Traitors Arms - Ashperton Herefordshire
The "Traitors Arms" made c1460 on the orders of Lancastrian Queen Margaret of Anjou, which uses coats of arms not to honour , but to denigrate her Yorkist enemy , and is a reminder of the violent conflict between the Houses of Lancaster and York during the Wars of the Roses (and also Margaret's vindictive nature).
This was after the Parliament of Devils in December 1459 had declared Richard Duke of York and his followers to be traitors. Henry VI's queen, Margaret of Anjou, insisted that Parliament pass an 'attainder' against Richard and his Neville in-laws. Richard's wife Cecily Neville was forced to attend Parliament to witness her family's disgrace.
It was discovered in the ruins of Ashperton Manor, possibly hidden there by Lancastrian diehards after the Yorkist victory at Mortimers Cross in 1461
It was probably not unique at the time, and this design may have been repeated in carvings and paintings to be displayed throughout the Lancastrian territories. Ashperton had been Lancastrian for generations,but it bordered Yorkist territory to the north and west. . The village was also situated on a major trade route between England and Wales and since the arms were carved for propaganda purposes, they would have been displayed to travellers on the roadside & mounted on the village green as a rallying point for Lancastrian loyalists whilst discouraging Yorkist incursions into their lands. At that time even an illiterate peasant would have understood its meaning.
It is however unique now as all other examples showing their family's disgrace, were destroyed by the Yorkist kings Edward lV & Richard lll
Its meaning was lost and as it was later thought to mock the monarchy in general, it was named instead "the defiance"
(Clockwise from noon)
CROWNED HELM = Richard Duke of York; his shield reversed, under a paper crown
4 ROSES at the top of the shield - Edward lV, Edmund, George & Richard lll (Richard's sons) ;
BEAR = Richard Nevile, Earl o f Warwick the Kingmaker (York's nephew) whose emblem was the bear & ragged staff
SEA MONSTER = William Neville, Lord Fauconberg (Richard's brother in law) whose emblem was a fish hook it also alludes to his piracy exploits
HORSES = Henry & Humphrey Bourchier (Richard's nephews) both attainded with him, who used the bridled horse as their emblem
4 ROSES on dexter side of the shield = William, John, Edward & Thomas Bourchier (Richard's nephews)\)
NASTY (a spectral figure) = Joan Beaufort +++ (Richard's mother in law) who was illegitimate when born to John of Gaunt & his mistress Katherine Swynford and later legitimatised , this flaw according to Margaret of Anjou made the Yorkists a bastard line.
RAT - Cecily Neville (Richard's wife) daughter of Joan Beaufort +++ Known as "Proud Cis" The rat is a symbol of female lasciviousness, and also in this case the impurity of her bloodline
4 ROSES on the distaff side of the shield = Henry, William, John & Thomas (Richard's dead infant sons)
SQUIRREL = Richard Neville, Earl of Salisbury (Richard's brother in law) The squirrel in heraldy symbolised the devil, it was also Richard Neville's crest emlemising prudence - Church of St. Bartholomew, Ashperton Herefordshire
Traitors Arms - Ashperton Herefordshire
The "Traitors Arms" made c1460 on the orders of Lancastrian Queen Margaret of Anjou, which uses coats of arms not to honour , but to denigrate her Yorkist enemy , and is a reminder of the violent conflict between the Houses of Lancaster and York during the Wars of the Roses (and also Margaret's vindictive nature).
This was after the Parliament of Devils in December 1459 had declared Richard Duke of York and his followers to be traitors. Henry VI's queen, Margaret of Anjou, insisted that Parliament pass an 'attainder' against Richard and his Neville in-laws. Richard's wife Cecily Neville was forced to attend Parliament to witness her family's disgrace.
It was discovered in the ruins of Ashperton Manor, possibly hidden there by Lancastrian diehards after the Yorkist victory at Mortimers Cross in 1461
It was probably not unique at the time, and this design may have been repeated in carvings and paintings to be displayed throughout the Lancastrian territories. Ashperton had been Lancastrian for generations,but it bordered Yorkist territory to the north and west. . The village was also situated on a major trade route between England and Wales and since the arms were carved for propaganda purposes, they would have been displayed to travellers on the roadside & mounted on the village green as a rallying point for Lancastrian loyalists whilst discouraging Yorkist incursions into their lands. At that time even an illiterate peasant would have understood its meaning.
It is however unique now as all other examples showing their family's disgrace, were destroyed by the Yorkist kings Edward lV & Richard lll
Its meaning was lost and as it was later thought to mock the monarchy in general, it was named instead "the defiance"
(Clockwise from noon)
CROWNED HELM = Richard Duke of York; his shield reversed, under a paper crown
4 ROSES at the top of the shield - Edward lV, Edmund, George & Richard lll (Richard's sons) ;
BEAR = Richard Nevile, Earl o f Warwick the Kingmaker (York's nephew) whose emblem was the bear & ragged staff
SEA MONSTER = William Neville, Lord Fauconberg (Richard's brother in law) whose emblem was a fish hook it also alludes to his piracy exploits
HORSES = Henry & Humphrey Bourchier (Richard's nephews) both attainded with him, who used the bridled horse as their emblem
4 ROSES on dexter side of the shield = William, John, Edward & Thomas Bourchier (Richard's nephews)\)
NASTY (a spectral figure) = Joan Beaufort +++ (Richard's mother in law) who was illegitimate when born to John of Gaunt & his mistress Katherine Swynford and later legitimatised , this flaw according to Margaret of Anjou made the Yorkists a bastard line.
RAT - Cecily Neville (Richard's wife) daughter of Joan Beaufort +++ Known as "Proud Cis" The rat is a symbol of female lasciviousness, and also in this case the impurity of her bloodline
4 ROSES on the distaff side of the shield = Henry, William, John & Thomas (Richard's dead infant sons)
SQUIRREL = Richard Neville, Earl of Salisbury (Richard's brother in law) The squirrel in heraldy symbolised the devil, it was also Richard Neville's crest emlemising prudence - Church of St. Bartholomew, Ashperton Herefordshire