Blennerhassett Family Tree, Heraldry Described, Heraldry, Coat of Arms, Crest, Arms, Badge, Escutcheon, Achievement, Blennerhassett Genealogy, Blennerhassett, Blennerhasset, Blenerhassett, Blenerhasset, Blenerhaset, Blenerhayset, de Blenerhayset

Arms

"gules, a chevron ermine, between three dolphins niant embowed argent"

"in a red field, a chevron of ermine fur between three curved silver dolphins, swimming horizontally, facing dexter, with back arched"

ermine is represented colour white, with 5 or 7 ermine spots

the dolphin, king of fish, in heraldry may be shown:

Niant

Hauriant

Uriant

Embowed

Swimming horizontally, facing dexter

Swimming upwards, in a perpendicular attitude

Swimming downwards, in a perpendicular attitude

with back arched

In Norfolk & Suffolk the arms often occur charged with an annulet, for difference, as shown here. The annulet is a mark of cadency used to indicate a fifth son, or descent from a fifth son.

The fifth son in this family was Ralph de Blenerhayset, Esquire of Carlisle, Co.Cumberland (ancestor of Blennerhassett of Co.Norfolk, Co.Suffolk, Co.Fermanagh & Dublin) who in 1423 married Joan de Lowdham (b.c1409/10 d.20-Jun-1501), the 14 year old heiress to the manors of Loudham, Frenze & Kelvedon in East Anglia. At the time of the marriage Joan was already a widow, having as a child married in 1422 or earlier to Thomas de Heveningham, who died soon after, in 1422.

	VARIATIONS of DESCRIPTION	EXAMPLES (*= shown in "Blennerhassett Heraldry Illustrated")
1.	text in French: "1498 John de Blenerhasset port de gules a trois dolphins argent" hand painted illustration of a shield: "gules three dolphins hauriant, embowed argent" This is a rare instance of the Blennerhassett arms shown without the chevron. 1498 is not a date, it is the number of the individual shield on the roll.	John de Blenerhasset of Carlisle, Co.Cumberland (probably son of Alan de Blenerhayset below, No.2) This is the earliest known representation of the Blennerhassett coat-of-arms, illustrated with description in French in Thomas Jenyn's Roll of Arms, Queen Margaret's version, a bound Ms. volume Roll of Arms or Armorial dated temp. Edward III (1327-1377), now in the British Library [BL] Dept. of Manuscripts. *[BL Add. Ms. 40851, f.68 - shield* p.126, No.1498] [BL microfilm M2105, monochrome] [Boos TJ] [FCA] [HUDDLESTON p.28] [TG vol.5 p.98] I have an image in colour from [BL]** but do not yet have their permission to use it here.
2.	"a chevron bearing five ermine spots between three dolphins niant, embowed"	Seal of Alan de Blenerhayset of Carlisle, Co.Cumberland (b.est.c1330 d.post 1407) with Blennerhassett arms and legend "sigillum halani de bleneray" ("the seal of Alan de Blenerhayset"). (probably father of John de Blenerhasset above, No.1 The subject is a lease of waste ground by Carlisle Castle by "Alano de Blenerhayset", the deed being endorsed "Alanus Blenerhayset in fossa versus castrum". This 27mm diameter red wax seal is attached to a deed in latin dated 25-May-1390 (13 Richard II) at Cumbria Record Office, Carlisle HQ [CRO Ca/3/5/1/12]. The seal survives in good condition and is illustrated in [TCWAA vol.6 1883 pp.317-8] [A2A] describes the chevron on this seal, in error, as having five "escallops" instead of "ermine spots"
3.	"gules, three dolphins argent"	John de Blenerhayset, Co.Cumberland (temp. Richard II, 1377-1399). I don't know the source for this, the arms described may perhaps be identical with 2. above
4.	"ermine a dolphin embowed" I have not seen this, but seems to be another rare instance of the Blennerhassett arms shown without the chevron.	Seal on a deed of Robert de Blenerhayset, Carlisle, Co.Cumberland (18 Richard II, 1395/6) [HUDDLESTON p.28]
5.	"(gules), a chevron (ermine), between three dolphins (niant), embowed (argent)" various combinations of the above description, in each instance some words in ( ) may be missing	* Tile with Blennerhassett arms, initials J M (John & Mary) and date 1563, at Barsham Old Hall, Barsham, Co.Suffolk. This was the home of John Blennerhassett (b.c1515 d.1573), Treasurer and one of the chief household advisers to the 3rd & 4th Dukes of Norfolk, and his wife Mary Echingham [CORDER, Blois Ms. & ed. F., E.A. Miscellany 1919 p.102] * on a stone set into an exterior wall of St.Michael's Church, Workington, Co.Cumberland [HUDDLESTON p.28, FFC] [MMS v.6 p.415] [MMD] * John Blenerhayset (d.27.11.1510) in St.Andrew's Church, Frenze, Co.Norfolk [VoS/1561 p.357, COTMAN] * Sir Thomas Blenerhayset, Knt (d.27.6.1531) in St.Andrew's Church, Frenze, Co.Norfolk [COTMAN] [VoN/1563 ?] [VoN 1561 ?] Co.Essex [TBH p.BLE] Lowdham Hall, Co.Suffolk [TBH p.BLE] [CORDER] Ash, Brome Co.Suffolk, Thrandeston, Palgrave [VoN/1561] [Extended Parliamentary Roll, Golty p.157, GIPPS] [FAIRFAX] [SHARPE] [SUCKLING v.1 p.46] [PAGE] [DAV] [COPPINGER v.7] Mary Blennerhassett-Culpepper-Bacon (d.17-Sep-1587) in St.Andrew's Church, Frenze, Co.Norfolk arms & crest on an ancient painted canvas at Caister, nr Yarmouth, Co.Norfolk, survived at until the early 19th century [BLOMEFIELD p.?] * arms as confirmed to Rowland Blennerhassett (b.c1740/1 d.1821) by a grant of arms dated 13-Mar-1808 [TBH p.BLE] [BLENNERVILLE frontpiece] (this was shortly before he was created Sir Rowland Blennerhassett, 1st Baronet of Blennerville, Co.Kerry, on 22-Sep-1809)
6.	"gules, a chevron ermine, between three dolphins embowed argent, with an annulet for difference" the annulet indicates a fifth son, or in this case descent from a fifth son	* Will of John Blennerhassett of Barsham Hall, Barsham, Co.Suffolk, dated 29-Jun-1573 [PCC] (this annulet replacing the central ermine spot) * Jane (Joan) Tyndall Blenerhayset (d.6-Oct-1521) in St.Andrew's Church, Frenze, Co.Norfolk [COTMAN] [VoN/1563 ?] [VoN 1561 ?] (this annulet placed between the two upper dolphins) Ralph Blenerhayset (d.17-Nov-1475), bur. Frenze, Norfolk [CAN p.9 ?] [BLOMEFIELD vol.1 pp.142, 146]
7.	"gules, a chevron ermine, between three dolphins niant embowed argent, with a crescent on a crescent for difference" the crescent on a crescent indicating the 2nd son of a 2nd son	Blennerhassett family of Horsford(?), Norwich, Co.Norfolk
8.	"gules, a chevron ermine, between three dolphins embowed proper"	[HUDDLESTON p.29] [LMC Records]
9.	"sable, a chevron, between three dolphins niant embowed"
10.	"gules, a chevron ermine, between three dolphins or"	Frenze, Co.Norfolk & Wilton, Co.Norfolk [TBH p.BLE] A "crescent on a crescent" is a mark of cadency indicating the second son of a second son
11.	"gules, three dolphins naiant embowed argent, finned or"	[TBH p.BLE]
12.	"gules, a chevron ermine, between three dolphins embowed azure"	Carlisle & Flimby, Co.Cumberland
13.	"gules, a chevron ermine, between three dolphins haurient argent"	Loudham Hall, Co.Suffolk [CORDER] [REYCE pp.178, 261]
14.	"azure on a chevron or, between three dolphins argent, five cinquefoils gules"	Co.Cumberland 1665 [VoC/1665] [HUDDLESTON p.29] - the cinquefoils should perhaps be ermine spots
15.	"azure on a chevron or, between three dolphins naiant embowed argent, finned gules, five mullets pierced sable"	Co.Cumberland [TBH p.BLE] - the mullets should perhaps(?) have been described as ermine spots

Crest

"a wolf sejant gules"

(occasionally, "a wolf sejant proper")

"a wolf, in a sitting posture, colour red"

(occasionally, in it's natural colour)

in East Anglia, a fox was sometimes substituted for the wolf

	VARIATIONS of DESCRIPTION USED	EXAMPLES (*= illustrated below)
1.	a wolf sejant proper on a wreath argent & azure (white & blue)	* Blennerhassett crest set into an exterior wall, over the main entrance door to Ballyseedy Castle Ballyseedy, Co.Kerry [FC vol.1 p.57 Pl.110 crest 4] Blennerville, Churchtown & Kells, Co.Kerry [TBH p.BLE] [FC vol.1 p.57 Pl.110 crest 4]
2.	a wolf sejant gules on a wreath argent & gules (white & red)	* Mary Blennerhassett-Culpepper-Bacon (d.17.9.1587) in St.Andrew's Church, Frenze, Co.Norfolk [FC vol.1 p.57 Pl.87 crest 4, TBH p.BLE] Wilton, Co.Norfolk [TBH p.BLE] arms & crest on an ancient painted canvas at Caister, nr Yarmouth, Co.Norfolk, survived at until the early 19th century [BLOMEFIELD p.?]
3.	a wolf sejant gules, tail flected over back, langued, azure	Co.Suffolk [FC vol.1 p.57 Pl.110 crest 4]
4.	a wolf sejant gules, charged with a crescent on a crescent for difference	Co.Norfolk [VoN/1563]
5.	a fox sejant gules the wolf drawn, in error, as a fox	Lowdham Hall, Co.Suffolk [FC vol.1 p.57 Pl.87 crest 4] [TBH p.BLE]
6.	a wolf passant sometimes described in error as "a fox passant"	* monumental portrait brass on the tomb of Sir Thomas Blennerhassett, Knt (d.27-Jun-1531) St.Andrew's Church, Frenze, nr Diss, Co.Norfolk [COTMAN]

Motto

"Fortes Fortuna Juvat"

"Fortune Favours the Bold" or "Fortune Favours the Brave"

(the difference being in how one chooses to translate the latin "juvat")

	This motto has its origin in: "Fortes Fortuna Adjuvat" from Terrence (Publius Terentius Afer) [TERENCE, Phormio, vol.1, 4, f.20 (or 26?)] or "Fortune th' audacious does juvate, but lets the timidous miscarry" [HUDIBRAS] This same motto is carried by the families of: Bloomfield (Baron), Dickson (Baronet, and others), Dickson, Dickson-Poynder (Baron Islington), Dixon, Doller, Strange, Troyte, and Wylie Murray use *"Fortes Fortuna Adjuvat"* Clan Mackinnon of Scotland use "Audentes Fortuna Juvat" Several military units have adopted the motto, including: New Zealand Mounted Rifles, Jutland Dragoon Regiment (Denmark), U.S. Marine Corps, 359th Fighter Group U.S. Air Force (1942-45), 123rd Airlift Wing, US Air Force, U.S.S. Sampson U.S.S. Nicholson used *"Fortes Fortuna Adjuvat"* The earliest recorded use of the motto by the Blennerhassett family is on this grant arms dated 13-March-1808, confirming his ancestral arms to Rowland Blennerhassett of Blennerville (b.c1740/1 d.1821, soon to become 1st Baronet of Blennerville, created 22-Sep-1809) If you know of an earlier occurance, please tell me...

	"Copy of a confirmation of Arms to Rowland Blennerhassett of Blennerville, Co.Kerry, March 13, 1808" [GO Ms.105 p.53] [HAYES p.249] © Genealogical Office, Dublin illustrated in "Blennerville: Gateway to Tralee's Past" by Liam Kelly, Geraldine Lucid & Maria O'Sullivan pub. by Foras Aiseanna Saothair, Tralee, Co.Kerry 1989 and The Blennerville Windmill Company Ltd, Tralee, Co.Kerry [BLENNERVILLE/1 p.43]

Badge

"An escutcheon argent, charged with a sinister hand erect, apaumee, couped at the wrist, gules"

"on a white field, a bloody hand cut off at the wrist, held erect"

A Baronet may display on his coat of arms this badge, to indicate the baronetcy.

In the Blennerhassett family this is used only on the arms of Baronet Blennerhassett of Blennerville in Co.Kerry (cr.1809), other branches of the family not entitled to display it.