Altar Screen - St Mary - Ottery St Mary, Devon - Stone Church Artefacts on Waymarking.com

A magnificent altar screen of St Mary's church, Ottery St Mary. Sadly it did not escape the depredations of the Reformation. It is not original, but a 'best guess' at replicating what the original 14th-century screen installed by Bishop Grandisson might have looked like.

The statues were removed from their niches, and the holes and were filled with plaster so as to leave a blank face. Much of the gilt and paintwork was also obliterated. In a restoration in 1829 the niches were re-opened and the heraldic shields were re-painted, although it was only in 1934-5 when the sculptures were replaced by Herbert Read of Exeter and all of the paintwork restored to its former glory.

On the cornice are carved coats of arms, these were originally painted on a flat surface, but were carved at a restoration of the screen. The shields bear the following arms:—
1] The Grandisson family;
2] Sir John de Northwode;
3] Blanche, daughter of Roger de Mortimer, wife of Lord Peter Grandisson, who was brother of the Bishop;
4] Sibill, wife of William, Lord Grandisson, and mother of the Bishop;
5] the Royal arms of France;
6] the Royal arms of England;
7] the arms of Bishop Grandisson;
8] the arms of William de Motacute, who married one of the Bishop's sisters;
9] the arms of the Courtenay family;
10] The Grandisson family.

Approximate Age of Artefact: Not listed Relevant Website: Not listed

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