Agnes, the heiress of the Washington family and the ancestor of George washington, the first President of the
United States of America, married Edmund Lawrence, whose family (as did hers) originated from the Duchy of
Lancaster. They moved to the village of Steeple on the Isle of Purbeck in Dorset in
1540 and their descendent, John - the great grandfather of George Washington , settled in Virginia.
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These arms are depicted in several places in the Church of St Micheal and All Angels at Steeple; the stone memorial tablet on the east wall in the porch; another over the east doorway of the north transept; and, on the bosses of the barrel ceiling of the nave.
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The Stars and Stripes of the American flag are derived from the quartering of the arms of the Lawrences of Steeple and the Washingtons.
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The Second World War (1939-45) caused a more recent connection between this small village on the Isle of Purbeck and the USA. The Purbeck Coast was requisitioned by the Army and many British and American troops trained here for the D-Day landings; many of the Americans stationed here worshipped in the Church of St Micheal and All Angels at Steeple before their fearsome ordeal.
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The First President of the USA was descended from the younger branch of the Washington family whose arms appear on this memmorial tablet.
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The Washington quartering (stars and stripes) is derived from the marriage of Edmun Lawrence and Agnes, the heiress of the
Washington family. Sir Edward Lawrence of Creech Grange was their descendant at it is his initials and arms which are
depicted on the on the armorial tablet dated 1616 at Steeple Parish Church.
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STEEPLE, Isle of Purbeck, Dorset
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