Illuminated capital letter M from the Guild Book of St Mary and St John, Lichfield

Illuminated capital letter M from the Guild Book of St Mary and St John

Illuminated capital letter M from the Guild Book of St Mary and St John, Lichfield, 1538-1539

LRO D77/1
©Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Archive Service

The guild of St Mary and St John was a mediaeval religious guild attached to St Mary’s church in Lichfield and formed in 1387 by amalgamating two former religious guilds. Ordinances or rules were drawn up for the running of the guild which appointed a master and wardens. There were also guild chaplains who were required to assist with the daily services at St Mary’s. Each year there were new admissions of guild members and these were recorded in the guild book under the name of the master in whose year they were admitted.

This illustration is a ‘rebus’ or enigmatic representation of the name of Richard Watwode who was master of the Guild of St Mary and St John between 1538 and 1539. ‘Wat’ is a dialect word for a hare and the wood is shown to the right. In the background the spires may represent the cathedral.

The Guild of St Mary and St John was dissolved in 1548.

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