Sir Thomas Grenville II Knight of the Body and Sheriff of Cornwall UK

Sir Thomas Grenville II, K.B. (c.1453–c.1513)

Knight of the Body, Sheriff of Cornwall, Lord of Stowe and Bideford

Sir Thomas Grenville II aka Graynfyld stands among the highest-credentialed men of late medieval England, a figure whose offices place him firmly within the inner machinery of royal power during the turbulent aftermath of the Wars of the Roses.

Born circa 1453 into the powerful Grenville family of the West Country, Sir Thomas inherited not merely land, but status, military responsibility, and proximity to the Crown. As Lord of the Manors of Stowe (Kilkhampton, Cornwall) and Bideford (Devon), he controlled strategically important estates that tied Cornwall and Devon directly into royal administration and defence.

Knight of the Body (K.B.)

Sir Thomas was appointed Knight of the Body, one of the most exclusive and trusted chivalric positions in England. This was not an honorary title. Knights of the Body were:

• Personally attached to the king

• Required to be of proven loyalty, noble blood, and military competence

• Often present in private royal chambers, councils, and campaigns

This role alone places Sir Thomas among a tiny elite, men whose integrity and lineage were considered unimpeachable.

Sheriff of Cornwall — Twice Appointed

Sir Thomas served as Sheriff of Cornwall in 1481 and again in 1486, a role that combined:

• Judicial authority

• Military oversight

• Taxation and royal enforcement

The fact that he was appointed twice, including under changing political conditions, signals continued royal confidence. Sheriffs were responsible for enforcing the king’s law in a region historically resistant to external control — Cornwall was no minor posting.

Military and Chivalric Standing

As a knight active in the late 15th century, Sir Thomas belonged to a generation shaped by:

• Civil war

• Dynastic instability

• Shifting allegiances

Survival and advancement in this period required exceptional political intelligence and martial credibility. His continued elevation confirms that Sir Thomas navigated these dangers successfully.

The Effigy: Damage That Speaks

The surviving effigy of Sir Thomas Grenville II bears clear and deliberate facial mutilation. The nose and lips have been removed, yet the outline of the facial structure remains unmistakable.

Even in its damaged state, the proportions — particularly the breadth of the nose and the fullness indicated around the mouth — remain visible. This is not accidental weathering. It follows a repeating pattern seen across numerous medieval monuments, where facial features most associated with phenotype are targeted for removal, while the rest of the sculpture is left intact.

The result is paradoxical:
the attempt to erase identity instead exposes it.

Lineage and Continuity

The Grenvilles were not peripheral gentry. They were:

• Deeply embedded in West Country power

• Militarily relevant

• Intermarried with other noble houses

• Trusted by the Crown across reigns

Sir Thomas’s life reflects continuity of noble service, not exception. His rank, offices, and burial treatment affirm that he was regarded in life as a man of high honour and unquestioned status.

“Even after the nose and lips are removed, the outline remains — and outlines do not lie.”

Guinevere Jackson

Image citation Tomb Wikipedia & Flickr