Coat of Arms, Chancel Wall, St Andrew's Norwich

This is another shot of the next 5 coat of arms on the chancel wall of St Andrew's Norwich - see blip of 19th May 2012.

These were erected by the future first mayor of Norwich, William Appleyard, a prominent member of St Andrew's congregation.

In order they are:

* the cross of St Andrew for the Church dedication
* the instruments of the passion (Arma Christi) - these were defaced in the Reformation but can consist of the cross, crown of thorns, sponge on a reed, spear and potentially hammer and pincers - some are still clearly visible
* three chalices with hosts (communion wafers) - these were also defaced in the Reformation

These are the three central shields with religious significance. The other two are

* the cross of St George for England
* the arms of Bishop Henry le Despenser of Norwich

Bishop Henry Despenser has long been one of my least favourite characters in Norfolk history. He was the "fighting bishop" who lead the suppression of the Norfolk peasants' revolt in 1381. The rebels led by Geoffrey Litster, a local dyer, occupied Norwich and Yarmouth, where they destroyed court rolls and taxation records.

Despenser was absent on his estates, but rode back assembling a force of knights and archers and himself led the charge at the Battle outside North Walsham. He personally supervised Litster's hanging, drawing and quartering and then proceeded to put down the rebellion with utmost severity.

In 1383, Despenser lead a crusade to Flanders which was directed against Louis II of Flanders who had allied with France - thus severely damaging English wool exports to Flanders and impacting Norwich and East Anglia especially. Incidentally he was also a supporter of the Anti-Pope Clement VII and could therefore be the target of a crusade! Furthermore, a crusade was financed by the Church and not be direct taxation, which was too risky just after the peasants had revolted because of high taxes.

The "Norwich Crusade" was a fiasco, it was poorly equipped and badly led by Despenser. His Ghentish allies (see earlier blips) persuaded Despenser and the English "crusaders" to besiege Ypres, which held out for eight weeks, after which Despenser abandoned the siege. There followed a failed invasion of France, which ended in the English giving up all their gains and retreating across the Channel.

Despenser was impeached for the failed "crusade" but held on to the Norwich Diocese. He busied himself putting down the Lollards - the heretical followers of John Wycliffe - who wanted reform of the Church and in many ways pre-figured the Reformation.

Needless to say although he initially supported Richard II, after Bolingbroke's successful rebellion in 1399, he switched sides and was pardoned by Henry IV in 1401. He is buried in Norwich Cathedral before the High Altar and there is a choir stall surviving in the Cathedral with a carving of his head with mitre on, and the arms of the Bishopric of Norwich on one side and his personal arms - as on St Andrew's Church - on the other.

St Andrew's was a major centre of the Puritans in Norwich in the 17th Century and is connected with the Pilgrim Fathers through their Pastor John Robinson. If those who had defaced the religious coats of arms had realised those were the arms of Despenser, the persecutor of the Lollards, they would have presumably bashed these as well!