Stothard, Charles Alfred; Kempe, Alfred John: The monumental effigies of Great Britain: selected from our cathedrals and churches ; for the purpose of bringing together, and preserving correct representations of the best historical illustrations extant, from the Norman conquest to the reign of Henry the Eight (London, 1817)

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IN Alvechurch, Worcestershire. This figure is termed by Nash " a knight of the holy
voyage adopting the very probable conjecture, that the crossed legs indicated a vow of
pilgrimage to the Holy Land. The inhabitants of the neighbourhood call it
o/ Gree??, who they say resided on Wetherock-hill; where they still show the site of
his moated house.
A grant is extant, of the time of Edward the Third, of certain lands in the tenure of
Thomas Kempe and John Kempe, to Thomas Blanchfront. Sir John Blanchfront, his
descendant, is mentioned in an instrument A. D. 1346, the 21st of the reign of Edward
the Third. This personage, therefore, the effigy may be conjectured to represent.
As a specimen of an elegant variety of the costume of a knight in the fourteenth cen-
tury, the beautiful and spirited etching before us possesses great interest. The basinet
assumes the form of the double curved gothic arch, and the heavy close helmet of the
tourney is supplied by the aventaille, or ventaille, attached to the basinet, and thrown
back to show the face ; roundels, tastefully filled up with roses, are affixed to the
armour at the shoulders, the elbows, and on the belt. From each of the two roundels on
the paps descends a chain, fastening the handle of the sword. The lower part of the
surcoat is gathered into numerous folds, and is closed in the front by a row of studs or
buttons. Plate No. 2 exhibits the profile of the figure, the lacing of the surcoat clearly
and sharply defined. The rowel of one of the spurs, a rare exception, is fortunately
unbroken.

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THIS figure has not been appropriated by Mr. Stothard, and the topographical works on
Gloucestershire afford no light by which it may be identified. It lies under an arch in
the wall of the North aisle of the Church. The hands are raised in the attitude of
prayer, and the bare feet indicate, perhaps, a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. The details of
the armour, mail and plate, are curious. The cuisses, as in two or three preceding ex-
amples, are remarkable: they appear to be composed of fluted steel intermixed with studs.
Front and profile views of the figure are given. The herald may perhaps discover the
family to which it belongs by the bearing on the shield and surcoat, a chevron between
three lions' heads langued.

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