The Black Arrow: A Tale of the Two Roses and calling card is a black arrow, cause Dick to suspect that his guardian Sir Daniel Brackley and his retainers are responsible for his father's murder. Dick's suspicions are enough to turn Sir Daniel against him, so he has no recourse but to escape from Sir Daniel and join the outlaws of the Black Arrow against him. This struggle sweeps him up into the greater conflict surrounding them all. The novel is set in the reign of "old King Henry VI" (1422–1461, 1470–1471) and during the Wars of the Roses (1455–1487). The story begins with the Tunstall Moat House alarm
Church of St Dubricius, Porlock in a storm of 1703. Further restoration was undertaken between 1888 and 1891. Within the church is the very fine late 15th century alabaster tomb of John Harington, 4th Baron Harington (1384–1418) who fought alongside Henry V in France in 1417, and his first wife Elizabeth Courtenay (died 1471), daughter of Edward de Courtenay, 3rd Earl of Devon (died 1419). Elizabeth survived her first husband and married secondly William Bonville, 1st Baron Bonville (died 1461). The style of armour worn by Baron Harington is of the period c.1470, as was worn in the time of his widow's death, and is