[Illustration] A Norman family, which for centuries has flourished
in the West of England, traced by Dugdale to "Rogerius Arundel,"
mentioned in Domesday. "The most diligent inspection, however,"
writes Hoare in his Wiltshire, "of an immense collection of ancient
charters, deeds, and instruments of all kinds, and from the earliest
periods of documentary evidence, among the archives of Wardour
Castle, have not enabled us to trace the filiation of this House
from the said Rogerius." Reinfred de Arundell, who lived at the
end of the reign of Henry III. stands therefore at the head of the
pedigree as given by Hoare. Gilbert in his "Survey of Cornwall," is
inclined to believe the name to be derived from Arundel in Sussex,
and refers to "Yorke's Union of Honour." He says the family came
into Cornwall by a match with the heiress of Trembleth about the
middle of the twelfth century. Lanherne, in that county, was in the
fourteenth century their principal seat. The Castle of Wardour was
purchased by Sir Thomas Arundell from Sir Fulke Greville in 1547.
Camden, Carew, and Leland unite in recording the hospitality and
honourable demeanour of this family, in all relations of social
life, and state that from the pre-eminence of their ample
possessions they were popularly designated "The Great Arundells."
See Coll. Topog. et Genealog., vol. iii. p. 389; Leland's Itin.,
vol. iii. fol. 2; Gilbert's Cornwall, vol. i. p. 470; Brydges's
Collins, vol. vii. p. 40; and Hoare's Wiltshire, vol. iii. pt. i. p.
175, &c.
ARMS.--_Sable, six martlets argent_. The martlets, or _hirondelles_,
may be considered an early instance of Canting Heraldry.
Present Representative, John Francis Arundell, 12th Baron Arundell
of Wardour.