St. Helen’s Church houses an effigy of an unknown knight. Close inspection of the effigy shows that the knight was someone of importance, maybe even a Knight Templar.
The Welton Knight is the most northerly example of Purbeck Marble Effigies. The effigy was made around 1250-1275. Purbeck marble as an expensive material and it had to be transported by sea from Dorset. The expense of the Purbeck marble and of its transportation indicates the importance of the knight represented by the memorial.
The Templars had a Priory in North Ferriby and a lost headquarters and Foxfleet. All this evidence strongly indicates the effigy of the knight being of the Order of the Templars.
Close inspection of the effigy reveals that the knight’s legs are crossed right over left. This symbolises the knight having taken a vow to fight in defence of the Christian Faith. The beasts at the feet of the knight are emblematic of the religious solder conquering the enemies of the church.
