Mansfield
St Peter and St Paul

Monuments and Memorials

Tower

A number of marble monuments are arranged around the walls of the tower.

A monument to the Birch family has the following inscription:

In
Memory of
John Birch who died
Jany the 23 : 1769
Aged 48 Years
And Sarah Birch who died
July 16 : 1775
Aged 49 Years		   In
Memory of
Frances Birch who died
May the 2d. 1759
Aged 27 Years
And Ann Birch who died
April the 27th 1761
Aged 42 Years
     
Sacred
to the Memory of ELIZ:
the Wife of Wm Birch
And Daughter of
Wm and ELIZ:
WILSON
who Departed this
Life Augst the 22d
MDCCLI
Aged 34 Years		   Sacred
To the Memory of
WILLIAM
the Son of
ROBT: & ELIZH:
BIRCH
who departed this
life Augst the 17th
MDCCLV
Aged 40 Years
     

Memorial tablet to Jane and John Acton:

Sacred
to the Memory of
Jane
the Wife of John Acton
who Died much Lamented by
her Family and Regretted by
her Friends
Decemr the 4th 1787
AGED 41 YEARS


HERE also are interred
the Remains of
JOHN ACTON
Who died June the 20th 1796
Aged 52 Years

A tablet commemorating John Dakeyne and John and Mary Gladwin:

TO PERPETUATE THE MEMORY
OF
JOHN DAKEYNE, ESQ.
WHO DIED 7TH MAY, 1781.
ALSO
OF
JOHN GLADWIN, ESQ.
WHO DIED AT BLIDWORTH
1ST FEBRUARY, 1822.
HE WAS THE SON OF
HENRY GLADWIN, ESQ.
OF STUBBING HALL, IN DERBYSHIRE,
BY MARY HIS WIFE,
WHO WAS SISTER OF THE ABOVE
JOHN DAKEYNE.

LIKEWISE
OF
MARY,
THE WIFE OF THE ABOVE
JOHN GLADWIN,
WHO DIED 2ND APRIL, 1790.

Tablet to Richard and Susanna Stenton:

Beneath this Monument,
lie the Remains of
RICHARD STENTON, Gent.
who died 16th of Novr 1798,
aged 89 years and 10 months:
also of SUSANNA his Wife,
the Daughter of WILLM DICKONS,
late of this Town,
who died 4th of Jany 1807,
aged 87 years.

Tablet to Captain John Nicholson:

Captain John Nicholson
77th Regiment
killed at the Battle of Inkermann
the 9th of November 1854
Aged 27 Years.

“Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right.”

“Leave thy Fatherless children
I will preserve them alive
And let thy Widows trust in me.”

Monument to William and Ann Leverton:

IN
Memory of
WILLIAM LEVERTON
who departed this life
July the 3rd 1808;
AGED 75 YEARS

Also ANN the Wife of
WILLIAM LEVERTON
who departed this life
March the 12th 1825;
AGED 89 YEARS.

Monument to Mrs Allen:

HERE
Lieth the Body
of Mrs Allen who
Died October
the 5th 1744
Aged 49

South Chapel

A brass plaque to the memory of John Firth is located under the window in the south wall:

AEternae memoria
Johannis Firth STB
Hujus Ecclesiae plusquam 45
annos Vicary concionatoris
praeclari assidui viri inter
primos docti eruditi qui
cum Domino diu vigilasset
Senio confectus tandem
fractus in Christo obdormavit
25 die May
anno Dni. 1699
AEtatis sua 74.

Translation: To the Eternal Memory of John Firth, B.D., of this Church for more than 45 years Vicar and Concionator (e) a man of high distinction and constant activity Second to none in learning and erudition Who after long watching for the Lord worn out with age and at last broken down fell asleep in Christ 25th May 1699 In the 74th year of his age.

Brass tablet to George Parker Allen:

IN MEMORY OF
GEORGE PARKER ALLEN
MUS.DOC.(DVNELM) F.R.C.O.
L.R.A.M. HON. R.C.M. WHO
WAS ORGANIST AND
CHOIRMASTER TO THIS
CHVRCH OF ST. PETER
AND ST. PAVL MANSFIELD
FROM
1911 TO 1957

Metal plaque to Dorothy Weddle:

January 1987
32 foot. CONTRA OPHICLEIDE
installed as a
MEMORIAL IN SOUND
commemorating the life and work of
DOROTHY WEDDLE
1899-1986
Assistant Organist of
St. Peter Church, Mansfield
1917-1982

A floor stone to Samuel Breardon (died 1834):

SACRED
[To] the Memory of
[SA]MUEL BREARDON,
Late in the 6th
Innskilling Dragoons
[He] was wounded
[At the] Battle of Waterloo,
[…] departed this Life
July 26th 1834;
AGED 35 YEARS.

A floor stone to James Stones who died in 1808:

HERE lies the Body of
JAMES STONES Esqr
late storekeeper of his
Majesty’s Ordnance
at Gibralter
& Son of Mr John Stones
died 2nd April 1808
Aged ?? Years.

A damaged grave slab depicting a priest in vestments has been erected against the east wall.

It is possibly William de Beckhampton who was a vicar of Mansfield and died in 1372.

It has been suggested that this was used as an altar during the reign of Queen Mary (1553-58).

Memorial Chapel

A slab in the south-east corner of the chapel commemorates John Law of Hartshead in West Yorkshire:

Here lyeth ye body
of Iohn Law
of Woollrow In ye parish
of Hartshead in the
County of York Ear
lear who Departed
At Mansfield this life ye
20th Day of June In the
57th year of his Age Ano Do
1712
Prepare With Speed
Do Not delay for when
Death Comes We Must
Away

Nave

There is a brass plaque to the memory of Francis Molyneux (1626-1666), son of Francis Molyneux, of Teversal. He was churchwarden with Robert Brunts, during the Commonwealth:

HIC JACET FRANCISCUS MOLYNEUX FILIUS
NATU MINOR DOMININ FRANCISCI MOLYNEUX
DE TEVERS=HALL BARONETTI
QUI IN UXOREM DUXIT GRACIAM
FILIAM PRAENOBILIS CONYERS DARCY
DOMININ DARCY
MEYNELL ET CONYERS
ET OBIIT DIE FEBRUARII SEXTO
ANNO DOMINI
MDCLXVI

North Aisle

The monument to Wendesley Blackwall is on the west wall of the north aisle:

MEMORIAE HOC
SACRUM DICAT
FILIUS
PRIMOGENITUS
T.B.

 

HEERE UNDER LIETH THE BODY OF
WENDESLEY BLACKWALL OF DETHICK
N THE COUNTY OF DERBY ESQUIRE
WHO WAS AGED ABOUT 54 YEARES
AND DIED MARCH THE 30TH BEING
PALME SUNDAY ANNO DOMINI
 1634.
WENSLAUS IACET HIC BLACKWALLUS MARMORE CLAUSUS
INCLUDIT MARMOR CORPORA, NON ANIMAS
ALTERA PARS TERRAM PETIJT, PETIT ALTERA CAELUM .
QUI VIXIT MORIENS, MORTE PERRENNIS ERIT
QUERN MORS PER QUATUOR NUNC EXPUGNAVERAT ANNOS
IS MORTEM SUBITO NUNC MORIENDO FUGAT
CONIUGE DILECTA, NUMEROSA PROLE BEATUS
CAELESTI AFFLATU, DOTIBUS, INGENII
INVIDUS HUNC DAEMON VARIE TENTAVIT  IOBUM
MENTE PREMEMS FESSUM CORPORE MOX CRUCIANS
TANDEM CUM MORBI MORTIS CUM DAEMONIS IRAM
 TRANSIERAT PATIENS VICTOR AD ASTRA REDIT.

Translation: Here lies Wendesley Blackwall, enclosed in marble; but marble incloses the body, not the soul. One part of him hath come to the earth, the other goes to heaven. He who in this life died daily, shall by death gain immortality. He whom death for these four years had assaulted, now in a moment by dying escapes from death. Blest with a beloved wife and a numerous family, with the inspiration of heaven and the dower of natural abilities—this second Job did the envious Devil tempt in divers ways, oppressing him mentally when he was weary, and sometimes torturing him in body. At length, after patiently passing through the wrath of disease, death, and the Devil, he returns victorious to the skies.

A badly damaged tablet in memory of Dr Walter Laycock:

Effare Marmor
Quales tu cineres subtus heic tenes reconditos 
Cineres Gualteri Laycock 
Haud vulgari fama medici 
Filii natu maximi Gualteri Laycock 
Nuper de Egmanton-hall, armigeri Effare 
Quantum valuit animi dotibus, 
Quantum oris suavitate; 
AEque amans omnium ac amatus omnibus 
Quntum artis suce Virtute, excoluit 
Dum apud nos virginti circiter annos medicinam 
Feliciterque adornavit 
Quantum deniq charitate 
Pauperes sublevando dum vivus medicus 
Vestiendo moribundus
Centum libris huic usui testamento dicatis 
In AEternum suae beneficientae Memoriam. 
Obiit anno aetatis suoe 50, 
Dno Anno Salutis, 1701, May, die 22.

Translation—

Tell, O Marble, What honoured ashes thou holdest buried beneath this spot. The ashes of Walter Laycock, A physician of no common reputation, Eldest son of Walter Laycock, Formerly of Egmanton Hall, Esquire. Tell How rich he was in mental endowments, How rich in pleasantness of speech, Equally a lover of all men and by all men beloved, While for about twenty years he practised and Happily adorned medicine. Lastly how rich in charity, Relieving the poor while he was a living physician, And on his death bed clothing them, Having by his will set apart a hundred pounds for this purpose (I) For an eternal memorial of his beneficence. He died in the fiftieth year of his age, On the 22nd day of May in the year of Grace, 1701.

A brass to Margaret Meymott:

MS. 
In sure and certain hope
Of a joyful resurrection unto Glory
Here rests the Ashes of Margaret
Only daughter of the Revd Mr. Ellis
Rector of Kirkby
And wife of Joseph Meymott
Late of Mansfield, Mercer. 
She was a Person of extraordinary endowment
And exemplary Goodness
Remarkable in that she departed this life 
On the same day in which her beloved 
And justly admired Sovereign Q[ueen] Ann
Of pious Memory
Changed her Earthly Crown 
For a more exceeding weight of glory
Which was Augt 1st, 1714. 
The abovementioned Joseph Meymott
A Man of indisputable Honesty
And great Integrity
Died March 17th A.D. 1717
And was bury'd in Hallifax Church
In the County of York

A brass to John Chambers and his wife, Alys, is located on the east wall of the north aisle:

HERE LYETH THE CORPS OF IOHN
CHAMBERS AND ALYS HIS WIFE,
WHO LIVED TOGETHER IN THE FEARE
OF GOD 33 YEARS AND HAD ISSUE
TOGETHER SEVEN SONNES AND SE=
=VEN DAVGHTERS, AND WHEN THEY
HAD THVS WELL RVN THEIR RACE,
IOHN DEPARTED THIS LIFE GODLI=
=LY. AND ALYS FORSAKING THIS
WORLD DID CLEAVE VNTO CHRIST,
WHO RECEIVED HIR VNTO HIS MER=
=CY THE FIRST DAY OF APRIL 1564.
GOD GRANT THEM A IOYFVLL RE=
=SVRRECTION IN CHRIST IESVS
THEIR SAVYOVR. AMEN. RESTORED 1908.

South Aisle

The Rishton tablet, now placed on the wall of the south aisle, is interesting because there is inscribed upon it a somewhat free quotation from the Bishop's Bible:

HERE LYETH FRANCIS YE WIFE OF THEOPHILUS
RISHTON OF MANSFEILD IN SHERWOOD IN YE COUNTY
OF NOTTINGHA YEOMAN DAUGHTR OF WILLIAM
READMAN OF SOUTHMUSKU IN YE SAME COUNTY
WHO DIED YE XXIX. OF DECEMBR 1629.
I KNOW THAT MY REDEEMER LIVETH & THAT I
SHALL RISE OUT OF YE EARTH IN YE LAST DAY
& SHALL BE COVERED AGAINE WITH MY SKINNE &
SHALL SEE GOD IN MY FLESH. JOB 19.
Memento mori.

In the south wall there is a segment-arched tomb recess with a male figure dating to c.1300. The effigy may commemorate a member of the Pierrepont family as there is a very similar effigy in the south aisle of Holme Pierrepont church.

The following description of the effigy was made by M. H. Bloxam in 1874:

"His head is bare, with flowing locks, his face close shave, his dress, apparently a summer habit, consists simply of a tunic or coat reaching nearly to the insteps, buttoned down the front of the breast to about the loins, with a plain belt girt about the loins, the extremity of which, adjusted under the part buckled, falls gracefully downwards. The arms rest at right angles on the breast, and the hands are upraised horizontally in prayer; the sleeves are close buttoned from the elbows to the wrists. The dress would be described in ancient documents as "tunica botonata cum manicis botonatis." The length of the tunic is three feet four inches. The feet are enclosed in boots of the usual 14th century type, pointed at the toes, and rest against a lion. On either side of the head, which reposes on a double cushion, lozenge-shaped above, square below, is an angel with expanded wings. The neck of the effigy is bare; it has neither capacium or hood or supertunic. The length of the effigy is 5ft. This effigy has long been attributed by tradition to Lady Flogan, a benefactress to Mansfield, who died Circa A.D. 1520, at least 170 years after the effigy appears to have been executed."

Brass to Jonathan Clay:

JONATHAN CLAY
de hac Villa
ATTORNATUS
obt. 16, Kal. Jul. A.D. MDCCXXIV
AEtat, 39
Vixit amicis & Viciniae Utilitali parum diu
Sibimet ipsi et Famae suae satis.

Translation: For his friends and the neighbourhood (so great was his usefulness) he lived too short a time. For himself and the acquisition of fame he lived long enough.

Brass to John Birch:

All you who read Reflect on me below
A youth who's paid the Deby all Mortalls owe
Read and reflect before it be too late
How short your Time is and how sure my Fate
That Rich and Poor the Godley and Unjust
Must once return unto their native Dust
Nor let this dull Reflection cause you Sorrow
But live for to Day as if to dye to Morrow
So shall your Mindes be ever free and Calme
And the sharpe Sting of Death become a Balme
SAMVEL BIRCH Youngest son of JOHN BIRCH Gent of this Town
A YOUTH Innocent and Inoffensive in the Actions of Life

Dear to his Relations for his filial Duty & Fraternal Affection
And beloved by others for his Good Nature & Affability
Departed this life the 24th day of May
In the 22d Year of his Age
Annoq Dom
1729

Brass to William Hollins:

In loving memory of
William Humphrey Hollins eldest son of William and
Mary Hollins. Scholar of Balliol. 2nd Lieutt 1/8th Sherwood
Foresters. Born Nov 23rd 1895. Killed in Flanders 15th June 1915.
Who shall seperate us from the love of Christ?
Neither life nor death nor things present nor things to come
shall be able to separate us from the love of GOD.
Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori

Brass to John Farrar who died 29 May 1716 aged 66:

HSE
Johannes Farrer, Pharmacopaeius
Gnarus Cautus Fidus.
Super Haec.
Vir fuit, summa Integritate :
Pietali, minim simulate
Utcunq hoc verbum accipias.
Plura non sunt opus; praeterquam
Meminto AEmulari.
Obiit 29 die Maii )Die sibi in Terris
in Coelis Lado) Ammo Dom 1716 AEtat: 66
Conjuc?? Mastifinia cum Unico Filio
tribusq Tiliebus superstitibus

South Porch

Inside the south porch are two monuments and fragments of medieval cross slabs.

A stone slab (with bronze oval disc set at the top) to William and Charles Clarke:

Sacred
to the Memory of
WILLIAM CLARKE
who died May 17 1820
Aged 74

TO
the Memory of
CHARLES CLARKE
(Son of WILLIAM AND
MARY CLARKE)
who died Feby 13th
1856.

A bronze tablet to Joshua Senior affixed to the wall of the porch. Immediately above it can be seen the outline of a circular plaque which has been removed at some point.

ALSO
To the Memory of
JOSHUA SENIOR
Who died May 18 1818
AGED 75 YEARS