Henry Courtenay, 1st Marquess of Exeter
Henry Courtenay, 1st Marquess of Exeter, 2nd Earl of Devon, KG, PC, feudal baron of Okehampton, feudal baron of Plympton, of Tiverton Castle, Okehampton Castle and Colcombe Castle all in Devon, was a grandson of King Edward IV, nephew of the queen consort, Elizabeth of York and a first cousin of King Henry VIII. Henry Courtenay was a close friend of Henry VIII, having "been brought up of a child with his grace in his chamber".
Henry Courtenay, KG, shown 2nd from left wearing a mantle displaying his arms, detail from procession of Garter Knights in the Black Book of the Garter, c.1535, Royal Collection, Windsor
Pair of heraldic devices either of Henry Courtenay, 1st Marquess of Exeter (1498–1539), KG, or of his grandfather Edward Courtenay, 1st Earl of Devon (died 1509), KG, north and south sides of top of chancel arch, St Peter's Church, Tiverton. Showing the arms of Courtenay: Or, three torteaux circumscribed by the Garter, with angel supporters. Above is the heraldic badge of the Courtenay falcon and faggot and on top of each column is shown a Courtenay boar. The only surviving Courtenay monument within the church situated next to their historic seat of
Within a Garter inscribed (honi soit) qui mal y pense an escutcheon of the arms either of Henry Courtenay, 1st Marquess of Exeter (1498–1539), KG, or of his grandfather Edward Courtenay, 1st Earl of Devon (died 1509), KG: Or, three torteaux, one of a pair facing each other on tops of chancel arch, Tiverton Church, Devon
Feudal barony of Okehampton
The feudal barony of Okehampton was a very large feudal barony, the largest mediaeval fiefdom in the county of Devon, England, whose caput was Okehampton Castle and manor. It was one of eight feudal baronies in Devonshire which existed during the mediaeval era.
"A view of Okehampton Castle and town taken in the park", 1772 drawing by Francis Towne (1739–1816), Yale Center for British Art, New Haven, USA
Remains of Okehampton Castle today
