The Bourchier knot is a variety of

heraldic knot A heraldic knot (referred to in heraldry as simply a knot) is a knot, unknot, or design incorporating a knot used in European heraldry. While a given knot can be used on more than one family's achievement of arms, the family on whose coat the k ...

. It was used as a

heraldic badge A heraldic badge, emblem, impresa, device, or personal device worn as a badge indicates allegiance to, or the property of, an individual, family or corporate body. Medieval forms are usually called a livery badge, and also a cognizance. They are ...

by the Bourchier family, whose earliest prominent ancestor in England was John de Bourchier (alias Boucher, Boussier, etc., d. c. 1330), a Judge of the

Common Pleas A court of common pleas is a common kind of court structure found in various common law jurisdictions. The form originated with the Court of Common Pleas at Westminster, which was created to permit individuals to press civil grievances against one ...

, seated at Stanstead Hall in the parish of

Halstead Halstead is a town and civil parish in the Braintree District of Essex, England. Its population of 11,906 in 2011 Robert Bourchier, 1st Baron Bourchier Robert Bourchier (or Boussier), 1st Baron Bourchier (d. August 20, 1349) was Lord Chancellor of England, the first layman to hold the post. Family Robert Bourchier was the eldest son of John de Bourchier (d.''circa'' 1330) (''alias'' Boucher, B ...

(d.1349),

Lord Chancellor The lord chancellor, formally the lord high chancellor of Great Britain, is the highest-ranking traditional minister among the Great Officers of State in Scotland and England in the United Kingdom, nominally outranking the prime minister. The ...

of England. The various branches of his descendants held the titles

Baron Bourchier The title Baron Bourchier is an abeyant peerage which was created in the Peerage of England in 1342 for Sir Robert Bourchier, who had been Lord High Chancellor of England from 1340–41. The title passed through the male line until the death o ...

Count of Eu Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...

, Viscount Bourchier,

Earl of Essex Earl of Essex is a title in the Peerage of England which was first created in the 12th century by King Stephen of England. The title has been recreated eight times from its original inception, beginning with a new first Earl upon each new cre ...

Baron Berners Baron Berners is a barony created by writ in the Peerage of England. From creation to first abeyance (1455–1693) The barony was created in 1455 for Sir John Bourchier, youngest son of William Bourchier, 1st Count of Eu, and younger brothe ...

, Baron FitzWarin and

Earl of Bath Earl of Bath was a title that was created five times in British history, three times in the Peerage of England, once in the Peerage of Great Britain and once in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It is now extinct. Earls of Bath; First cre ...

. The knot should perhaps have been called the "FitzWarin knot" as according to Boutell (1864) the device was first used by the FitzWarin family, Boutell, Charles, ''Heraldry, Historical and Popular'', 3rd Edition, London, 1864, p.236, (quoting

James Planché James Robinson Planché (27 February 1796 – 30 May 1880) was a British dramatist, antiquary and officer of arms. Over a period of approximately 60 years he wrote, adapted, or collaborated on 176 plays in a wide range of genres including ...

) whose heir was the Bourchier family.

Forms

The Bourchier knot is shown in two forms: as a

reef knot The reef knot, or square knot, is an ancient and simple binding knot used to secure a rope or line around an object. It is sometimes also referred to as a Hercules knot. The knot is formed by tying a left-handed overhand knot between two ends, ...

and as a

granny knot The granny knot is a binding knot, used to secure a rope or line around an object. It is considered inferior to the reef knot (square knot), which it superficially resembles. Neither of these knots should be used as a bend knot for attaching tw ...

Examples of reef knot form

*Relief sculpture of a Bourchier knot (of the reef knot variety) on the chest-tomb in Bampton Church, Devon, supposed to be that of Thomasine Hankford (d.1453), heiress of the

feudal barony of Bampton The feudal barony of Bampton was one of eight feudal baronies in Devonshire which existed during the mediaeval era, and had its ''caput'' at Bampton Castle within the manor of Bampton. Descent Domesday Book The Domesday Book of 1086 lists ' ...

, wife of

William Bourchier, 9th Baron FitzWarin William Bourchier (1407–1470) ''jure uxoris'' 9th Baron FitzWarin, was an English nobleman. He was summoned to Parliament in 1448 as Baron FitzWarin in right of his wife Thomasine Hankford. He was the second son of William Bourchier, 1st Cou ...

(1407-1470), great-grandson of the 1st Baron Bourchier.

Examples of granny knot form

*Bourchier knots on the monument of

William Bourchier, 3rd Earl of Bath William Bourchier, 3rd Earl of Bath (29 Sep 1557 – 12 July 1623) was Lord Lieutenant of Devon. His seat was at Tawstock Court, three miles south of Barnstaple in North Devon, which he rebuilt in the Elizabethan style in 1574, the date being ...

(1557-1623) in St Peter's Church,

Tawstock Tawstock is a village, civil parish and former manor in North Devon in the English county of Devon, England. The parish is surrounded clockwise from the north by the parishes of Barnstaple, Bishop's Tawton, Atherington, Yarnscombe, Horwood, ...

, Devon.

Prominent examples

Beningbrough Hall Beningbrough Hall is a large Georgian mansion near the village of Beningbrough, North Yorkshire, England, and overlooks the River Ouse. It has baroque interiors, cantilevered stairs, wood carving and central corridors which run the length of t ...

North Yorkshire North Yorkshire is the largest ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county (lieutenancy area) in England, covering an area of . Around 40% of the county is covered by National parks of the United Kingdom, national parks, including most of ...

, owned at one time by a branch of the Bourchier family. A large Bourchier knot is cut into a lawn adjoining the house. *On the tomb of Thomas Bourchier (c.1404-1486),

Archbishop of Canterbury The archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and a principal leader of the Church of England, the ceremonial head of the worldwide Anglican Communion and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. The current archbishop is Justi ...

Canterbury Cathedral Canterbury Cathedral in Canterbury, Kent, is one of the oldest and most famous Christian structures in England. It forms part of a World Heritage Site. It is the cathedral of the Archbishop of Canterbury, currently Justin Welby, leader of the ...

*Sculpted on the Tudor gatehouse of Tawstock Court in North Devon, seat of the Bourchier

Earls of Bath Earl of Bath was a title that was created five times in British history, three times in the Peerage of England, once in the Peerage of Great Britain and once in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It is now extinct. Earls of Bath; First creati ...

. *

Church in North Devon, visible on monuments to Bourchiers and

Wrey baronets The Wrey Baronetcy, of Trebitch (modern: Trebeigh Manor, St Ive, 4 miles NE of Liskeard) in the County of Cornwall, is a title in the Baronetage of England. It was created on 30 June 1628 for William Wrey (d.1636), 2nd son of John Wrey (die ...

References

Sources

*Aveling, S.T. Heraldry: Ancient and Modern, New York, 1891. (Illustration of granny-knot form) *Mollett, J.W., Illustrated Dictionary of Art and Archeology by J W Mollett, 1883. (Fig.410, Illustration of reef-knot for

*

Arthur Charles Fox-Davies Arthur Charles Fox-Davies (28 February 1871 – 19 May 1928) was a British expert on heraldry. His ''Complete Guide to Heraldry'', published in 1909, has become a standard work on heraldry in England. A barrister by profession, Fox-Davies worke ...

, Complete Guide to Heraldry, 1909, pp.

390 __NOTOC__ Year 390 (Roman numerals, CCCXC) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Augustus and Neoterius (or, less frequen ...

, 469.

External links

{{Heraldic knot Decorative knots Heraldic badges Heraldic knots