66 
borne, were granted to the family. This honourable achieve- 
ment, sculptured on the fagade in front of the Hall, is found 
to-day impaled with many well-known and illustrious alliances. 
In Heraldic language, the armorials themselves may thus be 
described : ‘ Vert, a Chevron, between three Stags caboched’ ‘or, 
‘The crest displaying a Stag trippant prop.’ ” 
*¢ While handsome and appropriate, the design of the shield is 
unostentatious and simple, the tinctures brilliant, and the 
symbolism of the charges significant. It must not be forgotten 
that heraldry conveys some idea of the character of those to 
whom Arms were granted, and holds their record up to the 
light.” 
«Here we get a permanent reminder of the honourable office 
the family held in Forest service to their Sovereign, the sparkling 
colours of the blazon speaking of the verdure, the garments of 
the ‘verdurer,’ and the golden glittering brightness of stag and 
forest in the summer sheen. Where-ever or when-ever a 
‘Chevron’ appears on the shield, it silently tells of faithful, 
loyal service. The bearer often received it also for having done 
kindly and benevolent deeds, and thus impaled they became the 
undying records of unselfish and self-sacrificing lives.” 
«The Chevron represents too, the roof-tree of a house, denotes 
a builder of cities, and founder of families. The motto breathes 
the inspiration of a stalwart mind, perfectly impervious to 
flattery, steadfast, immovable, always abounding in every good 
and perfect work. Such is the poetry of the blazon and the 
Heraldic story of the Parker family.” 
‘‘ Tt has been affirmed by Dr. Whitaker that the earlier ‘ Bow- 
bearers’ lived at Over Browsholme, and that the family moved 
from there to Nether Browsholme in 1602. This, however, is 
not correct.” 
“« Over Browsholme, probably a quaint building of the Tudor 
style, stood farther up the hill leading to Whitewell, and not far 
from the Roman road, crossing the heights to Over borough, 
shown on the ordnance map. ‘The site can still be traced. The 
foundations shew it to have been a substantial dwelling, one fit 
to bear the fierce winds and gusts that blew over Bleasdale Moor. 
The error in ascribing Over Browsholme as the original residence 
of the Bow-bearers, probably arose from the fact that from the 
year 1507 to 1580 it was occupied by the ‘ Knott’ family, who 
intermarried with the ‘ Parkers.’ ”’ 
‘‘ Nether Browsholme—the present house—has, since 1420, 
been the seat of the Parker family, and they were tenants under 
the Crown. In 1507 Edmund Parker had his Crown rent 
for Nether Browsholme increased, on account of the large 
