English: Ancient stained glass window in Buckland Filleigh Church, Devon, displaying various historic impaled arms of the Fortescue family of Spridleston in the parish of Brixton, Devon. The estate of Spridleston was inherited by the Fortescues of Buckland Filleigh, who married the Fortescue heiress of Spridleston. The stained glass was brought here from Spridleston, as is explained in a manuscript note by Rev. Richard Lane (d.1858), Vicar of Brixton, and owner of Spridleston, as follows: "The windows in the front of the house were ornamented with a variety of armorial bearings in painted glass which were taken down a few years since and given to John Inglett-Fortescue late of Buckland Filleigh who placed them in his parish church" (see: File:NotesOn SpridlestonBrixtonDevon ByRevRichardLane Died1858.jpg

[1]. John Inglett-Fortescue died in 1840, aged 82. He was the grandson of Caleb Inglett (1702-1752) of Dawlish by his wife Rebecca Fortescue (1699-1764), heiress of Buckland Filleigh and Spridleston. The shields were replaced in an apparently random order.

Heraldry:

Left lancet window, top to bottom

• • Azure, a bend engrailed argent, plain cotised or (Fortescue) impaling Gules, on a bend wavy argent three water bougets sable (Falwell of Falwell, Devon (Pole, Sir William (d.1635), Collections Towards a Description of the County of Devon, Sir John-William de la Pole (ed.), London, 1791, p.482)). For Isabel or Mabel Falwell, daughter and heiress of John Falwell of Falwell (today Velwell) in the parish of Rattery, Devon, and wife of William Fortescue of Wimpstone, brother of Sir John Fortescue (fl.1422) Captain of Meaux. (Vivian, p.352)
  • Fortescue impaling Ermine, three battle-axes gules (Denys of Holcombe Burnel)
  • Fortescue impaling Argent, a chevron gules between three hounds courant sable (Sackbye). In the Carew Scroll of Arms (Devon Notes and Queries, Vol. I, Part II), No. 363, p. 53, it is stated that Fortescue of Fallopit in the parish of east Allington, Devon, quartered the arms of Sackbye — viz., "Arg. betw. a chev. sa. 3 greyhoundes curant sable collared or," Carew stated that these arms of Sackbye were visible in Brixton Church, Devon and in Fallapit House . Txt follows from p.160 Devon Notes aud Queries: Sackebye, Saxbi^e, Vol. II., 98. — Like Mr. Maxwell Adams I am unable to find a Sackebye, Talbot or Gainsford marriage with Fortescue. The Carew Scroll contains duplicates of Sackebye and Sackbye, Nos. 122 and 363, and in both cases states they were quartered by Fortescue, of Valopit ; the arms are given ' as ' A between a 3 chevron sa. 3 greyhounds cur sa. color or.' Risdon says ' Argent a chevron gules between three dogs (?) courant sable ? ' Holland's note is ' that in Vallopit House, Gainsford, ye chevron gu ' ; now in Harleian Kent Visitation, 1619, 2 and 3 quarterings of Tichbourne [argent a chevron gules between three talbots passant sable 1] the figure 1 refers to the reference, viz., Stowe, so it shows that the between brackets is his addition, while in the pedigree Richard Tichborne marries Dorothea filia Joh'is Saxbiae ; certainly there is no heiress or co-heiress mentioned, yet one cannot but believe that Stowe meant it for Saxby. However, I think Risdon's coat of Falapit ' Argent a chevron between three greyhounds courant sable,' proves that the impaled shield was intended for the marriage of the daughter and heiress of Nicholas Falapit with Henry Fortescue, but how Sackebye changed to Falapit, or whether Falapit married heiress of Sackebye and took their Arms there seems to be no clue. (above text from Devon Notes and Queries, Volume ii, From January 1902 to October 1903[2]) A framed note in East Allington Church suggests that Francis or Nicholas Fortescue, sons of Edmund Fortescue (d.1624) by his wife Mary Champernowne, may have married a Sacebye.[3] These arms appear carved on the wooden pulpit of East Allington Church.

Centre lancet window, top to bottom

• • Fortescue impaling Or, three torteaux a label of three points azure each charged with three plates (Courtenay of Powderham). Nicholas Fortescue (a son of John Fortescue (d.1538) of Spridleston by his wife Alice Cookworthy, daughter of John Cookworthy (Vivian, Heraldic Visitations of Devon, p.353)) married Elizabeth Courtenay, daughter of William Courtenay of Loughtor in the parish of Plympton Sy Mary, Devon, a junior branch of Courtenay of Molland.
  • Fortescue impaling vair (Beauchamp of Ryme (Pole, p.469)). For Elizabeth Beauchamp, daughter of Sir John Beauchamp and a sister and co-heiress of Thomas Beauchamp of Ryme (Vivian, p.352) (Ryme Intrinseca) in Dorset, wife of William Fortescue of Wimpstone. Beauchamp of Ryme in Dorset, a junior branch of the Beauchamp feudal barons of Hatch Beauchamp in Somerset. Parents of John Fortescue (fl.1422) Captain of Meaux, of Shepham in the parish of Modbury in Devon, ancestor of Earl Fortescue. (Vivian, p.352).
  • Fortescue impaling Gules, on a bend wavy argent three water bougets sable (as top left) (Falwell of Falwell, Devon (Pole, Sir William (d.1635), Collections Towards a Description of the County of Devon, Sir John-William de la Pole (ed.), London, 1791, p.482))
  • Fortescue impaling Fortescue, with a crescent or for difference

Right lancet window, top to bottom

• • Fortescue impaling Argent, a chevron between three cocks gules; the trace of a chevron is visible, which would make these the canting arms of Cockworthy/Cookworthy of Ernscombe (Cockworthy in the parish of Yarnscombe, Devon) (Pole, p.475). John Fortescue (d.1538) of Spridleston married Alice Cookworthy, daughter of John Cookworthy (Vivian, Heraldic Visitations of Devon, p.353)
  • Fortescue impaling Argent, a lion rampant gules (Vivian of Trelowarren in Cornwall ?[4] John Fortescue (born 1514) of Spridleston married Florence Vivian, a daughter of Richard Vivian of Trelowarren (Vivian, p.353).
  • Fortescue impaling Argent, two bendlets gules (Haket?)