14c. Knight Sir Grimbald Pauncefote in St Edmund’s Church, England
- 10 May 2023
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Sibyl was the heiress of Sir Hugh Turbervile of Crickhowell castle. She married c1270 Sir Grimbald Pauncefote, son of Grimbaldus Pauncefot / Pauncefoot, c1230-1287 Lord of the Manor of Much Cowarne by Constance / Constantia, daughter of Sir John Lingeyn aka Lingen Sybil built and endowed the church on land she had donated in c1300. The large dimensions of the building reflect her wealth (The Manor of Gwernvale was part of her wedding dowry).
Grimbald ordered the wooden castle’s rebuilding in stone, adding several substantial towers and a bailey. He then apparently granted it to his father-in-law Hugh de Turberville for life.
In 1276 Grimbald obtained from the king the grant of a weekly market and an annual fair on the 12th of May
Two stone medieval effigies in St Edmund’s Church, Crickhowell, have recently been professionally restored. These statues of Sir Grimbald and Lady Sybil Pauncefote lying on top of their tombs directly link to the earliest days of Crickhowell as a new town in the Usk Valley.
Grimbald and Sybil were married in the late 1260s and lived in Crickhowell Castle, which was the major focus of the town. He died in 1287, and Lady Sybil set about providing the village with a parish church dedicated to St Edmund in 1303.
After she died in 1326, the parishioners created appropriately prominent tombs for the couple, topped with the two effigies. Grimbald’s effigy is of a chainmail figure carrying a shield that bears the Pauncefote arms.
Lady Sybil is shown dressed in a simple gown with her hair covered. Her hands are missing, although there is evidence that the effigy originally had hands in an attitude of prayer. It is possible that the hands were cut off to support the largely discredited legend that she gave her right hand as a ransom to release her husband from prison while he was on the Crusades.
Two stone medieval effigies in St Edmund’s Church, Crickhowell, have recently been professionally restored. These statues of Sir Grimbald and Lady Sybil Pauncefote lying on top of their tombs directly link to the earliest days of Crickhowell as a new town in the Usk Valley.
Grimbald and Sybil were married in the late 1260s and lived in Crickhowell Castle, which was the major focus of the town. He died in 1287, and Lady Sybil set about providing the village with a parish church dedicated to St Edmund in 1303.
After she died in 1326, the parishioners created appropriately prominent tombs for the couple, topped with the two effigies.Grimbald’s effigy is of a chainmail figure carrying a shield that bears the Pauncefote arms.
Lady Sybil is shown dressed in a simple gown with her hair covered. Her hands are missing, although there is evidence that the effigy originally had hands in an attitude of prayer. It is possible that the hands were cut off to support the largely discredited legend that she gave her right hand as a ransom to release her husband from prison while he was on the Crusades.
“Lies and deceptions have an expiration date, and in the end EVERYTHING comes to light. However, TRUST dies… and when it does, it does so forever.”Revelation 5:5 KJV
Citation:Images: jmc4 – Church Explorer -, Church images: & information www.abergavennychronicle.com
