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Bottesford's effigies Back in the 1990s one of the first 'major' publishing projects that I was involved with required taking photographs of every sepulchral effigy in Leicestershire and Rutland. All the historical research had been completed by Maz Wade Matthews. But his photographs were taken on an Instamatic camera. Which didn't focus correctly. Max and I would take a week off work every May and drive from church to church taking photographs using better cameras. After many years (!) the project was completed. By then it was possible to put a 'web site' on a CD-ROM and hope to sell it (better technology came along soon after… ). In 2025 I recoded the CD-ROM so it would work as an online website. The most impressive collection of such effigies in Leicestershire and Rutland is at Botteford. There examples of every style from the thirteenth to seventeenth centuries. Locally only at Exton in Rutland has better examples, but there aren't as many. The chancel of Bottesford church. The effigies are of the Manners family (the Earls of Rutland, with their seat at Belvoir Castle) and their antecedents. This is the direct link to the Bottesford page of Max's effigies web site. These are the people depicted: William Albini or Robert de Roos (1236 or 1285) 'Fair Maid of Normanton' (14th century) William de Roos (1414) John de Roos (1421) Margaret de Roos (1439) Thomas Manners, 1st Earl of Rutland (1544) Henry Manners, 2nd Earl of Rutland (1563) Edward Manners, 3rd Earl of Rutland (1587) John Manners, 4th Earl of Rutland (1588) Roger Manners, 5th Earl of Rutland (1612) Francis Manners, 6th Earl of Rutland (1632) George Manners, 7th Earl of Rutland (1642) John Manners, 8th Earl of Rutland (1679) Thomas White (1698) If you're not already familiar with these splendid sculptures then do visit Bottesford church. When you arrive look up at the fascinating gargoyles. One of them is ringing a pair of handbells. Inside the nave are some splendid corbels and 'springers' in the 'V' of the arches. This is a demon coming out of someone's mouth. We know it's a demon because it has a second head at the end of the tail – the normal way for medieval artists and carvers to depict demons. There is also a rare seventeenth century font. Back to top of this page     Back to home page   This website does not gather or store any visitor information. Copyright Bob Trubshaw 2025 No unauthorised copying or reproduction except if all following conditions apply: a: Copy is complete (including this copyright statement). b: No changes are made. c: No charge is made. www.hoap.co.uk/chronicle

Chronicle entries home page what's new? the geology of the Vale the boundaries and rivers of the Vale long, long ago prehistory in the Vale prehistoric boundaries in the Vale north-south prehistoric routeways Romans roads in the Vale Roman settlements in and near the Vale long ago introduction to Anglo-Saxons place-names of the Vale waterborne transport around the sixth century Orston's early church Anglo-Saxon sculpture in the Vale why Orston lost out to Bingham and Bottesford what the Normans did for the Vale Granby's importance in 1086 Granby's lost castle the Vale's watermills in 1086 Romanesque sculpture in the Vale St Remigius why Bottesford is in Leicestershire the Vale in medieval times medieval gargoyles of the Vale Eastwell's chancel screen St Ethelburga's church other early saints Elston's old chapel Muston and Long Clawson saltways of the Vale the Vale's medieval tile collection the Vale in Tudor times Dissolution in the Vale not that long ago the Vale in the C17th the 'great and the good' of the Vale Bottesford's effigies 'wicked practice and sorcerye' the whales on the Whalley memorial Car Colston's bigoted GP cum JP the Vale's very own regicide Wiverton Hall five rare C17th fonts in the Vale pinfolds and pounds in the Vale dovecotes in the Vale the Vale in the C18th turnpiking the Vale gravestones and C18th trade routes goodbye 'Belvoir Angels' C18th gravestone carvers in the Vale Daffy's Elixir the Marquess of Granby Stilton from the Vale springs and spas of the Vale outstanding organs in the Vale Grantham canal changes in the Vale's agriculture since 1800 Eastwell's recusant priest house and chapel Colston Bassett's ruined church seems like yesterday windmills in the Vale stained glass in the Vale village life in the southern Vale 1850 to 1880 folklore of the Vale Flintham museum lacemaking in the Vale gypsum pits in the Vale brick and tile works in the Vale ironstone quarrying in the Vale ironstone railways ironstone quarries of Leicestershire (YouTube video) The Vale's railway stations Orston's famous architect Mothers Union banners of the Vale redundant telephone exchanges in the Vale WWII airfields and pillboxes in the Vale the Vale in 1944 location shooting at Belvoir Castle Screveton's giants researching and writing local history the Vale as a verb getting started free advice from 2005 asking curious questions (YouTube video) local history groups in and around the Vale Aslockton (Cranmer LHG) Bingham Heritage Trails Association Bottesford Eastwell Harby Harlaxton Hickling Redmile archive Belvoir Villages History and Memories Group Belvoir Angel Society Grantham Canal Society you may also be interested in free PDFs written by Bob Trubshaw Earliest Churches in Nottinghamshire How Anglo-Saxons Found Their Way Anglo-Saxon Leicestershire Conversations in Churchyards Little-known Leicestershire and Rutland Bob Trubshaw's YouTube channel Introduction to medieval carvings Anglo-Saxon and Romanesque carvings How Anglo-Saxons found their way Anglo-Saxon shrines at fords Meetings at triangles Rota's Land and Franni's Land Reading Romanesque fonts Church and manor The significances of square headdresses Early churches and waterborne trade Charnwood slate gravestones and C18th trade routes Ironstone quarries of Leicestershire Roman roads in north-east Leicestershire Salt ways in Leicestershire Why Melton Mowbray needed to called 'middle town' Evolving Anglo-Saxon agriculture Nottinghamshire's earliest churches Ploughs not piety? Economic regeneration in the C7th Were Anglo-Saxon weaving huts women-only places? Barrowby Until Now website Rutland Village by Village website Sepulchral Effigies of Leicestershire and Rutland