Charles Boutell

Charles Boutell (1 August 1812 – 31 July 1877) was an English archaeologist, antiquary and clergyman, publishing books on brasses, arms and armour and heraldry, often illustrated by his own drawings.

Life Boutell was born at Pulham St Mary, Norfolk, the son of the Rev. Charles Boutell. He entered St John's College, Cambridge, and graduated BA in 1834. In 1836 he took his MA at Trinity College, Oxford. Having served briefly as curate of Hemsby, Norfolk, and then curate of St Leonard's Church, Sandridge, Hertfordshire (1837–46), during which period, in 1839, he was ordained priest. He was subsequently rector of Downham Market (1847–1850) and vicar of Wiggenhall St Mary Magdalen, Norfolk (1847–55). After moving to London in 1855 he held various positions, including reader at St Luke's, Lower Norwood, Surrey (1860–67). According to Charles Roach Smith, he subsequently suffered from a "similar lapse" in relation to the Surrey Archaeological Society. In 1868 he was imprisoned for debt, and in December of that year was declared bankrupt.

Death Boutell died of a ruptured heart on 31 July 1877, following two years of declining health. He was buried at Paddington Old Cemetery, Kilburn. Christian Monuments in England & Wales – (George Bell, 1854) A Manual of British Archaeology – Printed by Savill & Edwards - (Lovell Reeve, London, 1858) Heraldry, Historical and Popular, 3rd Edition, London, 1864 English Heraldry - Cassell, Petter, and Galpin, (London and New York, 1867) Arms and Armour in Antiquity and the Middle Ages: also a Descriptive Notice of Modern Weapons Translated from the French of Paul Lacombe (1834–1919) - (New York, C. Scribner & Co., 1871) A Bible dictionary for the use of all readers and students of the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments of the books of the Apocrypha - (London: E. Moxon, Son and Co., 1871) The Arts and the Artistic Manufactures of Denmark The Handbook to English Heraldry - edited by Arthur Charles Fox-Davies, wood engravings by Robert Brooke Utting (Reeves & Turner, 1914)