Boteler Arms - St James' Church, Church End, Biddenham, Bedfordshire, UK
Posted by: 
Dragontree
N 52° 08.300 W 000° 31.190
30U E 669726 N 5779325
This coat of arms can be found on the north wall of the chancel in the church of Biddenham.
Waymark Code: WM8TTF
Location: Eastern England, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 05/12/2010
Views: 3
Part of a marble monument the coat of arms is on the top of the canopy which has Corinthian columns supporting it on either side. The monument is to William Boteler who died in 1601. The Boteler family built the north aisle of the church and the chapel on the south side in the 15th century. It is also dedicated to his second wife Ursula who died in 1621. There are kneeling effigies of their three daughters and two sons.
The coat of arms are quarterly with the Boteler arms as (I) Gules a fesse checky argent and sable between six crosslets then with the final three quarters divided as so: (2) Gules crusilly or an inescutcheon vair (Molesworth); (3) Argent a fesse gules and in chief a cheveron gules (Kirton); (4) Gules a cheveron between three peacocks in their pride argent (Peacock). Above the husband and wife within the monument are three more coats of arms to their respective families. There is a long inscription on the plaque below the monument canopy.
William Boteler bought the manor in 1540 from John Gostwick. The Boteler family were already long residents of the parish with Thomas Boteler appearing in a charter from 1313. In the 14th century another Thomas Boteler acquired by marriage a ‘capital messuage’ in the village. He married Grace who was heir of Lan de Kirton and their family became resident for several generations. This Manor House was located in Ford End or ‘Kirtons’ which is situated away from the village about half a mile to the south east of the river. Today it is divided into two cottages.
In 1554-5 William Boteler died and Biddenham Manor passed to his son William Boteler whose monument this is who died in 1601. Thomas Boteler, his son inherited the manor and he was knighted by King James I.
There are also some brasses in the church with one on the wall in the north aisle to Helen Boteler who died in 1639.
There are details of the family’s will requests here: (
visit link)
A second memorial on the wall next to this monument is dedicated to Alice who was the eldest daugther of William Boteler. It bears the same Boteler coat of arms.