Bourton on the Water, Gloucestershire

Location and general description

Bourton is a bustling Cotswold market town set astride the River Windrush and upstream from Burford. It is a favourite tourist destination. Stow on the Wold lies to the N and nearby villages include Lower Slaughter, Gloucs, to the N and the various Rissingtons to the NE.

Buildings

Church of St Lawrence

The churchyard houses the substantial chest tomb of John JORDAN.

People

The JORDAN family

The JORDAN family of Bourton on the Water were descended from the JORDANs of Fulbrook, Oxon. of whom more on the Fulbrook, Oxon. One branch of the family temporarily based themselves in Bourton on the Water. John JORDAN (abt. 1667-1732) of Fulbrook, Oxon, married as his second wife Ann ROOKE (on 2 Jun 1698 in Bourton on the Water) at which time he moved to Bourton on the Water. His son, John JORDAN (ch. 1713-1774), is buried in an elaborate bale tomb in the churchyard, which is now a Grade II listed monument. However this appears to have been erected for his mother. An adjacent bale tomb od similar design appears to be that of John ROO[K?].

The inscription showing on this photograph is to John JORDAN (ch. 1713-1774) of Bourton on the Water, Ann's son by John JORDAN. There is a partial inscription on the path facing side of the tomb which appears to relate to John's mother, Ann JORDAN, nee ROOKE. The inscription is badly weathered but one can discern 'Here Lyeth the Body of Ann the Wife of'...'ohn Jordan Esq who departed this life March'... 'Aged 42 years'. One end of the tomb bears arms, the other an inscription too badly weathered to read.

Detail of coat of arms on end panel of JORDAN chest tomb.
A related coat of arms is to be found on the monument to John's grandfather Thomas JORDAN at Fulbrook, Oxon.

The Jordan family were armigerous and bore the arms of Jordayne of London.

JORDAYNE to left and on the right could be a variant of ROOKE, JORDAN's mother's maiden name.

JORDAYNE 'London ar. on a fesse betw. three towers triple towered gu. a lion pass. guard or Crest on a chapeau gu. turned up erm. a hawk or. inside of the wings of the second '
The arms of JORDAYNE of London are also found on the monuments of Thomas JORDAN (ch. 1643-1675), John's grandfather, at Fulbrook , John's sister, Mary PIGOTT at West Challow, Berks, and Vice Admiral Joseph JORDAN (1603?-1685) at Hatfield Woodside (the latter is described in the Dictionary of National Biography volume 30).

These arms depict a fesse between three birds (Rooks or Cornish choughs). However, typical ROOKE arms include:-
ROOKE 'ar. a fesse betw three chess rooks gu. Crest a demi eagle displ. ar. charged on the breast with a chess rook gu.'
ROOKE 'Horton Kent ar on a chev engr betw three rooks sa as many chess rooks of the first Crest an arm embowed in armour ppr garnished holding in the gauntlet a pistol of the last the arm environed with a trumpet ar'

Details of arms given above are from Thomas Robson, The British herald, or Cabinet of armorial bearings of the nobility & gentry of Great Britain & Ireland, 1830

John JORDAN (abt 1667-1732), of Burford, then Bourton married firstly Frances BARTHOLOMEW (abt 1673-1693, married 1691 at Burford), secondly Anne ROOKE (1698 at Bourton), and thirdly Mary TASH (nee ASTON, 1724 at Burford). John and his first wife are buried at Fulbrooke, his second wife appears to fit the inscription on the chest tomb at Bourton, and his third wife is only mentioned in his will. A connection between Anne ROOKE and the ROOKE family of St Lawrence / Monks Horton is possible.

John JORDAN (ch. 1713-1774) of Bourton married Sarah (maiden name unknown) by whom he had two daughters, both of whom married into the ANSELL family.

Anne JORDAN (ch. 1742-1823) married on the 12 April 1763 in Bourton on the Water, Edward ANSELL Esq. of Burford, Oxon. where he was a churchwarden.
Sarah JORDAN (ch. 1748-) married on 16 Dec 1771 in Bourton on the Water, John ANSELL of Bermondsey.

Bibliography