Blanche Heriot
Encyclopedia
Blanche Heriot was a legendary heroine from Chertsey
, Surrey
, whose story was first brought to a wider public in two works by the Chertsey-born Victorian writer Albert Smith
.
. "As a native of Chertsey," wrote Henry Turner in Clement Scott
's magazine The Theatre, "he was naturally acquainted with the local legend of the heroic girl who, in order to gain time for her lover's pardon to arrive, and so save his head from 'rolling on the Abbey mead,' clung to the clapper of the enormous bell in the belfry tower, and thereby attained her object." The Irish actress Maria Honner
"was the heroine and her portrait (life-size) was on every hoarding in London, swinging to and fro with her hair streaming in the wind."
In 1843 Smith published The Wassail-Bowl: A Comic Christmas Sketchbook, Volume II of which included a short story, "Blanche Heriot: A Legend of Old Chertsey Church", on the same subject as his play of the previous year. A summary of "Blanche Heriot: A Legend of Old Chertsey Church" follows.
. The story is set in May 1471.
Blanche has a lover, Neville Audley, who has been away in the wars, fighting for the Lancastrians. He returns to Chertsey with a price on his head and is intent on fleeing to the Continent. However, he is apprehended by Yorkist soldiers in Chertsey. He kills one soldier and a dog and flees to Chertsey Abbey
, seeking sanctuary.
Neville, however, is arrested and sentenced to die at curfew the next day. A mutual friend of Blanche and Neville, Herrick Evenden, agrees to take a token (a ring given to Neville by a nobleman from the Yorkist side for sparing his life) to London to call in the favour and spare Neville's life. With only five minutes to go before curfew bell
will toll, Herrick is seen approaching Laleham
ferry, half a mile distant, on his return from London. Realising that Neville's life depends on her delaying the curfew, Blanche runs to the bell tower and ascends the old stairs. She crouches down beneath the bell and clings onto the clapper. Despite being dashed against the bell and frame, she holds on until the sexton (accompanied by soldiers) decides to climb the tower to investigate. Just then, Herrick Evenden arrives with a pardon for Neville. Following his release, a party ensues at the local hostelry, and Neville and Blanche are married shortly afterwards.
Albert Smith completes the story with a reference to the motto written around the band of the Curfew Bell "Ora mente pia pro nobis, Virgo Maria". This refers to the bell which is now hung as the fifth bell in the ring of eight at the parish church, St. Peter's, in Chertsey and which was cast circa 1310 and re-cast circa 1380 for Chertsey Abbey by the Wokingham founders who were linked to the Abbey. On the Dissolution of Chertsey Abbey in July 1537, it was moved to the parish church.
Lydia Sigourney
wrote an article, "Love and Loyalty", which appeared posthumously in Peterson's Magazine in September 1865. This is highly likely to be based on the Blanche Heriot story. It was then picked up and formed the basis of the narrative poem "Curfew Must Not Ring Tonight
" by Rose Hartwick Thorpe
in 1867.
Chertsey
Chertsey is a town in Surrey, England, on the River Thames and its tributary rivers such as the River Bourne. It can be accessed by road from junction 11 of the M25 London orbital motorway. It shares borders with Staines, Laleham, Shepperton, Addlestone, Woking, Thorpe and Egham...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, whose story was first brought to a wider public in two works by the Chertsey-born Victorian writer Albert Smith
Albert Richard Smith
Albert Richard Smith , was an English author, entertainer, and mountaineer.-Biography:Smith was born at Chertsey, Surrey. The son of a surgeon, he studied medicine in London and in Paris, and his first literary effort was an account of his life there, which appeared in the Mirror. He gradually...
.
Background
In 1842 Smith's first play, Blanche Heriot, or The Chertsey Curfew, was produced at the Surrey TheatreSurrey Theatre
The Surrey Theatre began life in 1782 as the Royal Circus and Equestrian Philharmonic Academy, one of the many circuses that provided contemporary London entertainment of both horsemanship and drama...
. "As a native of Chertsey," wrote Henry Turner in Clement Scott
Clement Scott
Clement Scott was an influential English theatre critic for the Daily Telegraph, and a playwright and travel writer, in the final decades of the 19th century...
's magazine The Theatre, "he was naturally acquainted with the local legend of the heroic girl who, in order to gain time for her lover's pardon to arrive, and so save his head from 'rolling on the Abbey mead,' clung to the clapper of the enormous bell in the belfry tower, and thereby attained her object." The Irish actress Maria Honner
Maria Honner
- Biography and career :Honner, born at Enniskillen, Ireland, 21 Dec. 1812, was a daughter of Eugene Macarthy, actor and manager, who died in the Dramatic College at Maybury, Surrey, 14 May 1866, aged 78...
"was the heroine and her portrait (life-size) was on every hoarding in London, swinging to and fro with her hair streaming in the wind."
In 1843 Smith published The Wassail-Bowl: A Comic Christmas Sketchbook, Volume II of which included a short story, "Blanche Heriot: A Legend of Old Chertsey Church", on the same subject as his play of the previous year. A summary of "Blanche Heriot: A Legend of Old Chertsey Church" follows.
Synopsis
Blanche Heriot is a young woman, living in Chertsey during the Wars of the RosesWars of the Roses
The Wars of the Roses were a series of dynastic civil wars for the throne of England fought between supporters of two rival branches of the royal House of Plantagenet: the houses of Lancaster and York...
. The story is set in May 1471.
Blanche has a lover, Neville Audley, who has been away in the wars, fighting for the Lancastrians. He returns to Chertsey with a price on his head and is intent on fleeing to the Continent. However, he is apprehended by Yorkist soldiers in Chertsey. He kills one soldier and a dog and flees to Chertsey Abbey
Chertsey Abbey
Chertsey Abbey, dedicated to St Peter, was a Benedictine monastery located at Chertsey in the English county of Surrey.It was founded by Saint Erkenwald, later Bishop of London, in 666 AD and he became the first abbot. In the 9th century it was sacked by the Danes and refounded from Abingdon Abbey...
, seeking sanctuary.
Neville, however, is arrested and sentenced to die at curfew the next day. A mutual friend of Blanche and Neville, Herrick Evenden, agrees to take a token (a ring given to Neville by a nobleman from the Yorkist side for sparing his life) to London to call in the favour and spare Neville's life. With only five minutes to go before curfew bell
Curfew bell
The curfew bell was a bell rung in the evening in Medieval England as the signal for everyone to go to bed.A bell was rung usually around eight o'clock in the evening which meant for them to cover their fires - deaden or cover up, not necessarily put out altogether...
will toll, Herrick is seen approaching Laleham
Laleham
Laleham is a village in the borough of Spelthorne, in the county of Surrey in South East England and adjoins Staines. It is within the historic boundaries of Middlesex. To its south is Laleham Park by the River Thames, across green belt farmland to its north and south east are Ashford and...
ferry, half a mile distant, on his return from London. Realising that Neville's life depends on her delaying the curfew, Blanche runs to the bell tower and ascends the old stairs. She crouches down beneath the bell and clings onto the clapper. Despite being dashed against the bell and frame, she holds on until the sexton (accompanied by soldiers) decides to climb the tower to investigate. Just then, Herrick Evenden arrives with a pardon for Neville. Following his release, a party ensues at the local hostelry, and Neville and Blanche are married shortly afterwards.
Albert Smith completes the story with a reference to the motto written around the band of the Curfew Bell "Ora mente pia pro nobis, Virgo Maria". This refers to the bell which is now hung as the fifth bell in the ring of eight at the parish church, St. Peter's, in Chertsey and which was cast circa 1310 and re-cast circa 1380 for Chertsey Abbey by the Wokingham founders who were linked to the Abbey. On the Dissolution of Chertsey Abbey in July 1537, it was moved to the parish church.
Related matters
A bronze statue of Blanche Heriot by Sheila Mitchell F.R.B.S stands in Chertsey.Lydia Sigourney
Lydia Sigourney
Lydia Huntley Sigourney , née Lydia Howard Huntley, was a popular American poet during the early and mid 19th century. She was commonly known as the "Sweet Singer of Hartford". Most of her works were published with just her married name Mrs. Sigourney.-Early life:Mrs...
wrote an article, "Love and Loyalty", which appeared posthumously in Peterson's Magazine in September 1865. This is highly likely to be based on the Blanche Heriot story. It was then picked up and formed the basis of the narrative poem "Curfew Must Not Ring Tonight
Curfew Must Not Ring Tonight
Curfew Must Not Ring Tonight is a narrative poem by Rose Hartwick Thorpe, written in 1867 and set in the 17th century. It was written when she was 16 years old and first published in Detroit Commercial Advertiser.-Synopsis:...
" by Rose Hartwick Thorpe
Rose Hartwick Thorpe
Rose Hartwick Thorpe was an American poet. She was born in Mishawaka, Indiana. Among her poems were Curfew Must Not Ring Tonight. She died in San Diego, California. The poem was written while Thorpe resided in Litchfield, Michigan, a small rural town. A bell in the center of the town commemorates...
in 1867.