The New Murrey and Blue blog

Sir Andrew Hake

Blanche Bradestone – Another Obscure Lady of the Garter.

Dec 3, 2023

battles, buildings, genealogy, law, religion, sources

Blanche Bradestone, Calendar of Close Rolls, Church of St. Michael the Archangel, Earls of Gloucester, executions, Gloucester, Henry IV, Isabelle de Valois, Ladies of the Garter, pardons, Sir Andrew Hake, Thomas Despenser, Thomas Lord Berkeley, usurpation, Winterbourne

Information about Blanche Bradestone (or Bradstone) is hard to find, despite the fact that she was recognised as ‘the King’s kinswoman’ by Richard II and became a Lady of the Garter in 1399. Her brass is to be found at Winterbourne, Gloucestershire, which appears to have been her principal manor. It is located in the…
The appointment of women to the Garter. (Medieval era).

Jan 10, 2023

heraldry, law

Alice Arundel, Blanche Brandeston, Catherine de Roet, Constance of York, Edmund of Langley, Henry IV, Henry VIII, Joan Holland, John of Gaunt, Knights of the Garter, Ladies of the Garter, Mary Bohun, Mortimers, Philippa de Mohun, Richard II, Sir Andrew Hake, Thomas Despenser, Thomas Holland

I have been trying to make sense of the method by which women were appointed to the Garter in the middle ages, and have concluded there was no system. Of course, as with the knights, who were nominally ‘elected’ by the other knights, it all came down to royal favour. But with the knights, there…