Mendlesham, Suffolk

Sir John Botetourt was possibly living in Belchamp Walter in 1324 and possibly interred in the Chantry Chapel in St. Mary's Church, Belchamp Walter. This is not known, as whether he or his son/grandson was from Mendlesham, Suffolk.

There is a list of Priests/Vicars on a plaque to the North door (the main entrance) where Sir John is mentioned as patron who was responsible for the construction of a chapel that had its construction interupted by the Black Death - 1346 to 1353.

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Sir John Botetourt

The plague on the left of the North door.

Note the alternative spelling - Bottetourt (something not unusual when it comes to historical records)

The Sir John is more likely to have been Sir John of Belchamp Walter's grandson. The dates of the chapel are after his death (1324). The interuption of the plaque (1346 to 1353) and the resumsion in 1360 make it more likley to be an off-spring (descendant).

John Knyvet

The Wikipedia page says:

" John Knyvet (1358/9–1418), of Mendlesham, Suffolk, was an English Member of Parliament for Huntingdonshire in September 1397.[1]

He was the son of John Knyvet (d.1381) that was the Lord Chancellor of England in 1372–1377 and his wife Eleanor (d.1388), the daughter of Sir Ralph Basset (d.1341) of Weldon, Northamptonshire.[1]

By 1377 he had married Joan (d.c.1417), daughter and heiress of Sir John Boutetout (d. by 1377) of Mendlesham by his wife Katherine. He married secondly Joan (d.c.1429).[1]

By his first wife Joan Boutetout he was the father of a younger John Knyvett who was M.P. for Northamptonshire in 1421.[1][2] "

Thomas Knyvet

Jousting partner of a young Henry VIII.

The booklet in the Church

This can be found on the table of information and leaflets in the Nave. It briefly describes the main features of the Church.

Rishangles Church - the fate of St. Mary's BW????

Having read that some of the "treasures" of Rishangles had been transplated to Mendlesham, I thought it would be interesting to look-up the Church at Rishamgles. The extract below was taken from suffolkchurches.co.uk and was written by the great Simon Knot.

Simon Knott on Rishangles church:

" In a brief flirtation with lunacy in the 1970s, the Diocese sold off this and several other churches to the highest bidders. Perhaps the parish had lost confidence in itself, or perhaps it was a well-meaning, if short-sighted, attempt to rationalise resources. I use the word 'lunacy' advisedly, for there are two reasons why some churches should never be sold off for private use, and they both apply here. Firstly, this was a significant historic building, which would certainly find itself in the care of the Churches Conservation Trust if it was abandoned today. It had a scattering of medieval glass, a brass (now at Thorndon), and a significant 17th century memorial. The gorgeous font is now at Mendlesham, as are the benches. Secondly, a medieval parish church is at the heart of an English country village. Maybe it did not seem that way back in the 1970s, when villages as small as Rishangles might still have a shop, a post office, and even a school, and something of a community life. But these have now gone, all over England, and the parish church is the one survivor, except in places like Rishangles. "

Background to this page

Having seen some of my history pages being found by those making an Internet search I have decided to add a bit more context on how the pages came about.

Having visted Mendlesham and found the reference to Sir John Botetourt I now also find that there is a connection to John de la Pole (or at least the de la Pole family. This connection was through that of the village of Rishangles, Suffolk.

The Suffolk connection to Belchamp Walter

Mendlesham, Suffolk

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