Monumental brass of Sir John Arundell (d.1545), St Columb Major, Cornwall, England; 1890 engraving. Right: Katherine Grenville; Left: Elizabeth GreyHis splendid and originally richly enamelled monumental brass survives in the parish church of St Columb Major. It is in a fairly complete state, and shows Sir John bare-headed but otherwise in full armour, between his two wives dressed in gowns, mantles, and pedimental head-dresses. Below them are two smaller male figures, one partly perfect in armour, and underneath again, six female children, of whom two remain. The brasses are firmly fixed to the original slab of grey marble by apparently the original fastenings. They were originally in the Arundell chapel (a chantry built by the Arundells on the south side of the chancel of the parish church), and were early in the 19th century covered with some pews which were then placed in the chapel. On the restoration of the church later that century, the chapel being re-pewed, they were removed to their present position, which is an unfortunate selection, as it subjects them to a large amount of wear from the feet of persons passing over them, they being on the floor of the nave immediately below the chancel steps.
John Arundell Knyght of ye Bath and Knyght Banneret Recey(ver of) ye Duchye of Cornwall first ma(ryed ye Lady) Elizabeth Grey daughter to the Lorde Marquis of Dorset & (Catherine) daughter of Syr Thomas Gr(enville Knyght & dyed ye ey)ght of ffebruary the xxxvi yere of the reigne of Kyng Henry the eyght An° Domini 1545 and ye yere of his age (71)

The brass bearing those parts of the inscription enclosed in brackets has been lost. In the upper part of the stone are the finely cut figures in brass of Sir John Arundell and his two wives. Sir John is in the military costume of that period; behind his right shoulder rises a staff bearing a square banner of a knight banneret, the matrix alone surviving as the brass itself of this with the crest and a portion of the helmet and lambrequin, upon which the head of the knight rests, has been lost; the banner was probably charged with the quartered coat of Arundell without any impalement.