John Harington, 4th Baron Harington

Sir John Harington (1384 – 11 April 1418)[1] was a British nobleman who inherited the title of 4th Baron Harington of Aldingham, Lancashire. He was the son of Robert Harington, 3rd Baron Harington and Isabella Loring, daughter and co-heiress of Sir Nigel Loring.[2]

Monument to the 4th Baron Harington and his wife, Porlock church

Sir John Harington was married to Lady Elizabeth de Courtenay, daughter of Edward Courtenay, 3rd Earl of Devon, and was said to be in much favour with King Henry V of England (1413–1422). He accompanied the King on his first expedition to France in 1415 with a varied company listed at 25 men-at-arms,[3] 11 men-at-arms and 20 archers,[4] and 32 men-at-arms and 76 archers.[5]

He returned to France for a second expedition in 1417,[6] serving under Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester with a company of 86 archers and 29 men-at-arms, but he died on 11 February 1418 of causes unknown during the course of the campaign.[7] Before he left England, he made a will dated 8 June 1417. In it he directed that two priests be appointed 'to celebrate divine service and to pray for the souls of my father and mother and all my ancestors'. This led to the foundation of the Harington Chantry for in that year, a royal licence was granted by King Henry V for the foundation of a chantry 'at the altar in the Chapel of the Blessed Mary', which was the altar in the south aisle of St. Dubricius Church and which is still called the Lady Chapel. However, no steps appear to have been undertaken to carry out his wishes until July 1474, about three years after the death of his wife Elizabeth.

His effigy sits in St. Dubricius Church, Porlock in Somerset, alongside that of his wife. Although dying in 1418, his distinctive English-style plate armour can be dated closer to about 1440, and it displays some interesting transitional features.[8]

References
  1. Richardson I 2011, p. 547.
  2. Anon., A Description of the Monument & Effigies in Porlock Church, Somerset (Torquay, 1882), p. 4.
  3. BL_Harley_782, f77.
  4. TNA E101/44/30/no1,no1_m13
  5. TNA E101/47/33, no4 m2.
  6. J. Stow, Annales, Or a General Chronicle of England (London, 1631), p. 358.
  7. TNA E101/51/2, m4, 14 and 16.
  8. http://effigiesandbrasses.com/3220/2647/
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