James I walnut heraldic lion

James I walnut carved heraldic lion sejant.

The Marital Arms of Cust and Savile

The armorial bearings as depicted upon a stylised shield held by a sejant heraldic lion carved in walnut dating to the 17th Century are those of the family of Cust with Savile in pretence and given the evidence cited below the arms must have been painted upon the shield between 1698/99 and 1712. These armorial bearings denote the marshalling of a marital coat of a widow upon a lozenge showing the arms of the husband over the entire surface of the lozenge, whilst the paternal arms of his wife/widow (as an heraldic heiress) are placed on a small shield (known as an escutcheon of pretence) centrally on the husband’s arms. They may be blazoned as follows:
Arms: Ermine on a chevron sable three fountains1 (for Cust) over all an escutcheon of pretence Argent on a bend sable three
owls of the field (for Savile)
These armorial bearings undoubtedly commemorate the marriage of Sir Pury Cust (born circa 1655 died 21st February 1698/99), of Stamford in the County of Lincolnshire and his second wife, Alice Savile (baptised 25th January 1690 died 17123), the daughter and co-heiress of William Savile, of Newton in the County of Lincolnshire. Sir Pury and Alice were married on the 12th March 1692 at the Parish Church of St Botolph, Newton by Folkingham in the same county. Sir Pury was the eldest son of Sir Richard Cust, of Pinchbeck in the County of Lincolnshire, the 1st Baronet of Stamford and Beatrice Pury, the daughter of William Pury, of Eversham Place, Kirton in the County of Lincolnshire and his wife, Elizabeth Millett. Sir Pury was knighted on the 10th April 1690. As Sir Pury pre-deceased his father, Sir Richard, the family baronetcy was inherited upon Sir Richard’s death on the 30th August 1700 by his grandson, Richard, the eldest son of Sir Pury and first wife, Ursula Woodcock.

Other images here include Sir Pury Cust, Alice Savile, Belton House, and other lions at Belton House.