Roesia de Verdun - St John the Baptist - Belton, Leicestershire - Statues of Religious Figures on Waymarking.com

Recumbent statue of Roesia de Verdun, foundress of Grace Dieu Priory, St John the Baptist church, Belton.

"The De Verdun family of Belton, Leicestershire and Alton, Staffordshire had a history in the region, Bertram de Verdun (visit link) arriving as part of John's first expedition to Ireland. By 1185 he had erected a manor house at Castletown Mount and subsequently obtained the town's charter in 1189.

Bertram's granddaughter Rohesia de Verdun from Alton, England was married to Theobald le Botiller, 2nd Chief Butler of Ireland. After her husband’s sudden death whilst travelling in Poitou, France, she moved to her lands in Ireland. She immediately set about fortifying the land with a castle. However, her quick tempered reputation deterred all potential architects. She then offered her hand in marriage (and thereby a share in her wealth) to the man who would build the castle to her liking. Local legend has it, after their wedding banquet in the newly completed castle, she invited her husband to the bridal suite and urged him to view their estate from the large bedroom window. Taking no chances with the castle’s secrets, she promptly pushed her new husband from the window, where he plummeted towards his death. The window was known thereafter as the Murder Window. Rohesia became a nun in Gracedieu Priory, Leicestershire, died there in 1247 and was buried in nearby Belton parish church where her effigy may be seen. Although it is generally accepted that Rohesia originally commissioned the castle, much of it is thought to have been added by her son by Theobald; John. The name "Castle Roche" is thought to be derived from Rohesia's Castle."

SOURCE - (visit link)

"Grace Dieu Priory was founded c. 1239 by Rhosese (or Roesia) de Verdon. The priory was endowed with the manors of Belton, Leicestershire and "Kirkby in Kesteven" (Kirkby la Thorpe?), Lincolnshire; as well as the advowson of Belton Church. The priory was unusual in being independent of outside control. The nuns called themselves "the White Nuns of St. Augustine", and there is thought to be no other houses of their order in the country.

The priory was fairly large, having in 1337 sixteen nuns. It also had an attached hospital which cared for twelve poor people. The priory did, however, have some unusual practices: for example, the nuns were forbidden to ever leave the priory's precincts.

The priory escaped the first wave of dissolution of the smaller monasteries, but was finally dissolved in 1538."

SOURCE - (visit link)

Associated Religion(s): Christian Statue Location: Inside church Entrance Fee: Free Website: [Web Link] Artist: Not listed

Visit Instructions:
Take a picture of the statue. A waymarker and/or GPSr is not required to be in the image but it doesn't hurt.

Recent Visits/Logs:

Date Logged Log   05/24/2018 Alancache visited it