User:Vexald/Sandbox/Exeter Cathedral: Great West Window

The present Great West Window of Exeter Cathedral was given its current glazing in 1950, after the previous window had been destroyed by enemy bombing in May 1942. The previous window was put in place in 1903, replacing the 1767 window created by William Peckitt (some of Peckitt's heraldic glass was moved elsewhere in the cathedral, mostly to the Cloisters).

The 1903 window was created as a memorial to Frederick Temple, who was Bishop of Exeter from 1869 to 1885 before moving on to become Bishop of London and then Archbishop of Canterbury. The present window retains that theme, featuring Temple's family arms, his arms as bishop and archbishop, and the arms of his school and college, as well of the school where he was headmaster before coming to Exeter.

Other people of significance to the diocese and cathedral also feature: Athelstan, in who's reign the first church was built on the site; Leofric, the first Bishop of Exeter; Edward the Confessor, who authorized the transfer of the see from Crediton to Exeter in 1050; his queen Edytha, mis-identified here as Edytha of Kent when she was actually a daughter of the Earl of Wessex. Three significant bishops feature : Walter Stapledon, John de Grandisson, and Myles Coverdale the Bible translator (whose arms here are not correct).

The arms of the archdioceses of Canterbury and York also feature, as do the arms of the Diocese of Manchester. This is because Frederick Temple's son, William, was Bishop of Manchester before following in his father's footsteps to become Archbishop of Canterbury.

Table of arms

Image	Escutcheon	Details
		Athelstan (c.894-939), King of the Anglo-Saxons 924-927, King of the English 927-939. Blazon: Gules, an orb Or. Athelstan was king when the first church was built on the cathedral site. He pre-dated the existence of heraldry and so had arms attributed to him centuries later. These usually included a cross on the orb and have a field divided per saltire Gules and Azure.
		Leofric (bef.1016-1072), Bishop of Exeter 1050-1072. Blazon: The arms of the diocese of Exeter impaled with Argent, a lion rampant Gules crowned Or. Leofric became first Bishop of Exeter when the see was moved from Crediton in 1050. He pre-dated the existence of heraldry, so arms are later attributions. The arms usually attributed to him are a mitre on a black cross patonce on a gold field (as can be seen on the Great East Window).
		Walter Stapledon (bef.1266-1326), Bishop of Exeter 1307-1326. Blazon: The arms of the diocese of Exeter impaled with Argent, two bends wavy (or nebuly) Sable, on a border of the second eight pairs of crossed keys Or. These arms, with bends nebuly, are used as the arms of Exeter College, Oxford.
		Edward the Confessor (1003/05-1066), King of the English 1042-1066. Blazon: Azure, a cross flory between five martlets Or. Edward lived before the existence of heraldry. Arms were attributed to him probably in the fourteenth century. Alternative versions include a cross patonce instead of flory and doves instead of martlets.
		Diocese of Exeter Blazon: Gules, two keys in saltire Or, surmounted of a sword in pale Proper, hilt gold. The arms are sometimes shown with the sword behind or enfiling (passing between) the keys.
		Edytha of Kent Blazon: Gules, a horse forcené Argent. These are the arms of Kent. Edytha of Kent is identified here as the wife of Edward the Confessor, but in fact his wife was Edytha of Wessex.
		John Grandisson (1292-1369), Bishop of Exeter 1327-1369. Blazon: The Diocese of Exeter impaling Paly of six argent and azure, on a bend gules a mitre between three eagles Or. Alternative versions have, on the bend, three eagles or a mitre between two buckles.
		Myles Coverdale (c.1488-1569), Bishop of Exeter 1551-1553 Blazon: Per chevron nebuly Or and Gules. These are not the arms usually associated with Bishop Coverdale, which are Quarterly, per fess indented gules and or, a rose between two fleurs-de-lys in chief and a fleur-de-lys between two roses in base, all counterchanged.
		Frederick Temple (1821-1902), Archbishop of Canterbury 1896–1902. Blazon: The Archdiocese of Canterbury impaling Quarterly 1st & 4th, Or, an eagle displayed sable (for Leofric, Earl of Mercia); 2nd & 3rd Argent, two bars sable, each charged with three martlets or (Temple).
		Temple, including Frederick, Bishop of Exeter Blazon: Quarterly 1st & 4th, Or, an eagle displayed sable (for Leofric, Earl of Mercia); 2nd & 3rd Argent, two bars sable, each charged with three martlets or (Temple). Others who bore these arms include the viscounts Palmerston and Frederick's son, Archbishop William Temple.
		Blundell's School, Tiverton, Devon. Blazon: Gules, two pallets Argent. The arms are those of the school's founding benefactor, Peter Blundell (c.1520-1601). Frederick Temple was a pupil.
		Balliol College, Oxford Blazon: Azure, a lion rampant Argent, crowned Or, impaling Gules, an orle Argent. The arms of Dervorguilla of Galloway, founder of the college, impaling those of her husband, John de Balliol.
		Royal arms of the United Kingdom Blazon: Quarterly, 1st & 4th, Gules, three lions passant guardant in pale Or (England); 2nd, Or, a lion rampant within a double tressure flory counter-flory Gules (Scotland); 3rd, Azure, a harp Or stringed Argent (Ireland). These are the royal arms in use since the accession of Queen Victoria in 1837.
		Archdiocese of Canterbury Blazon: Azure, an episcopal staff in pale Or, ensigned with a cross pattée Argent, surmounted of a pall of the last charged with four crosses formy fitchy Sable edged and fringed Gold.
[[		Archdiocese of York Blazon: Gules, two keys in saltire Argent, the sinister surmounting the dexter, in chief the Imperial crown Or.
		Rugby School Blazon: Azure on a fess engrailed between three griffins' heads erased Or, a fleur-de-lis of the first enclosed by two roses Gules. *** NEED REFERENCE ** These are the arms of Lawrence Sheriff (1515/16-1567), founding benefactor of the school. Today the school places them within a gold bordure. Frederick Temple was headmaster of Rugby School 1858-1869.
		Frederick Temple (1821-1902), Bishop of Exeter 1869–1885. Blazon: The Diocese of Exeter impaling Quarterly 1st & 4th, Or, an eagle displayed sable (for Leofric, Earl of Mercia); 2nd & 3rd, Argent, two bars sable, each charged with three martlets or (Temple).
		Frederick Temple (1821-1902), Bishop of London 1885–1896. Blazon: The Diocese of London impaling Quarterly 1st & 4th, Or, an eagle displayed sable (for Leofric, Earl of Mercia); 2nd & 3rd Argent, two bars sable, each charged with three martlets or (Temple).
		Diocese of Manchester Blazon: Or, on a pale engrailed Gules, three mitres labelled Gold, on a canton of the second three bendlets enhanced Argent. The bendlets are also shown as gold.

Sources

• Atkinson, Caroline Sarah. William Peckitt's Great West Window at Exeter Cathedral. MPhil dissertation. Plymouth : University of Plymouth, 2011.
• Bedford, Rev. W.K. Riland. The blazon of episcopacy, Second edition. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1897.
• Bell, M.C. Farrar. Heraldry in the Great West Window, Exeter Cathedral. The Coat of Arms, Vol. II - No.13, January 1953, pp.180-182.
• Brooke-Little, J.P. (rev) Boutell's heraldry. London & New York : Frederick Warne & Co. Ltd., 1973. ISBN 0723217084.
• Burke, Bernard. The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales ... London : Harrison, 1884.
• Pinches, J.H. & R.V. The royal heraldry of England. London: Heraldry Today, 1974. ISBN 090045525X.