Botetourt as Under-lord for the de Veres
Sir John (de) Botetourt was almost certainly NOT an underlord of the de Veres. In fact it is unlikely that he ever met the inhabitants of Hedingham Castle.
Without the benefit of the wealth of research that we have at our finger-tips today it is not surprising that the heritage of the Botetourt family was not known by the later residents of Belchamp Walter. The striking nature of the tomb/chapel entrance should not be overlooked.
It is also not known if Sir John actually lived in "the Manor", but he most certainly "owned" it at the time of his death. What better fitting use of the Church could be the building of a memorial to him?
The date of his death, 1324, is no confirmation that he was "buried" in a tomb in the chantry. In fact, the death is reported as Westminster on some references for Sir John.
The Church guides have the following statement (with respect to the chantry arch in the Nave of St. Mary's Church):
The guides were written for the Church by the "patron" of the Church and village at the time. Whether there was much supporting research for the statement it is not known. Certainly, the exsistance of the Chantry Chapel is not in question, nor is its purpose. Sir John de Botetourt had a connection to the village of Belchamp Walter but there is no evidence that he actually lived there apart from the chapel.
The de Veres founded the Priory at Earls Colne (1111) and the clergy from there were most likely to have preached at the Church as it exisisted at the time in Belchamp Walter.
Botetourt - "Keeper of the sea"
I am confused in the lack of information that is easily accessible regarding Sir John's background. For someone to have a chantry built in his memory is rather significant in my opinion.
The "Writ to the assessors of a twentieth and fifteenth to pay 40l. to John de Botetourt for his allowance (certo) as Keeper of the sea in Scotland: Essex" - is held in the National Archive.
This reference is on my Guy de Botetourt page. Someone has performed a lot of research on the Botetourts and I feel that I am only scratching the surface.
Governor of St. Briavels Castle
Sir John de Botetourt, of Mendlesham, in Suffolk
Sir John de Botetourt, of Mendlesham, in Suffolk
Sir John de Botetourt or just Sir John Botetourt - narkive.com
The discussion here is not really helpful and I am not sure where it comes from and how it really helps. My impression is that it is a "chasing of tails" on an American Genology site where the connection to an old English family is being sought.
However, there was a mention of whether that Sir John was the illegitimate son of Edward 1. But, there was no mention, in the narkive.com post, of Belchamp Walter even though Ellingham and Sir Guy (de) Botetourt were.
The geni.com page for Sir John says his death as in Westminster, again adding to the question why the chantry at Belchamp Walter and the unliklyhood of Botetourt being an underlord of de Vere (or should that be just Vere?)