Bilsthorpe
St Margaret

Monuments and Memorials

Tower

William Chappell

In 1820 Stretton recorded the presence of only one monument in the church, standing against the north wall at the base of the tower, and this monument remains but is now on the south wall of the tower vestry. It is in the form of a lengthy Latin inscription to the memory of William Chappell, the seventeenth century Irish bishop buried beneath the floor of the church.

Non ego sed gratia Dei meum
Gulielmus Chappel
Natus Laxtoniae in Nottingham A.D. MDLXXXII.
Mansfieldia bonis literis initiatus, Collegij Christi
Cantabrigiae per 27 annus socius;Collegij S.S. Trinitatis,
Dublin Praepositus;Ecclesiae Metropolit: Cassel:
Decanus Corcagiensis & Rossensis Episcopus, &c.
Charismata, quae, (si qui alius) plurima atque eximia
a Domino Acceperat,singulari tum fide, tum
BonFelicitate, ad ejus gloriam, publicumque Ecclesiae
Commodum Administravit; Sapientiae, Justitae,
Gratiae Divinae Strenuus Assertor; Charitate in
Deum atque homines, Amicos atque Inimicos, ad Christi
Legem et Exemplum, factus nobis Exemplum & lex.
Bona Temporalia partim pro Christo, Partim
Christo Reliquit. Mundum latere ut maximè Semper
voluit, ita minimè unquam Potuit, aut poterit.
Annum agens 67, placide spiritum suum Servatori
reddidit die Pentecostes MDCXLIX, atque hic
juxta venerandam Parentem suam positus, dominum
Jesum, quo fruitur, expectat.
Fratrem habuerat natu minorem, (dum in terris
 agebat) Johannem Chappel, Theologum pariter
insignissimum, et Pulpitus natum; sed in caelos
Prae migraverat; et conduntur illius exuviae
in ecclesia de Mansfield Woodhouse.
Posuit Richardus Stern Archiepisc. Eborac:

A translation follows:

William Chappel born at Laxton in Nottinghamshire, AD 1582, initiated in learning at Mansfield, for 27 years a Fellow of Christ-College, Cambridge. Provost of the College of the holy and undivided Trinity at Dublin: Dean of the Metropolitical Church of Cashel. Bishop of Cork and Ross, etc. The excellent Graces, which (if any other did) he received in a plentiful measure from God, he administered with a singular fidelity and success, to his glory and to the public emolument of the Church. He was a strenuous assertor of justice, wisdom, and Divine Grace; by his love to God and charity to Men, as well friends as enemies, according to the Law and Example of Christ, he became to us, both an example and law. He gave up his temporal goods, partly for Christ, partly to Christ. As to be his from the world was always his greatest desire, so, he never was able to compass it, nor can he now.

In his 67th year he calmly surrendered his soul to his Saviour, on Whit Sunday, 1649. And is here deposited near his venerable mother, expecting our Lord Christ, whom he enjoys. He had a younger brother (while he lived) named John Chappel; who was also a very eminent  Divine, and born for the pulpit: But he went to Heaven before him; and his remains are buried in the church of Mansfield Woodhouse.
[Inscription] placed by Richard Sterne, Archbishop of York.

There are other monumental inscriptions on the walls of the tower vestry.

North Wall

There are four tablets on the north wall.

Henry Gordon

SACRED
TO THE MEMORY OF
HENRY GORDON A.M.
UPWARDS OF 16 YEARS
RECTOR OF THIS PARISH
WHO DEPARTED THIS LIFE
JANUARY THE 7TH A.D. 1839;
AGED 44 YEARS.
HE DIED RERSPECTED AND BELOVED

ALSO IN MEMORY OF ELEANOR MILES,
HIS NIECE, A DAUGHTER OF
WILLIAM & KATHERINE MILES,
OF KINGSWESTON IN THE COUNTY OF
GLOUCESTER.
WHO DIED ON THE 26TH OF APRIL, A.D. 1828,
AGED 19 MONTHS.

Frederick Savile Lumley

Below this is the following:

SACRED
to the Memory of
The Revd FREDERICK SAVILE LUMLEY B.A.
late Rector of this Parish,
who died, after long and patient suffering
at NICE, the 24th of June 1859,
in the 40th Year of his Age.
----- . -----
In testimony
of unfading affection for
a beloved Husband and a fond Father,
This Tablet is erected by his afflicted Widow
----- . -----
“The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away,
Blessed be the Name of the Lord”

William Werge

To the upper right:

IN MEMORY OF
WILLIAM WERGE
(THIRD SON OF THE ABOVE
EDWARDS WERGE)
LIEUTT IN H.M. 24TH REGT 
WHO DIED DECEMBER 4TH 1857
AGED 37

“BLESSED ARE THE DEAD WHICH DIE IN THE LORD”

Edwards Werge

Now below, following an earlier re-arrangement, is the following lengthy tablet:

IN MEMORY OF
EDWARDS WERGE ESQR
Formerly of Horton and Hauxley, Northumberland,
and late of Hexgreave Park near this Place.
He died Novr 22nd 1854. Aged 60.

AND OF
ELIZABETH his Wife, only Daughter of
JOHN REYNOLDS ESQR of this Place
and ELIZABETH his Wife. She died 6th April 1825. Aged 37.

AND OF THREE OF THEIR CHILDREN, vidt
ELEANOR, who died Novr 25th 1829, Aged 11 Years
EDWARDS, who died Decr 29th 1829, Aged 14 Years
MARGARET, who died Feby 6th 1831, Aged 14 Years

ALSO IN MEMORY OF
The above named JOHN REYNOLDS ESQR and
of ELIZABETH his Wife, the only Daughter of WM INGALL of Maplebeck in this County ESQR.
He died June 10th 1800. Aged 46                        She died March 17th 1832, Aged 76
AND OF WM INGALL of this Place ESQR Brother of
the last named ELIZR REYNOLDS.
He died Decr 16th 1820. Aged 67.

All the above (except MARGARET WERGE, who died at Bath and
is buried in the Parish of Walcot there) are interred in Vaults
on the Eastern side of the Cemetery adjoining to this Church.

Savile Chapel

Augustus William Savile

On the eastern wall of the Savile Chapel, an ornate monument, bearing a preserved wreath carries an inscribed brass with the following inscription:

This wreath was sent by her Most Gracious Majesty
Queen Victoria
On the occasion of the Funeral at Bilsthorpe of the late
Augustus William Savile Esqre
Of Rufford Abbey, Ollerton, Notts.
her Majesty’s Assistant Master of Ceremonies
who died at Cannes aged 58
on the 13th of April 1887.

Henry Savile

Tomb in the Savile Chapel
in February 1984
Inscription to Amy Savile

Captain Henry Savile died in August 1881 and his tomb, made of Mansfield stone, was placed in the Savile Chapel. It remained there until 1984 when it was removed to the churchyard.

A brass strip along the north side of the tomb lid read:

In Memory of Henry Savile of Rufford Abbey who died 28th August 1881 aged 61 years

An ornate brass plate on the north side of the tomb read:

Also in affectionate remembrance of Amy the
beloved Wife of Henry Savile Esq of Rufford Abbey
who entered into rest Nov 21 1878. Jesu Mercy.

Nave Floor

In the central aisle of the nave, immediately in front of the chancel step, is the only known gravestone within the building. It carries a design of a crudely carved Calvary cross, but no inscription, and has been dated to the 14th century. It is not now visible, as it lies beneath a floor covering.