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KNELLE SEALS

Stephen de Knelle

An eagle regard pruning his wings                                                                                       
Legend: Sigill STEPHNI DE CHNELE
(Charter  Robertsbridge c. 1185-90)

A  fleur de lys ( dto.c. 1200)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Legend:Sigill  STEPHI DE CNELLEI                                                                                                                                                            

Geoffrey de Cnelle, son of Stephen   

A fleur de lys seeded *
Legend: Sigill GALFRIDI DE CNELLE
(Charter  Robertsbridge c. 1220)

Edmund de Knelle, kt.

Armorial seal - a lion rampant  
cross crosslets fitchées semées.

Legend: Si. EDMUNDI DE KNELLE (Egerton charter nº 402).

This is the coat of arms of the Knill-Knell family of Knill Court in Herefordshire. One can clearly see that it is the same as the one of Edmund de Knelle.

The British Herald V. 2 gives for Knill or Knyll, Hereford, the above coat of arms as well as gules crusily fitchée or, a lion rampant of the last. - For Knell, Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire, gules crusily, a lion rampant or. Crest, a demi lion or, holding in the dexter paw a cross crosslet fitchée azur. - Knell, gules semée of cross crosslets fitchée, a lion rampant or, crowned and langed azure. Edmund de Knelle's seal, shows cross crosslets fitchées semées a lion rampant, though we do not know the tincture.

The eagle was adopted by Charlemagne when he became emperor of the Holy Roman Empire and was then used by all the German kings and emperors. This symbol is still to be seen in the German Parliament, whereas the Habsburg and Austria are using the double headed eagle. In the treasure of the Cathedral Aquisgran (Aachen in Germany) exists a bust which is thought to contain Charlemagne's brain. It is covered in gold, the upper part is covered with eagles described in Stephen's seal and the lower part with  fleurs de Lys .

This might give a  clou of the ancestry of the Knelle family.

* From Nash’s Worcestershire:
De Bois family: The legend of Attwood the crusader
“On the coat of arms of this Crusader is the Fleur de Lys, a proof of his descent from the Capets, Kings of France”.

Matthew Paris gives
Philip I. 1060-1108, azure, semi-de- lis or (4,3,3,2,1)
Louise VI, d. 1180 (4,3,2,1)
Philip Augustus, d. 1223 (3,3,2,1)