Ratcliffe on Soar
Holy Trinity

Monuments and Memorials

Sacheverall Family Monuments

A feature that catches the visitor’s eye in the church is undoubtedly the fine set of alabaster effigies on the altar tombs commemorating the four successors of the Sacheverall family who were Lords of the Manor in the early 16th century to the middle of the 17th century.

Ralph Sacheverell (died 1539) and his wives, Cecily and Anna

The oldest and finest of the tombs stands under the canopy in the wall of the north aisle and commemorates Ralph (Randolfus) Sacheverall who died in 1539. He is shown in full plate armour with his first wife Cecily. Round his shoulders is the SS collar marking a follower of the house of Lancaster during the civil wars of the 15th century but from which hangs a double Tudor rose symbolizing the union of York and Lancaster in the Tudor dynasty. He later married Anna but her date of death was never added to the inscription.

The inscription reads:

Hic jacent Rad’us Sacheverell Armiger nup Dñs de Ratcliff s : Sore, et Cecilia, et Anna uxores ejus: quiquide Rad’us obiit xiiii die me’sis Augusti Ao dni Mocccccxxxix et p’dicta Cecilia obiit xxvii die me’sis Junii, A. dni Mocccccxxviii. & p’dicta Anna migravit ab hoc saeculo—Quoru’ animabus propitietur deus. Amen.

Henry Sacheverell (died 1558) and his wife Lucy

In the chancel, parallel to the tomb of Randolfus, is that of his son Henry who died in 1558. Like his father, he is clad in full plate armour though lighter and less elegant. His first wife Lucy lies in a heavy cloak and her dress is not arranged in folds but stands stiffly out from her feet indicating the approaching fashion of wearing a farthingale, so much affected by ladies of Elizabethan times. The tomb chest is decorated with sixteen plain shields carried by children, and probably merely decorative weepers.

The inscription reads:

Here lieth the bodyes of Henrie Sacheverell, esquire, and lucie, his wyf, daughter and heyre of John Pole, esquire; which henrie died the xxixth day of July, Anno dni 1558. and lucie died the xth day of ffebruarie 1554. upon whose Souls God have mercie.

Henry Sacheverell (died 1580) and his wife Jane

Also in the chancel is the tomb of the second Henry who died in 1580. He is clad in half armour; his head rests on a heavy helmet; crested and mantled as are his father and grandfather. His wife Jane, daughter of Germain Ireton, lies on a heavy cloak and wears a voluminous gown, the small ruff collar of her mother-in-law has now swelled out into a full Elizabethan ruff standing out three or four inches round her chin. The tomb stands on a brick plinth and is the same size as that of the first Henry who died in 1625 leaving £30 for a tomb to his father and mother and £40 for his own monument. The tomb chest bears the images of three young men and three young women - the sons and daughters of the family.

The inscription reads:

HERE LIE THE BODIES OF
HENRIE SACHEVERELL ESQR
& IANE HIS WIFE DAVGHTER
TO GERMAN IRTON, OF IR
TON, IN THE COVNTY OF
DARBY, ESQ BY WHOM HE
HAD ISSVE 3 SONNS & 3 DAVGHRS
GERVAS HENRY & FRANCIS
ELEANOR IANE AND MARIE
WHICH HENRY DIED THE
 ___OF ____

The date of death (1580) was never added to the inscription.

Henry Sacheverell (died 1625) and his three wives, Mary, Elizabeth and Lucy

The tomb of the last Henry shows an effigy little different from that of his father. He alone occupies the tomb chest, which also shows two babies in swaddling clothes and his daughter. Above the tomb a flamboyant canopy frames his three wives, kneeling at small prayer desks, one behind the other. The sculptors’ attention to detail is here better displayed than on any of the other tombs. Here an attempt has been made to show each lady dressed as she would have been in her prime years during the reign of the first Stuart king.

Henry’s heir and one daughter died young. His surviving daughter, Eleanor, married Roger Columbell. Henry did not approve this match though the Columbells seem to have been an old family and as financially secure as this junior branch of the Sacheverall family. Henry bequeathed the manor of Ratcliffe to a nephew, Sir Thomas Hutchinson, the son of his sister Jane who was married to Thomas Hutchinson of Cropwell. Sir Thomas, having taken pity of Eleanor gave her half of the estate. The remaining half passed to Colonel John Hutchinson on the death of his father in 1643. John made the acquaintance of Lady Ann Somerset, who was in poor circumstances due to her catholic religion and unable to raise money from her land. John agreed to purchase her lands at Lowesby and needed to raise funds in a hurry, he did so by renting his portion to relative, John Ireton, the brother of Henry Ireton (Oliver Cromwell’s brother in law).

The inscription runs across two panels and reads:

HERE LIETH THE BODIE
OF HENRIE SACHEVE
RELL ESQVIER WHO MA
RIED 3 WIVES MARIE DAV
GHTER OF ROBERT GITTIN
IN YE COVNTY OF KENT: ESQR
BY WHÕ HE HAD ISSVE ONE
SONN & 2 DAVGHS SHE DIED
YE 27TH OF OCTOBER 1600
HIS SECOND WIFE WAS ELIZATH
 

DAVGHTER TO WILLIÃ COP
LEAY OF SPRATBOROWE IN
YE COVNTY OF YORKE ESQR
WHO DIED YE 13TH OF MAIE
1616. HIS THIRD WIFE WAS
LVCIE DAVGHT TO WILLIÃ
BOVGHTON OF LAWFORD
IN YE COVTY OF WARWICK
ESQR WHICH HENRIE
DIED YE 17TH OF IANVARIE
ANO: DNĨ: 1625

The Sacheverall family supported Parliament in the Civil War. John Hutchinson also was a Parliamentarian and prominent military man defending Nottingham and the Castle against the armies of Charles 1st. He was one of the signatories who signed the Kings death warrant. John died imprisoned at Sandown Castle in 1664. The Sacheveralls were related to the Ireton’s of Attenborough (see above) and were the ancestors of the Sitwell family, one of Britain’s most prolific groups of authors. Sacheverall Sitwell received the family name.

The Sacheverall families are the ancestors of the Sitwells who have fame from their literary merits also being a renowned family for great influence and fortune. Henry Sacheverall married Jane Ireton of Henry Ireton fame; their daughter, Jane married Thomas Hutchinson of Cropwell. He inherited the Manor on the death of Henry Sacheverall in 1624. Their grandson was Colonel Sir John Hutchinson of Owthorpe. Famous for his stand against the Royalists at Nottingham during the civil war, he was a signatory to the death warrant of Charles 1. The Hutchinsons relinquished the manor at the restoration of the monarchy. John died in prison at Sandown castle in 1664.

The tombs were restored to their present condition in 1973 through a generous donation from the Pilgrim Trust. They were dismantled, cleaned and reassembled incorporating a waterproof membrane in the tomb chest. They are among the best examples of this characteristic Nottinghamshire craft.

Floor Slabs

A number of alabaster floor slabs dating from the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries adorn the church; many are largely undecipherable. Several incised slabs, however, have been identified:

Isabella, the wife of John Babington (1485)

Isabella was the only daughter of Henry Bradburne, of Bradburne and the Hough, in Ashbourne and married Sir John Babington, of Dethick and Kingston who was killed at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485.

Thoroton (1677) recorded the inscription as it appeared in the late 17th century:

Hic jacet Isabella quondam uxor Johannis Babington de Dethik, Ar. ac Domini de Kinston, quae obiit 18 Mar. Anno Dom. 1486.

Elizabeth, the wife of Anthony Babington (1505)

Elizabeth died 28 November 1505. She was daughter and co-heir of John Ormonde of Alfreton and was the first wife of Sir Anthony Babington of Kingston-on-Soar. Godfrey (1887) notes that 'she was not (as stated in the inscription) an heir of, or at all descended from, Robert Lathome, who married one heir of Alfreton, her ancestor marrying the other.'

Thoroton (1677) provides the text of the inscription as it appeared in the late 17th century:

Hic jacet Elizabetha uxor Anthonii Babington Ar, filia & una haeredum Johannae Ormonde filiae & haeredis Willielmi Chaworth Militis, ac unius Consanguinearum & haeredum Roberti Lathome, . . . Caltoft, Johannis Bret, Thomae Aylesbury, Thomae Keynes Militum, ac Rad. Basset & Johann s Engaines, Baronum ; quae Elizabetha ob. 28 Nov. Anno 1505.

John Prescott (1497)

Prescott was rector of Ratcliffe on Soar from 1478 to his death in 1497.

Sir Thomas Finderne and his wife Elizabeth (1574)

Detail

Elizabeth was a daughter of Ralph Sacheverall; she died in 1574.

Thoroton (1677) has recorded the inscription as it appeared in the late 17th century:

Hic jacet Thom. Fyndern, Ar. & Eliz. uxor ejus, filia Rad. Sacheverell Ar. qui Tho. ob. 24 Sept. anno dom . . . & Eliz. ob . . . 1574.

Hector Ridyng (1509)

Ridyng was rector of Ratcliffe on Soar from 1497 to his death in 1509.

Jacob Eadmunson (1519)

According to Thoroton (1677) the inscription read:

Hic jacet Jacobus Eadmunson, filius Edwardi Eadmunson, qui Jacobus ob. 27 Dec. 1519.

 

Jacob Damport (1458)

Thoroton (1677) provides the inscription:

Hic jacet Jacobus Damport filius Domini Tho. Damport Militis, qui obiit 15 die Aprillis, Anno Dom. 1458.

Other incised slabs

Detail of incised slab
of unknown man
and woman (c.1480)

In addition to the incised slabs listed above, there are several badly damaged and worn slabs to people who can no longer be identified.

Other Family Monuments

Floor slabs in the nave to
members of the Smith and
Hickinbotham families		 Floor stones at the
west end of
the south aisle

By the early 19th century most of the principal farming families of the parish had their graves in the church. The Hickinbothams and the Bosworths owned the two largest farms and have their grave stones set in the floor.

Sarah Higginbotham and her sister Mary Smith in 1859 bequeathed money for the relief of the village poor, which became known as the Smith-Hickinbotham Trust. A memorial to this is on the south wall of the chancel.

Hickinbotham

Mural Monuments

On the south aisle wall:

Near
this place
are interred the remains of
William Hichinbotham,
who died June 19th 1785,
Aged 51 Years.

And of Frances, his wife,
who died March 18th 1819,
Aged 77 Years.

Sarah,
their eldest daughter,
who died November 3rd 1778,
in the 4th year of her age.

William,
their eldest son,
who died December 3rd 1811,
Aged 40 Years.

And John, their youngest son,
who died January, 15th 1837,
Aged 52 Years.

At the west end of the south chancel wall:

In
memory of
Thomas Hichinbotham,
of Lutterworth,
in the County of Leicester,
second son of
William and Frances Hickinbotham,
of this parish,
who died November 13th 1822,
Aged 49 Years

Also of Sarah, youngest daughter
of the above named
William and Frances Hickinbotham,
who died December 10th 1853.
Aged 71 Years.

And of
Mary Smith,
their second daughter,
and last survivor of the family,
who died May 25th 1859,
Aged 81 Years.

MARY SMITH, AND SARAH HICKINBOTHAM,
EACH BEQUEATHED THE SUM OF TWO HUNDRED
POUNDS TO BE INVESTED IN THE PUBLIC FUNDS,
IN THE NAMES OF THE VICAR AND TWO SUBSTANTIAL
PARISHIONERS OF RATCLIFFE UPON SOAR ; THE INTEREST
THEREOF TO BE EXPENDED IN CLOTHING, AND DISTRIBUTED
ON EVERY CHRISTMAS EVE, BY THE MINISTER AND
CHURCHWARDENS, TO SUCH POOR INHABITANTS OF
THE PARISH (WHETHER LEGALLY SETTLED THERE OR
NOT AS THEY SHALL THINK PROPER.
Floor slabs

Sacred
TO the Memory of
FRANCES, Relict of the late
Willm Hickinbotham
Who departed
this transitory Life
on the 18th day of March
1819
Aged 77 Years.
SACRED
to the Memory of
JOHN HICKINBOTHAM,
youngest Son of
Willm Hickinbotham
by FRANCES his Wife.
He departed this Life
the 15th day of January
MDCCCXXXVII,
Aged 52 Years.

SACRED
TO THE MEMORY OF
Sarah Hickingbotham,
Youngest Daughter of
WILLIAM & FRANCES HICKINGBOTHAM,
Who Departed this Life
THE 10TH DAY OF DECR
1852
Aged 71 Years.
Dedicated
To the Memory of
Sarah Hickinbotham, Relict of
Thomas Hickinbotham
and Daughter of
Patrick and Mary Cork
of ASTON upon Trent
in DERBYSHIRE;
She was an affectionate faithful
Wife, a tender Mother, benevolent
Mistress and sincere Friend;
Her Patience was exercised
with variety of Afflictions
till made meet for Glory,
She surrendered her Soul into
the Hands of him who gave it
June the 1st 1787,
at the advanced Age
of 82 Years.

Here
lieth interr’d the Body of
THOMAS HICKINBOTHAM
He departed this Life,
October the 27th
MDCCLXVI
in the 60th Year of his Age.

 

janua

 

Mors

 

vita
SACRED
to the Memory of
THOMAS HICKINBOTHAM,
of Lutterworth,
in the County of Leicester:
second Son of the late
William Hickinbotham
and Frances his Wife
He departed this Life
the 13th day of November
M:DCCCXXII
Aged 19 Years.

Sacred
To the Memory of
William Hickingbotham
Who departed
this Transitory Life
the 19th Day of June
In the Year of our LORD
1785,
and the 51st Year of his Age.

A loving Husband, and a Father dear,
A faithful Friends, lies buri’d here;
My Time is spent, my Glass is run,
My Wife and Children dear, prepare to come.

SACRED
to the Memory of
WILLM HICKINBOTHAM,
eldest Son of
Willm Hickinbotham
by FRANCES his Wife,
He departed this Life
the 3d day of December
M.DCCC.XI.
Aged 40 Years.

HERE
Lieth the Body of
SARAH the Daughter of
WILLM HICKINBOTHAM
by FRANCES his Wife
Who departed this Life
the 28th of Novr 1778
In the 4th Year of her Age.

MARY SMITH,

SECOND DAUGHTER OF

WILLIAM AND

FRANCES HICKINBOTHAM,

DIED MAY 25, 1859,

AGED 81 YEARS.

Bosworth

Floor slabs to members of the Bosworth family are in the centre section of the south aisle.

Sacred
TO the Memory of
ANN BOSWORTH
Widow of
Thomas Bosworth
she yielded up her Soul to God
July 15th 1814
Aged 68
Thy dead men shall live and with
my dead body shall they arise
Awake and sing ye that dwell in
dust for the earth shall cast out
her dead. Isaiah XXVI. C. 19th Ver.
… the Body of
[JOHN] … Son of
[Thomas]as Bosworth
[and AN]N his Wife
[dep]arted this Life
... th of Decr 1778
... h Year of his Age

… Infant sleeping lies
…th it’s Ashes lent
gain mere glorious rise
…. Innocence
… changed trump shall blow
… to Bodies join,
… will with their lives below
… as short as thine.

Beneath
[t]he mortal Part of
[MA]RY BOSWORTH
[younge]st Daughter of
[Thomas] Bosworth
[and] ANN his Wife
…th meekness and patience
…all sublunary enjoyments
…[Janua]ry the 18th 1797 in
[the 20]th Year of her Age.

…e living east a serious eye
…y tomb, and learn what ‘tis to die,
…morrow’s burning sun may shine
…er death may lay your heads wth mine
…st stage I heard his dread command
… beneath his pale destroying hand
…he most robust escape the blow
…st die and things eternal know.

To
perpetuate the Memory,
and preserve the frail Dust
of MARY, Daughter of
Willm Bosworth,
by SARAH his Wife;
She left
this transient world
May the 6th 1811;
in her twelfth Year.

Life’s little stage is a small eminence,
Inch-high the grave above; that home of man
Where dwells the multitude: we gaze around
We read their monuments; we sigh & while
We sigh, we sink; and are what we deplored;
Lamenting, or lamented, all our lot!

SACRED
TO THE MEMORY OF
SARAH, WIDOW OF
WILLIAM BOSWORTH,
WHO DEPARTED THIS LIFE
JUNE THE 10TH 1831,
AGED 56 YEARS.

Sacred
To the Memory of
Thomas Bosworth
Who exchanged this Life
for a better,
April the 5th
In the Year of our LORD
1785.

Religion’s Power alone can Vict'ry bring,
O’er Death and break the mighty Conq’rors Sting.
Then look to Christ who Power has to save,
And give compleat deliv’rance from the Grave.
‘Twas thus our Friend believ’d and felt the Pow’r,
That gave him Peace at Death’s tremendous Hour;
‘Midst torturing Pain to Providence resign’d,
And hop’d thro’ Christ eternal Joys to find.
BENEATH rest in hope
all that could die of
Thomas Bosworth
youngest Son of
THOMAS BOSWORTH
by ANN his Wife;
who being freely justified by
grace, and knowing in whom he had
believed, piously resign’d every
earthly enjoyment June 10th 1800.
Aged 26 Years
This humble monumental stone we raise,
Is to the Saviour’s, not the sinner’s praise;
Sin was the whole that he could call his own,
His choicest good deriv’d from Christ alone;
To Sin, his conflicts, pains and death he ow’d,
His conq’ring faith and patience, Christ bestow’d;
Reader may’st thou obtain like precious faith,
To smile in anguish, and rejoice in death;
Precious is Christ to those who do believe,
They die to rise and when they die they live.

Beneath
lie deposited the Remains
OF
WILLIAM BOSWORTH
who exchang’d mortality
for immortality
the 7th of May 1824
Aged 54 Years.

Except a man be born again, he
cannot see the kingdom of God.

Chamberlin

Another group of floor stones in front of the west arch of the nave is of the Chamberlin family who owned Redhill Farm. John Chamberlin became the High Sheriff of Nottingham in 1789. Israel Chamberlin was unfortunate in being poisoned in 1839 by his housekeeper who instead of his medicine mistakenly gave him a lethal dose of opium. The fate of the housekeeper is currently unrecorded.

Sacred
To the Memory of
JOHN CHAMBERLIN Esqr
of Red Hill
who departed
this transitory Life
the 26th day of January
1815

Aged 74

Sacred
TO the Memory of
ISRAEL CHAMBERLIN,
fifth Son of
John Chamberlin Esq,
of Red-Hill,
by ANN his Wife:
He departed this Life
the 6th day of September
1839.
Aged 58.

Sacred
TO the Me[mory of]
ANN CHAMBERLIN
Wife of
John Chamberlin
of Red Hill :
and Daughter of THOS HOPKINS, Gent.
of Long-Eaton :
Who departed this Life
October 31st 1799:
Aged 59 Years:
Leaving
to deplore their Loss,
five Sons and one
Daughter.

HERE
lies the Body of
ANN CHAMBERLIN,
Eldest Daughter of
John & Ann Chamberlin.
She departed this Life
the 3d Day of February 1780:
in the 13th Year of her Age.

For thee blest shade, whose mem’ry I revere
The pensive Muse now drops the friendly tear
Dar’d the grim tyrant snatch thee early home
And ruddy crop thee in thy tender bloom
At the last trump thy virtuous soul shall rise
O’er borne with bliss to tread empyreal skie
There suffering virtue eas’d of nature’s grief
Is clad with joy and infinite relief.

There are also two badly worn floor slabs:

Mary Bigsby, daughter of the late John Chamberlin of Redhill and wife of John Bigsby M.D. of East Retford, died 15 October 1821 aged 53

Joseph Chamberlin, fourth son of John Chamberlin, died 16 August 1809 aged 31

In the chancel is a floor stone to Martha Chamberlin:

Here
lieth the Body of
Martha Chamberlin
Relict of MR JOSEPH CHAMBERLIN
who departed this life on
the 2d day of April A.D. 1735
Aged 77

Ann Columbell (died 1667)

The floor stone is in the north-east corner of the chancel:

HERE LYETH THE BODY OF ANN DAV[GHTER]
TO IOHN COLVMBELL OF DARLY IN THE CO[UNTY]
OF DARBY ESQR WHO DEPARTED THIS LYFE
THE EIGHT AND TWENTETH DAY OF MARCH
IN ANNO DOMMINI 1667
AETATIS SVAE ?VINDECIMO

Elizabeth Kirkland

Elizabeth Kirkland, the first schoolmistress, also made a bequest in 1923; a plaque beneath the tower commemorates this Kirkland Gift:

IN MEMORY OF
ELIZABETH KIRKLAND, WIDOW OF GEORGE KIRKLAND,
A NATIVE OF RATCLIFFE,
LATE OF SOUTH KNIGHTON, LEICESTER,
WHO DEPARTED THIS LIFE MAY 21ST 1921, AGED 90 YEARS.
SHE LEFT THE SUM OF TWO HUNDRED POUNDS
TO THE VICAR AND CHURCHWARDENS OF THIS
PARISH WITH THE REQUEST THAT THE
BENEFACTION BE KNOWN AS “KIRKLAND’S GIFT”
AND THE INTEREST ON IT DISTRIBUTED AMONG
THE AGED POOR OF THIS PARISH
ANNUALLY AT CHRISTMAS IN SUCH MANNER
AS THE VICAR AND CHURCHWARDENS
SHALL THINK FIT.
“REST IN THE LORD.”

In 2000 it was determined that these charitable bequests were no longer relevant and both were wound up, a once-only payment being made to Abbeyflelds Homes which was in keeping with the original intention gifts to the aged poor.

Edward Trowell

Gravestone of
Edward Trowell		 Transcript of
his will

In the north aisle is the seriously damaged but reassembled gravestone of Edward Trowell. This was dug up from the churchyard a few years ago and brought into the church.

He was a yeoman famer buried in the churchyard on 14th February 1663. A transcript of his will is also displayed nearby.

Frank Lee

A brass plaque commemorates Frank Lee who died in 1902. It reads:

This Brass Commemorates
A Gift Of 25£ From Mildred Lee
In Memory of her Husband Frank Lee
Who was a Native of Ratcliffe
He Died In 1902