Ossington
Holy Rood

Monuments and Memorials

The monuments are numbered from the east end (right of altar) moving round the church clockwise.

East End, South of Altar

1A War Memorial wooden cross to PTE H. Holt

2On wall above the tomb of Reynald Peckham a large marble monument with rectangular inscribed panel, shaped apron, pulvinated frieze and pair of urns with flames above two swagged obelisks with ball finials, between them cherub supporting inscribed drapery.

Lettering on curtained scroll above:

Near this Marble
Lieth the Body of GEORGE CARTWRIGHT Esq
A Lover of his Church, his Sovereign, and his Country
Whose Rights He always strenuously defended,
Whose Interests He never deserted, nor divided
He descended from a Family of great Antiquity
In this County
In which He Liv’d in Honour and Esteem.
He was the worthy Patron of this Church,
And a constant Attender on Gods Worship in it.
Those publick Characters He bore
He adorn’d with Faithfulness and Integrity.
In his private station, He was hospitable and charitable.
Courteous to all Men, injurious to none.
In his Domestick relations
He was a Tender Husband,
An Affectionate Father
And a Kind Master.
He married to Mrs. Catharine Anderson
Only Daughter of William Anderson of Dunham Esq,
An Antient Family in Lincolnshire
By whom He had three Sons, and six Daughters
Of these, William & Philip & Elizabeth are happy with their Father.
The rest, under the Conduct and Government
Of a most indulgent and careful Mother.
By her Piety this Monument is erected
In Memory of her Dearest and Deceas’d Consort.
He departed this Life the eleventh of January
A.D. 1710 Æt. Suæ. 65.

Inscription on lower part of monument beneath the apron:

Near this Marble lieth also the Body
Of Catharine widow of the above
GEORGE CARTWRIGHT Esqr.
Who died Sepbr the third
1743
Aged 78 Years.

3To the right of the altar a chest tomb with octagonal corner piers, traceried panelled sides with cusps, quatrefoils and lozenges, brass shields with Arms. Moulded top with re-cut brasses and text border, to Reynald Peckham and wife, 1551.

For the description of the brasses see TTS XVII, 1913 and see also TTS VI, 1902, 66-67:

The male figure is 62cm in length. Peckham wears his hair short, but has a beard, and his head rests on his helmet. His pauldrons are shewn with a pass guard on the right shoulder. The rest of his armour includes coutes, and small tuiles over a skirt of mail. He wears his sword on the left, and his misericorde on the right. His cuirass is protected by demi-placcates, and has the projecting tapul. Cuisses, genouillières, and jambes cover his thighs, knees and shins. On his feet are sabbatons with apparently a gusset in the instep. He is represented standing on a greyhound couchant. The lady is 58cm; she wears the Paris head-dress with a flowing veil. Her long walking gown is turned back at the neck to show the partlet, and a pomander hangs from her waist. The tight sleeves of her dress are of embroidered material. The shields on the side of the tomb are those of the Cranmer, Peckham and Burgoyn families. On the brass plate below the following is written:

‘of your charite p[ra]y for ze sowlle of Reynolde Peckh[a]m of Wroth[a]m
in the countie of Kente Esquyer whiche decessyd the XXI day of
July in the yere of o[u]r lorde god mcccccli whose sowlle god perdon.’

Round the tomb runs the following inscription taken from the Book of Job, Ch. 19, verses 25-27, but it has been broken up and improperly joined together.

‘....Ryse from the yerthe and shall be cladde a gayne wy .... and in my owne flesshe I shall se God ... whome ... my selfe shall se and myne eyes.’

(Full quotation should read ‘For I know that my Redeemer liveth and that I shall rise from the earth and shall be clad again with this skin and in my own flesh I shall see God whom I myself shall see and my eyes shall look upon and none other.’)

According to Frost (TTS IX, 1905) the whole brass, with the exception of the shield bearing the arms of Burgoyn is palimpsest. Rubbings of the reverse sides were taken before the brasses were permanently fixed and hand-mounted and framed above the tomb. The two principal figures are cut out of a large fourteenth century Flemish brass which was originally made for a lady about 1360. The inscription at the foot was made from a brass to another lady, in a mantle, originally engraved about 1440, of English workmanship. The shields and marginal inscription come from a much later English brass. In total one Flemish brass and four English appear to have been reused for Peckham’s monument.

One end of the tomb The brasses Showing the shields

4Brass plate on floor:

MARY PIERREPONT DAUGHTER
SR HENRY PIERREPONT OF HOLME PEIRRE
PONT KT IN THE COUNTIE OF NOTTINGHAM
AND WIFE TO FOULKE CARTWRIGHT OF
OSSINGTON ESQ IN THE SAME COUNTIE
DIED THE EIGTH DAY OF MARCH 1670

South Side

5Oval tablet, white marble, with drapes to side, arms above. Arms ermine semé, a fesse, 3 roundels, 2 and 1

WILLIAM CARTWRIGHT,
The eldest, and (at that Time) the only Son
Of George Cartwright Esq, & Catharine his Wife
Died ye 28 of Septr. A.D. 1704
Ætat. Suæ. 6.
(To the inexpressable Grief of his Parents)
And lies buried in this Church
Near this Place, and near his Father.

6Metal strip to Sgt W B Moyes

7Another metal strip (to the right of the previous) to 2/Lt W F E Denison

8Large wall monument, marble and slate, with obelisk shaped back panel, inscribed slab with scroll brackets and above draped urn, arms and swag.

Arms: dexter ermine semé, a fesse, 3 roundels, 2 and 1
Sinister azure a fleur de lys argent

Also arms in three small shields either side of tablet:

Arrangement:

1
  
4
2 5
3 6

1. Effaced
2. Effaced
3. Effaced Cartwright arms to dexter
4. Divided, Cartwright to dexter
5. Same arms as above the monument
6. Effaced

Sacred to the Memory
of
GEORGE CARTWRIGHT of this Place
Esqr.
who died February 1st 1752
in the 46th year of his age.
He married MARY, a daughter
of
JOHN DIGBY of MANSFIELD WOODHOUSE
Esqr
By JANE, his second wife, youngest Daughter
of Sir THOMAS WHARTON
Knight of the Bath
By her, who was also one of the Coheirs
of her Brother.
He had Issue,
KATHARINE who died young;
MARY; DOROTHY; JANE married to
Sir DIGBY LEGGARD of GANTON in the
County of YORK BARONET
& ANNE now living, HENRIETTA; who died young, & William who died
in the 14th yr of his age, April the 17th 1755
& is here interr’d.
His Daughters in Testimony
of their duty to their Father
& of affection to their Brother
erected this Monument,
MDCCLVI

9A black marble plaque with white marble inset, in memory of John Charlesworth, former incumbent of the parish:

SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF
JOHN CHARLESWORTH, A.M.
FORMERLY FELLOW OF TRINITY COLL: CAMBRIDGE
FORTY-THREE YEARS MINISTER OF THIS PARISH,
WHO DIED DECr 6TH 1821, IN THE 80TH YEAR OF HIS AGE.
PLAIN AND UNASSUMING IN HIS MANNERS,
HUMBLE IN HIS SPIRIT,
ACTIVE IN UNIVERSAL BENEVOLENCE
& FERVENT IN CHRISTIAN PIETY;
HE PASSED THROUGH A LONG & HAPPY LIFE,
AND DIED WELL FITTED (SO FAR AS MORTALS KNOW,)
TO BE RECEIVED INTO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.

The grave of John Charlesworth is in the churchyard.

10A brass plaque from the RAF.

11Brass plaque inscribed:

In Loving Memory of
KENNETH GEORGE
THOMPSON
BISHOP OF SHERWOOD
VICAR of OSSINGTON 1962 -1974

12War memorial 1914 -1919

13White marble with oak leaf swagging, hanging from rams’ heads (centauf)

In
memory of
John Denison
Esq.
Died 6 May 1820
aged 62

14Recessed Egyptian style monument with claw feet, swag, gable and acroteria. Grey marble base, white marble tomb with draped urn over. Above swagging and arms: dexter 3 unicorns 2 and 1, fesse vairy, sinister 2 lions regardant (couped).

Underneath this place lies interred,
the body of John Wilkinson Esq
of Potterton Lodge in the county of York
who died March 24th 1780 Aged 68 years.
To whose memory this Monument was
erected by his son John Denison.

T. King. FT Bath

15A wooden plaque:

THE CENTRE LIGHT OF THE
EAST WINDOW WAS ERECTED
TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND
IN MEMORY OF RICHARD
SANDERSON, SOMETIME MP FOR
COLCHESTER AND CHARLOTTE
MATILDA,
HIS WIFE, DAUGHTER
OF THE 1ST VISCOUNT CANTERBURY
BY THEIR CHILDREN 1911.

Note: There is no east window in this church!

West End

16Marble monument, moulded plinth with panelled base, iron guard rail, full size standing male figure.

William Denison Esq
died 11th April 1782 aged 68

Figure holding a sheet of Pope’s Universal Prayer (6 verses). On the base in relief is a ship unloading in Lisbon harbour; a group of men on shore have bales of merchandise, and in one corner sheep are grazing. William owed much of his considerable fortune to the arrival of one of his ships in Lisbon just after much of the city had been destroyed by an earthquake (in 1755).

17Marble monument, moulded plinth with panelled base, iron guard rail, full size standing male figure, leaning on three books.

Robert Denison Esq
died 20th March 1785 aged 65

North Side

18Oval marble and slate tablet with shouldered base carrying urn with arms: unicorn, crest a dog sechant

This marble was placed here
by John Denison of this place
In Remembrance of his brother
Robert Wilkinson Esq who died at Lisbon (Decr 24th 1789:
Aged 21 years.)
where he went for the recovery of his health and was
there interr’d at his
own request.

T King F[eci]t Bath.

19A gothic style marble war memorial tablet to W F Evelyn Denison.

20Brass plate with wooden frame.

In memory of John Lyon who died Oct 9th 1903 aged 62.
This tablet is erected
by W E Denison
in grateful recognition of 34 years
untiring devotion to the
of the family at Ossington.
They rest from their labours and their works do follow them
Rev XIV v.13

21Brass plate with wooden frame.

In memory of John Lyon who died Oct 9th 1903 aged 62.
This tablet is erected
by W E Denison
in grateful recognition of 34 years
untiring devotion to the
of the family at Ossington.
They rest from their labours and their works do follow them
Rev XIV v.13

22Oval tablet in slate

In
loving memory
of
Daniel Goedhuis
1905 - 1995, beloved husband of
Pamela
and father of Michael, Diana and
Jonathan

23Oval tablet in slate

In
loving memory
of Lilian Miles
1890 - 1972,
the devoted wife of
William Henry Miles
and beloved
mother of
Mary, Pamela and Charles Robert,
Killed in action
7 Oct 1941

24Oval tablet in slate with a polished stone border.

In
loving memory
of
William Maxwell
Evelyn Denison
1904 - 72,
beloved husband of
Pamela
and father to
Valerie Ann and
Georgina Jane

25Tablet in ornate coloured marble frame, with arch above and column either side

To the loved memory
of J. Evelyn Denison, Viscount Ossington
Speaker of the House of Commons
for 15 years.
Born Jany 27, 1800, Died March 7, 1873.
This tablet is erected
by Charlotte his wife.

Sorrow not as others who have no hope.   I Thess IV 13
There remaineth a rest to the people of God.    Heb IV 9

26Bronze tablet set in mosaic surround of red marble

Arms above in lozenge:

Lower:bend gules, cross crosslet with bottom crossed

Upper:unicorn’s head, small escutcheon above quarterly, 1 and 4 bend, antlers of stag 2 and 3, 4 crosses 2 and 2

To the memory of
Charlotte Scott, Viscountess Ossington
3rd daughter of William Henry, 4th
Duke of Portland
Born 14th Jan 1806
Married 14 July 1827 to
John Evelyn Denison,
created Viscount Ossington
Died 30th September 1889

27Cartwright tomb

Renaissance revival wall tomb, 3 stages with table base. 6 male and 6 female child figures (3 holding skulls), moulded edges and frieze with Arms. Above a pair of facing kneeling figures, William Cartwright and his wife, Grace, with helmet between them. William is clad in a suit of plate armour, Grace is wearing ruff and costume of the period. Back panel has three ionic columns, foliate frieze and panels with 2 scrolled arms. Above three Corinthian columns with projecting entablature and pediment with ball finials. Tympanum has two reclining figures with skull and hour glass. Above again oval cartouche with Arms. (Arms on front of tomb - Molyneux, Cartwright and Dabridgecourt).

Inscriptions on two panels below:

HERE RESTETH THE BODYES OF
WILLIAM CARTWRIGHT ESQUIRE LATE
LORDE OF THIS MANORE OF ASSINGTO-
AND PATRONE OF THIS CHURCH:
AND OF GRACE HIS WYFE
YOUNGEST DAUGHTER AND
COHEIR OF THOA-S DAUBRIGGECOURTE
OF LONGDON HALL IN THE
COUNTIE OF WARWICK
ESQUIRE BY WHOM HE HAD
ISSUE MARI MARIED TO THOMAS
ROCKEBY, FULKE, DOROTHYE
MARIED TO THOMAS BROME
GEORGE DISEASED
THOMAS CHRISTIAN WILLIA-
AND ELIZABETH DECEASED
WILLIA- JOHN ELIZABETH
AND HUGHE: AND DECEASED
THE LAST DAYE OF DECEMBER
IN THE YEARE OF OUR LORD
1602: HE WAS SONNE AND
HEIRE OF GEORGE CARTWRIGHT
AND OF DOROTHYE SOLE
HEIRE OF WILLIAM MOLINEAX
THE AFORESAIDE GRACE
DEPARTED THIS LIFE THE 9
DAYE OF MARCH IN THE
YEARE OF OUR LORD 1613
Note:

There is also a memorial to a member of the Denison family in the grounds of Ossington Hall. In the trees to the right of the road just beyond the park gates is a monumental well dated 1877; it is a memorial to the philanthropist Edward Denison who died tragically young at Melbourne, New South Wales, in 1870 aged only 30. It is ashlar with a concave patterned tile roof and terracotta decorative panels. It was designed by John Birnie Philip, in a classical style.

Monumental well Detail on the well