Christopher Lethbridge (d.1670)


Christopher Lethbridge of Exeter in Devon, was Mayor of Exeter in 1660, and is one of the Worthies of Devon of the biographer John Prince,. His mural monument survives in St Mary Arches Church in Exeter.

Origins

He was born at Walson, an estate listed in the Domesday Book of 1066, in the parish of Clannaborough, north of Okehampton and Crediton in Devon. The parish of Clannaborough adjoined on the south-west to the parishes of Bow, alias Nymet Tracy, and of Broad Nymet, of which latter he was lord of the manor at his death. Walson Barton is situated between the villages of Bow and Nymet Tracy. Prince did not record his parentage, however it is recorded in the Heraldic Visitations of Devon that Robert Lethbridge of Nimet Tracy married Alice Knapman, a daughter of Alexander Knapman of Throwley, Devon, probably circa 1600-20.

Other branches

Other branches of the Lethbridge family existed in the following Devonshire locations:
The Lethbridge family is supposedly descended from Ragnar Lodbrok, a Norse king and saga-character of dubious historicity, possibly an amalgam of several historical ninth-century figures.

Legend 1

The origin of the Lethbridge family is ascribed by legend to have been in the person of "Lethbroke, a noble Dane", who having lost his hawk whilst out hunting by the sea-shore, got into a small boat to follow it and was blown onto the coast of Norfolk at Rodham. He was received by King Edmund, whose entertainment of him aroused jealousy in Beric, the royal falconer. Beric murdered Lethbroke, but the buried body was found by his spaniel dog, and he was convicted of the crime. His punishment was to be put in Lethbroke's own boat and set adrift. By chance he drifted not only back to Denmark, but to the very spot where Lethbroke had embarked. He was captured by the local Danes, who recognised Lethbroke's boat, and whom he informed falsely that Lethbroke had been killed by King Edmund. On hearing the story the King of Denmark dispatched an invasionary force to England, commanded by Lethbroke's two sons Hunga and Hubba. The sisters of the latter made a banner to be carried by their brothers, embroidered with a black raven, or eagle. Thus an eagle displayed sable features in the Lethbridge armorials.

Legend 2

Sir Winston Churchill of Devon stated the true origins as follows: Reigner, King of Norway was driven out of his kingdom by Harold, King of Denmark, and turned to piracy. During one of his many raids on the north-east coast of England, he was shipwrecked off Norfolk, and captured by the local population, who killed him and whilst dragging his body around in derision, "called him in scorn Lothbroc, meaning "leather-breech", from the material of his trousers. He was soon avenged by three of his sons, Ivor, Hungar and Hubbo, who as younger sons in accordance with Norse custom had been banished from their own country to make a living abroad, and who invaded England near Appledore in North Devon. "Like young rooks drove from their nests, they took that bird for their cognizance, which being embroidered by their vestal sisters in a banner, consecrated after the horrid rites of their paganish superstition they sate it up as the royal standard, calling it by the name of the "Reafan", i.e. the raven". The Raven standard inspired the invaders with "more than humane courage", but was insufficient to defeat the English at the battle which is supposed to have taken place at Hubbleston or "Hubba's Rock", between the villages of Northam and Bideford in North Devon.

Career

In the words of Prince: "He was brought up in the City of Exeter at the gainful trade of a grocer, in the exercise of which he thrived so very well, by God's blessing upon his industry, that he 'rose as to considerable wealth and riches". In 1660 he was appointed Mayor of Exeter, "the highest seat of magistracy in that ancient and loyal city". "God was pleased to bless him with a considerable estate".

Marriage and children

He married Mary Jurdaine by whom he had ten children, of whom only one daughter and sole-heiress survived her father:
He died in 1670, having left a last will and testament dated 17 November 1669 in which he described himself as "merchant, of Exeter".

Monument

His mural monument erected by his daughter Joan survives on the North wall of St Mary Arches Church in Exeter. Described by Pevsner as: "architectural, with painted grey marbling and other original colours revealed by recent cleaning". It displays on top the arms Argent, over water proper, a bridge of five arches embattled gules in chief an eagle displayed sable impaling Azure semée of cross-crosslets fitchée, a lion rampant or a chief of the last. It is inscribed in Latin and English as follows:
Which mey be translated as:
Two verses follow, one to each member of the couple, firstly for Mary:

Secondly for Christopher:
Below is further inscribed in Latin:

Charitable lagacies

Almshouse in Exeter

By his last will and testament dated 17 November 1669 he founded an almshouse for six poor persons within the south gate of the City of Exeter, in the parish of The Holy Trinity. It provided them with the annual sum of £15 12 shillings.

Nymet Tracy annuity

By his will he also left an annuity of £5 10 shillings arising from his manor and barton of Broad Nymet with which the churchwardens were to purchase "a middle sort of bread" every Lord's Day to 24 "poore of the parish of Bowe als Nymett Traceye go to the church and stay there every Lord's Day during the time of divine service and sermon ". The stipulations of the bequest are recorded as follows on a large 19th-century notice board which survives within the bell-tower of Bow Church.
His nephew Christopher Lethbridge of Westaway in the parish of Pilton, North Devon, whose "big and sumptuous" mural monument survives in Pilton Church, also bequeathed an annuity to the same cause, in the sum of 26 shillings, to be contributed as 12 pence of bread weekly between All Saints and 3 May or Rudemas-day. This is also recorded on the charity board in the church.