East Markham
St John the Baptist

Monuments and Memorials

Chancel

Standing by the north wall of the chancel is the alabaster chest tomb of Sir John Markham who died in 1409. It is decorated around the sides with plain shields in roundels and the effigy is missing from the top. The inscription around the top reads:

ORATE PRO ANIMA JOHANNI MARKHAM JUSTICIARII. QUI OBIIT
IN FESTO SANTI SILVESTRI [PAPAE] ANNO DNI. MILLIA CCCC
NONO CUJUS ANIMA PROPICIETUR DEUS. AMEN.
Markham chest tomb Chest tomb lid Graffito from 1647 Graffito of the Nine Men's
Morris board game		 Graffito of coffin
containing a corpse

There are a number of floor slabs in the chancel to members of the Williamson and Kirke families.

Faith Williamson (1622):

HERE LIETH THE BODY
OF FAITH THE WIFE OF ROBERT WILLIAMSON ESQR
[...] DAUGHTER
TO SIR EDWARD AYSCOUGH OF SOUTH KELSEY IN THE
COVNTY OF LINCOLN
KNIGHT WHO DYED
THE FIRST OF APRIL
ANNO DMI 1622

In the centre of the slab is a small brass plaque with the following inscription:

THE INSCRIPTION ON THIS AND ON THE THREE OTHER
MONUMENTAL SLABS TO MEMBERS OF THE
WILLIAMSON FAMILY IN THIS CHANCEL HAVING BECOME
PARTLY EFFACED WERE RE-CUT AT THE CHARGE OF
SIR HEDWORTH WILLIAMSON BART THE LINEAL DESCENDANT OF
THE ABOVE NAMED FAITH WILLIAMSON JUNE AD.1894.

Sir Robert Williamson (1632):

HERE LIETH THE BODY OF ROBERT WILLIAMSON OF GREAT MARK
HAM ESQVIER WHO
DYED THE 28 DAY OF IANVAR AN DNI 1632

Sir Edward Williamson (1639):

HERE LIETH THE
BODY OF EDWARD WILLIAMSON SECOND
SON OF SIR
THOMAS WILLIAMSON KNIGHT AND
BARRONETT
WHO DYED THE
22 OF NOVEMBER
1639

Sir Thomas Williamson (1657):

HERE LYETH THE BODY OF
SIR THOMAS WILLIAMSON OF GREAT MARK
HAM KNIGHT AND
BARRONETT WHO DYED THE 14. OF OCTOBER ANN DNI
1657

John Kirke who died 3 December 1710 aged 58 years:

John Kirke Gent
dyed the III Dec
MDCCX Aged
LUIII Years &
XI months

John Kirke who died 20 October 1712:

John
the Son of
John Kirke
Gent and
Elinor his
wife was born
at South
Scarle the
28 July 1710
dyed the 20
Oct 1712

John Kirke (1713):

John
Son of
John Kirke
Gent & Eliza
His wife was
Born at East
Markham
ixix Aug 1713
& dyed the 2d
Oct After

Charles Kirke (1722):

Charles Son
of Iohn Kirke
Gent and Eleanor
his wife dyed the
4th April in 1722
Aged 3 Months

John Kirke who died 8 March 1779 aged 27:

John Kirke Esqr
died the 8th day of March
1779. Aged 27 Years

Dorothy Kirke who died 18 August 1779 aged 2:

DOROTHY
the daughter of
John Kirke Esqr.
and Dorothy his
wife, was buried the
18th day of August,
1779; aged 2 Years.

Other floor slabs in the chancel include:

The Reverend William Cheales (1811):

IN
Memory of the
Revd William Cheles
M.A. 34 Years Vicer of the
Parish who died the 7th
of May 1811 in the
58th Year of his
Age

Ann Bright (1783):

Anne Bright Widow
( Second Daughter of John
and Eleanor his Wife ) died
?day of September 1783.
Sixty seven Years.

On the south wall of the chancel is a monument to Sherard Becher, vicar of East Markham for 41 years:

TO
THE MEMORY OF
THE REVEREND SHERARD BECHER, [?M.A.]
SENIOR FELLOW OF ST JOHN’S COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE
AND FOR FORTY-ONE YEARS
VICAR AND OFFICIATING MINISTER OF THIS PARISH
AND OF THE CHAPELRY OF WEST-DRAYTON;
WHO DIED FEBRUARY 28TH 1852,
IN THE 79TH YEAR OF HIS AGE

IN THIS EXCELLENT MAN,
A SOUND UNDERSTANDING,
ENRICHED WITH VARIOUS LEARNING
AND SINCERE PIETY,
CONFIRMED AND MATURED
BY DILIGENT STUDY OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES,
WERE COMBINED
WITH A CHEERFULNESS OF DISPOSITION,
A GENTLENESS OF MANNERS,
AND A KINDNESS OF HEART,
WHICH JUSTLY ENDEARED HIM TO HIS RELATIONS AND FRIENDS,
BY HIS PARISHIONERS
HE WILL LONG BE HELD IN GRATEFUL REMEMBRANCE,

AND HIS LOSS WILL BE DEEPLY LAMENTED
BY THE POOR AND UNFORTUNATE
WHOM HE WAS EVER READY TO COMFORT AND RELIEVE.

THIS TABLET IS ERECTED
BY HIS AFFECTIONATE NEPHEW
THE REVEREND JOHN DRAKE BECHER.

Affixed to the choir stalls is a memorial plaque to Stafford Hempsall:

THESE CHOIR FRONTALS
WERE PLACED HERE
BY
MR & MRS C.J. HEMPSALL
TO THE
MEMORY OF THEIR SON
STAFFORD HEMPSALL
BORN 28TH JAN 1913
ACCIDENTALLY KILLED
21ST JULY 1930

Nave

In the central aisle of the nave and at the west end are a number of floor slabs.

Four large slabs at the west end, close to the font, all indecipherable.

There are seven slabs in the central aisle of which the following details can be read:

HENRY THE SON OF
HEENRY WRIGHT
GEN[T] DEPARTED THIS
LIFE 7 OF APRIL 1689
AGED 45 YEARES
HERE LIETH THE BODY OF
ELIZABETH THE WIFE
OF THOMAS JACKSON
WHO DEPARTED THIS LIFE ...

HERE LYETH
ANNE STEAD
DOWTER OF WI
LLIAM STEAD W
[ ............]E II
DA [.................]
ANNO DOMINI
1663
AND
HERE LYETH THE
BODY OF THOM
STEAD SON OF
WILL: WHO DIE
D THE II OF
IVNE 63

Will Dunston

Gent Dyed
feb ye 25
1703
Aged ...

  Ann his
Wife Ducc??
...

HERE
lieth the Body of
Elisabeth the daughter
of William and Elisabeth
Redish who ...

South aisle

In the south aisle is a fine brass to Dame Millicent Meryng who died on the 27th September, 1419. The marginal inscription reads:

Hic jacet Dna Millicentia Meryng
quondam uxor Willim Meryng Militis que obiit
xxvii September
Anno Dm mcccxixo cujus aie ppicietur deus. Ameno

Bramley (1913) describes her appearance as follows:

On her head is the crespine head-dress then in fashion, and consisting in this case of an arrangement of wires with a couvrechef thrown over them. Her hair is kept in position by a wire frame. A gold chain and jewelled cross hang round her neck. Over her shoulders is a square collar turned down, and she wears a short waisted gown, while the sleeves of her kirtle appear under her long, flowing cloak. A pet dog with belled collar is shewn at her feet.

Millicent was daughter of Sir John Bekeryng, and married first Sir Nicholas Burdon, then Sir John Markham, and lastly Sir William Meryng. She was mother of John Markham, Lord Chief Justice of England.

To the south of the Meryng brass is a simple floor stone inscribed 'Winifride Bowyer'.

A statue of the Madonna and Child was erected in 1933 in memory of the Reverend A. E. Briggs. It is affixed to one of the south arcade columns and a plaque beneath it reads:

To the glory of God and in
loving & grateful memory of
Albert Edmund Briggs, Priest,
Vicar of East Markham &
Rector of West Drayton 1896-1913
this statue is erected by his
widow & parishioners 1933.
May he rest in peace and
light perpetual shine upon him.

On the south wall, near to the south door, is a plaque to Mary Dalton Holmes:

IN LOVING MEMORY OF
MARY ISABEL MANVERS
DALTON HOLMES
WHO CHERISHED THIS CHURCH
BORN 30TH SEPTEMBER 1918
DIED 5TH DECEMBER 1980.