have restored the brass to the church of St.Andrew at Frenze a few years ago, but it is a modern copy that has been set, with the original inscription, into a fine polished hardwood panel mounted on the south chancel wall. The four brass shields remain missing. Warning

Where is the original portrait brass?

A rubbing from the brass as originally installed is at [NRO, PD 476/17].

seal of Alan de Blenerhayset of Carlisle,

Co.Cumberland (b.est.c1330 d.post 1407).

Blennerhassett arms inside the legend

"sigillum halani de blenerhay"

("the seal of Alan de Blenerhayset")

red wax seal 27mm diameter,

attached to a deed in Latin

dated 25-May-1390 (13 Richard II);

a lease by "Alano de Blenerhayset"

of waste ground by Carlisle Castle,

endorsed "Alanus Blenerhayset in fossa versus castrum"

Cumbria Record Office, Carlisle HQ [CRO Ca/3/5/1/12]

The illustration is from "Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian & Archaeological Society"

vol.6 1883 pp.317-8


	Blennerhassett arms on a stone set into an exterior wall of St.Michael's church, Workington, Co.Cumberland


Clay tile or brick displaying the Blennerhassett arms between initials J M (John & Mary), the date 1563 above. Set into the exterior wall over a door at Barsham Hall, Barsham, Co.Suffolk, the door recently converted to a window. Barsham Hall was home to John Blennerhassett (b.c1515 d.1573) and his wife Mary Echingham. He was Treasurer and Minister (chief household officer) to the 3rd & 4th Dukes of Norfolk	Arms of John Blennerhassett of Barsham, Co.Suffolk (b.c1515 d.1573) from his will dated 29-Jun-1573 (15 Eliz. I), proved 3-Feb-1573/4 London [PCC] His arms charged with an annulet, a mark of cadency indicating a fifth son, or as in this case descent from a fifth son	Arms of Blennerhassett c1554 to 1599 Barsham, Co.Suffolk in Barsham Church (where?) from [SUCKLING/1] and [Holy Trinity Barsham Church Guide, 2000 ed., inner front cover]


Arms on tomb of John Blennerhassett (d.27-Nov-1510) at the church of St.Andrew, Frenze, Co.Norfolk. Drawn 1816 by John Sell Cotman [COTMAN vol.1, pl.50]	Arms on tomb of Jane Tindall Blennerhassett (d.6-Oct-1521), widow of John Blennerhassett, at the church of St.Andrew, Frenze, Co.Norfolk. Her arms charged with an annulet, a mark of cadency indicating descent from a fifth son. Drawn 1816 by John Sell Cotman [COTMAN vol.1, appendix pl.5, notes on p.60]	Arms on tomb of Sir Thomas Blennerhassett, Knt (d.27-Jun-1531) at the church of St.Andrew, Frenze, Co.Norfolk Drawn 1816 by John Sell Cotman [COTMAN vol.1, frontpiece pl.63, notes on p.35]

		photo: courtesy of Joan Peck
Arms on tomb of Mary Blennerhassett Culpepper Bacon (d.17-Sep-1587) at the church of St.Andrew, Frenze, Co.Norfolk. Drawn 1816 by John Sell Cotman [COTMAN vol.1, pl.83]	Arms of Blennerhassett of Pockthorpe, Norwich, Co.Norfolk; showing vertical hatching lines used in printed books or on a monumental brass to indicate the field is colour gules (red) ["Norfolk Genealogy" vol.6, "Norfolk Pedigrees" p.18]	Arms on the tomb of Edward Blennerhassett (d. June 1641) in Campsea Ash church, near Lowdham and Pettistree, Co.Suffolk

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Blennerhassett crest set into an exterior wall, over the main entrance door to Ballyseedy Castle the wreath is coloured azure & argent (blue & white)	Crest on tomb of Mary Blennerhassett Culpepper Bacon (d.17-Sep-1587), part of a monumental brass on a marble slab set into the nave floor at the church of St.Andrew, Frenze, Co.Norfolk.	Drawing of the 1587 crest at St.Andrew, Frenze, Co.Norfolk (left) by John Sell Cotman 1816 [COTMAN vol.1, pl.83]


	Blennerhassett crest "a wolf sejant gules" Co.Norfolk & Co.Suffolk © "Fairbairn's Crests of the Families of Great Britain and Ireland" [FC] revised by Laurence Butters 1860, 1911 ed. (2 vols.) plate 110, crest 4	Blennerhassett crest "a fox sejant gules" Co.Suffolk © "Fairbairn's Crests of the Families of Great Britain and Ireland" [FC] revised by Laurence Butters 1860, 1911 ed. (2 vols.) plate 87, crest 4

Two wooden panels, set amongst other wall panelling covering the lower inside walls of the library (now hotel bar) of Ballyseedy Castle (now Ballyseede Castle Hotel). The panel on the left displays the bust of a man wearing helmet with fleur-de-lys crest. The panel on the right displays the Blennerhassett arms, impaled, with Blennerhassett crest above and date 1627 below.

The year 1627 significantly pre-dating the building of Elm Grove in 1721, one could be forgiven for assuming the panels were brought here from "old" Ballyseedy, now a ruin at the west end of Ballyseedy Wood. However, despite their primitive style of carving the concensus of opinion is that they are of more recent date, perhaps made to add interest and give the appearance of age to the library. The panel on the right probably commemorates the marriage of John Blennerhassett of Ballycarty & Ballyseedy (b.c1595 d.1676) with Martha Lynn (b.c1595/1600) who married "about 1630", but there is a difficulty with this attribution.

Martha was the daughter of George Lynne of Southwick Hall, Northamptonshire and his wife Isabella Forrest, daughter of Sir Myles Forrest of Morburn, Huntingdonshire. The arms of the Lynn (Lynne, Lyn) family are a single lion rampant (upright), described "gules, a demi lion rampant argent within a bordure sable bezantee”, but these arms are not used here. Instead the panel displays a shield bearing the arms of Blennerhassett impaling three lions passant (walking) - most probably (although not clear) is three lions passant guardant (walking, facing viewer), the arms of England.

Use of the arms of England by an individual is not valid and officially such use was and is prohibited by the College of Arms. However, Martha Lynne was 10th in descent from King Edward III of England, through the families of Plantagenet, le Despencer, Beauchamp, Nevill, Throckmorton, and Lynn. Because of this every living bearer of the name Blennerhassett has a royal descent, a source of pride for the Blennerhassett family then and now, and it appears the person who commissioned the panel wished to show this pride publically, by representing the marriage to Martha Lynn by the arms of England.

That the family was proud of their Royal descent is demonstrated by Maj. Arthur Blennerhassett (b.1856 d.1939) of Ballyseedy, who paid an advance subscription to "Royal Descents" by Joseph Foster (published in 2 volumes 1887) [FOSTER/2] which ensured the book documented his Blennerhassett descent from Edward III via Martha Lynn. Thus it may be Arthur Blennerhassett who had these two panels made for his library, but no proof of this has been found.

NOTE: It was the same Arthur Blennerhassett who commissioned a "mock castle" refacing of the house, as was popular during the mid Victorian period, these changes causing what had previously been the front elevation and main entrance to become the rear of the house. This work, executed by Kerry architect, historian and Blennerhassett descendant James Franklin Fuller, caused the house to lose its Georgian elegance and simplicity but resulted in the impressive building we see today. Following these changes the house was referred to as "Ballyseedy House" or as "Ballyseedy Castle" in more-or-less equal measure.

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Blennerhassett crest & arms carved side by side on a dark oak fireplace surround in the great hall at Ballyseedy Castle (formerly Elm Grove) Co.Kerry. A Foundation Stone set in the wall above the fireplace carries a date 1721, when Elm Grove is believed to have been built. This fireplace surround was probably removed to Elm Grove from "Old Ballyseedy", now a ruin at the west end of Ballyseedy Wood