Find Spot record 10635/15 - Medieval Royal Arms, Ruins of Choir, St John's Church

In 1870, four coats of arms, made of free standing stone in relief, were uncovered in the ruins at the east end of the Church of St John the Baptist. One appears to have been intended for the achievement of the fourth Earl of Derby, a second stone shows the arms of Randle Blundeville, Earl of Chester, and has a date of 1585. The third appeared to have been intended for Queen Elizabeth, and the fourth for Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester (2).

Those who found and reported on them suggested that they may have once been part of the wall at the east end of the chancel, built in the late sixteenth century, but were moved in the early nineteenth century when that part of the church was rebuilt. Rather than having been deposited haphazardly in to the ruins, they were found leaning against one of the walls, but covered with sediment and other debris that had accumulated over time (1).

<1> Harris, B.E. (ed), 1987, Victoria County History - A History of the County of Chester: Volume I, 1/279-288 Thacker A 1987 (Book). SCH3556.

<2> Lancashire & Cheshire Antiquarian Society, 1883 -, Transactions of the Lancashire & Cheshire Antiquarian Society, 68/10-11 (Journal/Periodical). SCH3293.

<3> Bennett. J.H.E., 1914, Two Elizabethan chamberlains of the Palatinate of Chester (Article in Journal). SCH5654.