The Washington shields in this church are originals and were previously installed in Sulgrave Manor, the home of George Washington’s ancestors. It is located off the A361 between here and Banbury. The Manor House, dating from 1539 was presented to the Peoples of Great Britain and the United States of America, in celebration of the Hundred Years Peace between the two nations. We are not entirely sure how they were brought to Fawsley, other than that they came in 1830 during a period of reconstruction at Sulgrave. It is said that the coat of arms of The Washington family provided the inspiration for the Stars and Stripes of the American flag.
The Washington Family Shield (South/East Window)
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Coat of Arms of Robert Washington of Warton in Lancashire (1455-1528), second son of his father, thus the use of a crescent as a heraldic mark of difference. |
The Washington Marriage Shields (North/East Window)
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Marital shield celebrating the second marriage, in 1538 of Lawrence Washington, the builder of Sulgrave Manor, to Amy Pargiter, daughter of Robert Pargiter of Greatworth, the next parish to Sulgrave. A replica of the window was placed by a George Pargittar in the District Building, Washington City Hall as recently as 1961. |
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Marital shield celebrating the first marriage, in 1565 of Robert Washington, Lawrence Washington’s eldest son and heir, to Elizabeth Light, daughter of Walter Light of Radway Grange Warwickshire. |
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Marital shield celebrating the marriage of Lawrence Washington’s second son, also named Lawrence and Martha Newce, daughter of Clement Newce of Great Hadham, Hertfordshire. |
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Marital shield celebrating the marriage of Amy Washington, daughter of Robert and granddaughter of Lawrence Washington, the builder of Sulgrave Manor to Alban Wakelyn of Eydon, Northamptonshire. |
The photographs and text are taken from a booklet on the history of Sulgrave Manor and our thanks are extended to them for this rare information. If you have not already visited Sulgrave Manor, we would recommend that you do so. Tel: 01295 760205 - click to visit their web site