File:NottCapital SwimbridgeChurch Devon.xcf

English: Mediaeval sculpted stone capital, Swimbridge Church, Devon, incised in 19th century with arms of Nott of Bydown House, Swimbridge: Gules, on a bend engrailed or between four leopard's faces two and two argent an estoile of eight points between two martlets of the first. The capital is located on the chancel side of the chancel screen, on the north side of the chancel. It is near St Bridget's Chapel (North Chancel Chapel) built in the early 15th century by the Mules family of Ernsborough, from which the Nott family claimed descent by a marriage four centuries later. The Nott family held the lease of the tithes of Swimbridge, so exerted a position of some power in the church presumably. They argued with Parson Jack Russell and John Nott (d.1856) a wealthy man and a local magistrate, of Bydown House, was convicted of illegally obtaining oaths in an attempt to blacken the name of Russell, which must have been a heavy blow to his reputation and local standing. The engraving of these arms on a mediaeval capital, which it appears to be, cannot be called anything other than vandalism, even though the work has been performed tidily. It must be wondered whether Parson Russell objected.