Marshalled Arms

It's always interesting to see marshalled arms -- where two coats of arms are placed side-by-side on a single shield -- and to then determine whose arms and why they are placed together.

Often, of course, indeed, probably the vast majority of cases, it is the arms of a husband and wife which are so combined. Sometimes, even, over the course of several generations, like this example from the Turberville family of Dorset, England.

But periodically, and not infrequently, we find marshalled arms that are a combination of an office which carries armorial status (e.g., an ecclesiastical office of high rank, an officer of arms, certain civic or corporate entities, etc.) with the personal arms of the incumbent.

And today, we' re going to look at one of those.

This is a stained glass window in Westminster Abbey containing the impaled arms blazoned: Azure a cross patonce between five martlets or, on a chief or a pale quarterly France and England between two roses gules barbed and seeded proper; impaling Argent on a bend azure three stag’s heads cabossed or (Stanley).

The arms on the dexter (left as you look at it) side of the shield are those of, naturally enough, Westminster Abbey.

The arms on the sinister (right) side are those of Arthur Penrhyn Stanley (1815-1881), known as Dean Stanley, who held the position of Dean of Westminster from 1864 to 1881.

He was, we are told, a significant figure in the Abbey's history, known for his leadership as a Broad Churchman and author of works on Church History and Westminster Abbey. During his tenure, the Abbey saw a period of reform and expanded its national role. He oversaw the expansion of the Abbey's national role, gave a major impulse to the practice of inviting distinguished preachers to the Abbey pulpit, and worked to preserve and repair its many monuments. He is buried in the Abbey with his wife, Lady Augusta Stanley.

So, a significant figure in the history of the Abbey, and a really nice display of marshalled arms!