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Memorials in St Margaret's Church |
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Other memorials include:
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November 2003
Ancient Memorials pre 1853Note: exact details of inscriptions are not included A detailed survey may be conducted when the opportunity permits.
Francis Skeet's quote from Dallaway list of 1832
Several
inscriptions of Blaxton family
William Gratwicke of Ham 1740, age 61
Thomas Gratwicke of Ham 1744, age 54
Jemima wife of William Gratwicke
Esq of Ham 1786, age 36
Frances wife of William Kinleside MA Rector 1798,
age 26
John Woodham Vicar of Rustington 1755 age 64
James Croker MA
Rector 1766 age 60
WSRO Document Par 6/4/1
1852 Notes on sheet re old church
pews etc just before rebuilding 1852. Crabbed note at bottom of sheet:
'Tablets and Murals'
North wall of Nave - Mr George
Baker 1818
North wall of Chancel - Mrs & Mr George Cortis 1840
Six in the Gratwicke Chapel :
South wall - Rev Day &
Mrs Day 1768 & 1772
South wall - Mrs Ann Palmer 1769
South wall - Mr John Edmunds 1795
West wall - Wm &
Mary Johnson 1799 & 1804
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On Floor
Henry
Alfred Usborne 1839
Alice Blaxton 1638
Eden Baker (Brass) of Ecclesden
1598
Church Guide c1960
Early memorials listed in Guide to the
Church of St Margaret Angmering, WH Godfrey.
Nave floor adjoining chancel step
Eden Baker 1598
Gratwicke Chapel East wall
Humphrey Gratwicke 1757 and others
of family [floor slabs below]
Philadelphia Jupp 1822
Jukes H Kinleside
1803
Jane Croker 1821
[William GK Gratwicke 1862]
Rev William
Kinleside 1836
Gratwicke Chapel Floor
Rev William Kinleside 1836
Humphrey Gratwicke 1757
William Gratwicke 1821
Jane Croker 1821
Philadelphia Jupp 1821
Jukes H Kinleside 1803
Tower North wall
George Cortis 1840
William Johnson 1799
John Edmunds 1795
Tower South wall
George Baker 1818
Ann Palmer 1769
Rev John Day 1761
External - Tower west door
Rev John Woodham 1755
Samuel
Akerman 1813
Interpretation of Lists
(Purpose: To reconstruct layout of
memorials before 1853)
It is evident that the two old lists need to be related together in order to determine the memorials that actually existed in the Old Church. One survey missed external and Gratwicke floor ledgers. The other concentrated on the Gratwicke family.
External tablets in West wall of Tower each side of door.
Rev
John Woodham 1755
Samuel Akerman 1813
Chancel North wall
Mrs & Mr George Cortis 1840
Nave North wall
Mr George Baker 1818
Nave floor
Henry Alfred Usborne 1839
Alice Blaxton 1638
Eden Baker (Brass) of Ecclesden 1598
Chapel South wall
Rev Day & Mrs Day 1768 & 1772
Mrs Ann Palmer 1769
Mr John Edmunds 1795
Chapel West wall
Wm & Mary Johnson 1799 & 1804
Chapel East wall
Rev William Kinleside 1836
Humphrey
Gratwicke 1757
William Gratwicke 1821
Jane Croker 1821
Philadelphia
Jupp 1821
Jukes H Kinleside 1803
Chapel Floor
Rev William Kinleside 1836
Humphrey Gratwicke
1757
William Gratwicke 1821
Jane Croker 1821
Philadelphia Jupp 1821
Jukes H Kinleside 1803
It can only be assumed this is a full list. If both surveys in 1832 and 1852 omitted a floor slab or other memorial there is probably no way this can be discovered.
The 2008 archaeological investigation of parts of the church being excavated has revealed the Usborne vault intact, and certain ledger stones very much decayed not listed in 1832 or 1852. It has to be assumed they were tiled over or too eroded to read by that time.
If an earlier date were selected, in the 18th century for instance, many memorials would not yet have been installed but many others, in the Palmer chapel for instance, would be included. But there are no lists of these surviving so far as this author is aware.
June 2008
Moving Memorials !An article by RW Standing
There can be few people in Angmering unaware that something is up at Angmering Church. 2008 is almost another 1852 or 1450, with vast rebuilding causing tremors even amongst those who do no go to church. Memorials that nobody knew we had are being found, and others that are well known are being moved - if only a few in the Gratwicke Chapel, and merely to an adjacent wall.
In 1852, with virtually the whole church rebuilt above foundation level, the opportunity was provided for a complete reordering of memorials that were to be kept. Consider present arrangements. There is not a single ancient monument or tablet in the nave, aisles, or chancel, apart from a safely hidden brass on the floor of the nave in front of the chancel step, to Eden Baker 1598. As may be expected all those who are commemorated in the Gratwicke Chapel are of that family, and related Jupp & Kinleside clan. All of the wall monuments appear to be purpose made in 1852. Whether there are genuine 18th century slabs on the floor is a matter for more investigation.
If epitaphs to other old village people are to be seen, a trip up into the tower is required. George Cortis 1840, George Baker 1818, Wm Johnson 1804, John Edmunds 1795, Rev Day 1772, and Ann Palmer 1769. But such people did not just have expensive marble and stone carved and inscribed in order for it to be seen only by the occasional bell ringer. The truth is perhaps told by a list of monuments in the old church, drawn up shortly before its rebuilding. Apart from a few on the nave floor, including the Usborne boy, and Baker brass, all of those now in the tower were distributed throughout the church including the chapel.
On Floor
Henry Alfred Usborne 1839
Alice Blaxton 1638
Eden Baker (Brass) of Ecclesden 1598'
North wall of Nave - Mr George Baker 1818
North wall of Chancel -
Mrs & Mr George Cortis 1840
There is still the Cortis vault below the chancel although said to be filled in, perhaps in 1852, and it would seem likely this was an ancient vault taken over by Cortis. The Henry Usborne grave, son of the rector, has been found intact and a decision on the final resting place of the coffin is pending.
Six in the Gratwicke Chapel :
South wall - Rev Day
& Mrs Day 1768 & 1772
South wall - Mrs Ann Palmer 1769
South wall - Mr John Edmunds 1795
West wall - Wm &
Mary Johnson 1799 & 1804
Those in the Gratwicke Chapel are represented by four monuments in fact, with wives' epitaphs included with their husbands.
These wall monuments do not indicate burial in the church, in all cases - George Baker is presumably in the family vault outside, and there are Palmer altar tombs south of the church. No mention is made of any Gratwicke memorials, and at best there were half a dozen set in the floor to that family, as there is today. Although why these were not listed is a large question. As already suggested in another article, the chapel was taken over by Gratwicke rather than being his by right. It was built, so far as can be judged, before the family came to prominence. When a grateful parish had their church rebuilt by munificent gift of WGK Gratwicke [Kinleside] all of these village memorials were moved out of sight.
As observed, the Johnson tablet is in the tower. It has an interesting inscription beginning with the words. 'Beneath in a vault lies interred the body of William Johnson.' A vault below the tower is not likely - this vault was in the Gratwicke chapel. Is the body of Johnson and his wife still there? He was the owner and shopkeeper at Saddlers in the High Street rather than the usual landowner.
There is another list of 1832, quoted by Francis Skeet, and this is in complete contrast, although by not providing locations it loses some of its value. It concentrates on Gratwicke memorials missed by the later list, and these were no doubt in the floor of the chapel. Put the two together and it may be deduced that the Grarwicke family acquired use of a vault, but had far from exclusive use of the chapel.
The other great change and loss to the church, was the ruination of the Palmer chapel on the north side of the chancel in the late 18th century. Memorials there to the New Place family who owned much of Angmering were reputedly transferred to Michegrove, before that mansion was demolished by the Duke of Norfolk.
June 2008
Last updated: 24 June 2008