Medieval tomb chest for John Woodville in St. Mary the Virgin church in Grafton Regis. John Woodville was the great-grandfather of Elizabeth Woodville, Queen of England during the 15th century.
Alabaster grave engraving for tomb of John Woodville
The Woodville tombs are medieval tomb chests. The tomb with the inscription to John Woodville, portraying him in full armour on the alabaster slab, is the tomb of the great-grandfather of Elizabeth Woodville, Queen of England. The chest tomb has seven ogee-headed arched panels, shields to panels either end and the incised slab is inscribed to Sir John Wydevyl and dates to around 1415.
This is the only known tomb in Northamptonshire and the UK identified as being that of a direct ancestor of Elizabeth Woodville, who was born at Grafton Regis.
The Woodville tiles, exhibited at the A History of NOrthamptonshire in 100 Objects exhibition showingshowing the Woodville coat of arms and the York rose, are part of the floor of the lost Hermitage Church rediscovered in 1964. This tiled floor was made for the marriage of Elizabeth Woodville to Edward IV on May Day 1464 at Grafton Regis.
This unique limestone figure, carved in deep relief, shows a man in a long belted robe with hands held in prayer. Among thousands of Medieval objects excavated from the Deserted Medieval Hamlet of West Cotton, Raunds (1985–89), this one stood out and was affectionately nicknamed ‘Norman Morris’ by the archaeological team.
This flint dagger was found in a male burial in a barrow along with other grave goods. It had never been used so may have been an ornamental or ritual piece.
© Grafton Regis Historians
© Grafton Regis Historians
©
Andy Chapman
©
NMAG
©
NMAG
©
NMAG