File:ArmsElizabethShapcoteMolland.jpg

English: Arms of Mrs Elizabeth Shapcote from her mural memorial tablet in Molland Church, Devon.

James Courtenay (d.1683) lord of the manor of Meshaw, Devon, was the second son of John II Courtenay (d.1660/1) lord of the manor of Molland, Devon, and died at his residence in Meshaw in 1683, in which parish church there exists a large mural monument to his memory. He was however buried in Molland Church in the grave of his first wife Susanna Sandford, whose slate tombstone is in the floor of the north aisle. In this same grave is also buried James's second wife Elizabeth Lynn (died 1700), who married James as her second husband and who erected the Meshaw monument. Elizabeth married thirdly Philip Shapcott of Shapcott in the parish of Knowstone (which latter manor was owned by the Courtenay family of Molland), as her slate mural monument on the east wall of the north aisle of Molland Church attests.

In the church of Meshaw is a mural monument with the following wording:

To the memory of James Courtnay (sic) Esq.r. 2d son of John Courtnay of Molland in this county, Esq.r. who died at Meshaw House the 27th of March 1683 & was buried among his ancestors in Molland Church in ye grave of his first wife Susanna ye daughter of Henry Sandford of Ninehead Flory in ye county of Somers.t, Esq.r. His 2d wife & relict (being also relict of Lewis Rosier of Swymbridge in this county, Gent.) was Elizabeth daughter of Will. Lynn Esq.r of Southwicke in Northha.ton.re who to ye lasting memory of her Lord did this too slender monument afford, for in her judgement she could scarce approve so mean an offering for so great a love. Were it as great and lasting too as she could wish ye me(m)ory of his love should be, this marble would out live eternity.

Susanna Sandford was the daughter of Henry Sandford (died 1644) of Nynehead Court, Somerset (whose gravestone exists in the chancel floor of Nynehead Church), by Mary Ashford, heiress of Burlescombe, Devon.^[1] The originator of this monument at Meshaw was James Courtenay's second wife Elizabeth Lynn (died 1700), daughter of William Lynn of Southwick Hall, 11 miles SW of Peterborough, which family resided there between 1442 and 1840. Elizabeth had married James Courtenay as her second husband, having first married Lewis Rosier (died 1676) of Swimbridge, whose monument can be seen in St James's Church, Swimbridge.^[2] After James's death she married thirdly Philip Shapcote of Knowstone. Elizabeth was buried, according to her wishes, in the same tomb in Molland Church as her second husband James Courtenay, who had already been buried therein together with his first wife Susanna Sandford. This is made clear by her mural memorial tablet of stone covered with slate-coloured gesso in Molland Church on the east wall of the north aisle which reads as follows:

To ye memory of Mrs Shapcote ye wife of Philip Shapcote of Knowstone Esq. who was second wife & relict of James Courtenay Esq. and now lyes in this isle interr(ed) in ye same grave with him according to his passionate desires & her pro(mise) to him in testimony of their mutual love. Obiit 12.o^[3] Nov. 1700.

On the base of the tablet are engraved the arms of Shapcote Sable, 3 dovecotes argent^[4] impaling Lynn Argent, a demi-lion gules within a bordure bezantee^[5] The crest over the escutcheon is here a demi-lion rampant. The crest of Lynn is given in Burke's General Armory as: A lion's head erased (p. 633). The crest of Shapcote is there given as : A goat's head erased(p. 916)