Coggeshall, Essex
When performing deeper research into the history of Codham Hall
and the Wentworth family Coggeshall, Essex, came into the mix.
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The arms of the Coggeshall family are described as Argent; a cross between four escallops sable.
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from the Coggeshall Museum website:
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The arms are decidedly typical of pilgrimage, one of the emblems of which is the escallop shell, and another the cross.
Thinking back to the days of Richard I, one may picture an early knight of this family at the Crusades clad in his coat of
mail, bearing a cross on his breast and shield.
[Then again, they may simply be Cockle-shells – making a play on the family name!]
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Below is detail from a stained glass window that you will find in St. Mary's Church,
Belchamp Walter. The author
speculates that the glass with the coat of arms was originally located in the Elizabethan manor house that was replaced
by the current Queen Anne construction.
Clarendon - the left side of the window
John de Coggeshall: A 14th Century Knight
From text by Bob Coggeshall
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Sir John de Coggeshall (1301-1361) was one of the most active knights of his time in the county of Essex,
and also one of the wealthiest. The estates of the Coggeshall family were in great part accumulated by Ralph de Coggeshall,
John’s grandfather, who died in 1305. Ralph’s greatest acquisition was Great Codham Hall, Wethersfield, which served as
the main family residence. Other principal family estates in Essex included Sheering Hall in Shalford, Coggeshall Hall in
Little Coggeshall, Duddenhoe in Wendon Lofts, as well as holdings in Paglesham, Rugwood, and North Benfleet.
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John de Coggeshall’s wealth provided the foundation for his involvement in politics, war, and Essex affairs. In 1320 he
accompanied a party on the king’s service to the papal court at Avignon. He served Edward II militarily in the 1320’s.
In July, 1322, John was summoned to perform military service against the Scots. The performance of war service by knights
was an important part of their duties along with their responsibilities in county government.
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John embarked on his career in Essex affairs when he was in his early thirties. His most important Crown appointments
were those of Sheriff and Escheator(a person who dealt with property lapsing to the Crown), but he also served as a
Knight of the Shire in Parliament, as a justice, and on numerous local commissions from the 1330s until his death in 1361.
He was more extensively involved in county work than other Essex knights, a strong indication of the extent to which the
Crown relied on him. He was first appointed Sheriff in November, 1334, and held that office for five years. He again served
as Sheriff between May, 1340, and January, 1341, between November, 1343, and May, 1348, and between November, 1352, and
November, 1354. Such long tenures of the office were unusual and were contrary
to the statute of 1340 which stipulated that the Sheriff was to hold the office for a year only.
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Sir William de Coggeshall, of Codham Hall, Wethersfield, Knight, was born in 1357 and died 1424.
He was High Sheriff in 1391 and he married Antiochia, daughter and heiress of Sir John Hawkwood, Knight, of Sible Hedingham,
Essex. Her second husband was Sir John Tyrrell, Knight, of East Horndon, Essex. This Sir William Coggeshall held
considerable estates in Essex, which for want of male heirs were divided amongst the daughters. He was living at Coggeshall
in 1419. Sir William and his wife Antiochia, had no sons but four daughters: —
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Blanch, who married John Doreward, Esq., of Bocking. (They became owners of Coggeshall Hall on death of
William de Coggeshall. Their descendants had Coggeshall Hall for several generations)
Eleanor(? Alice), who married Sir John Tyrell, of Herons, Knight.
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Beaupré Hall
This is where the stained glass containing the Coggeshall’s coat of arms