Chapter 4: 

Sir Edward Courtenay (1329-1372)

18 generations between Sir Edward Courtenay and James Rupuha Elers

The lives of Sir Edward Courtenay and Emeline Dawney

Source: Wikipedia

• Edward Courtenay was born in 1329, third son and fourth child of Hugh Courtenay and Margaret de Bohun (figure 1).

• He married Emeline Dawney circa 1346-1348 (source:  wall inscription at St Mary The Virgin Church).

• He died in 1372 and was buried at St Mary The Virgin churchyard, Sheviock, Cornwall Unitary Authority, Cornwall (figures 1 and 2).

• Emeline was born in 1330 (figure 3) at Ingoldsby, South Kesteven District, Lincolnshire.

• She was the daughter of John Dawney (1302-1346) and Sibella de Treverbyn (1308-1360) (figure 3).

• Emeline died on 28 February 1371 and was buried in the same cemetery as her husband (figure 3).

The effigies of Sir Edward and Lady Emeline are in the south transept, known as the Dawney Aisle in the church.

Also within the St Mary The Virgin Church is an effigy dedicated to Sir John Dawney (Emeline’s father).

The window above the effigy has a plaque of dedication as follows:

Another inscription on the wall in the Church, dedicated to Edward and Emeline, and titled “A Good Marriage,” reads as follows:

These two recumbent figures were made to remember wife and husband Lady Emmeline Dawney (died 1370-1) and Sir Edward Courtenay (died 1372) who died within a year of each other in the late fourteenth century. It was a well made marriage that tied together two powerful local families. The Dawneys were an ancient Cornish family with substantial lands across Cornwall and ties to Tavistock Abbey. The Courtenay family held the earldom of Devon and owned land and castles across the South West including Powderham Castle near Exeter, today home of the nineteenth Earl of Devon. Sir Edward was the son of the second Earl. Emmeline was the daughter of Sir John Dawney.

Part duty, part display of wealth, Emmeline and Edward were responsible for rebuilding the church at the time of their marriage in c1346-8, securing their place here in the south transept through the following seven centuries

Medieval Art

Appropriate to their wealth and status the figures of Lady Emmeline and Sir Edward represent the very best of late Medieval English sculpture. 

Lady Emmeline’s headdress

If you look at the figure of Lady Emmeline you can see the craftsmanship needed to carve the folds of her cotehardie and kirtle-gown with scooped-neck and tight-fitting undergarment-the metalwork of her jewelled necklace and her fashionable headdress. You can also see remnants of the original medieval paint that would have illuminated the stonework in glorious bright colours: green for her dress, gold leaf for her necklace.

THE PROGENY OF EDWARD and EMELINE:

Edward and Emeline had two children:

1.     Edward Courtenay (3 May 1357-5 Dec 1419)

Edward Jnr married Maud de Camoys. On their deaths they were both buried at Forde Abbey. They had four children Edward, Hugh, James, Elizabeth (source: Wikipedia).

Ford Abbey then and now:

2. Hugh Courtenay - for Hugh’s bio see “Notes For Hugh Courtenay and Philippa L’Arcedekne”