When Henry VIII declared himself to be the head of the church in England it became customary for the royal coat of arms to be displayed in churches. It is quite common to come across examples of these today. They were often painted on square wooden boards by a local person and the quality of the representation depends heavily on the skills they brought to bear. They don't seem to have been changed with every change of monarch: it's my impression that most record the various Georges and Victoria, and I recall seeing examples from the time of Charles I and II. The example above can be seen in the abbey church of St Mary, Abergavenny, so it must have been an order that applied in Welsh protestant churches too. The letters A R (Anne Regina) and the date 1709 show it to be of the time of Queen Anne. The year 1707 is when, following the Acts of Union, Great Britain came into being.
photo © T. Boughen Camera: Nikon Z 5
