For this church:

Introduction

Location

History

Archaeology

Fittings

Glass

Organ

Bells

Clock

Stonework

Monuments

War Memorial

Churchyard

References

Pictures

Plans

Listing Description

List of Incumbents

Parish page

West Bridgford
St Giles

Monuments and Memorials

This list of monuments and memorials starts in the south chapel (the ancient chancel) and follows a clockwise route around the church.

South Chapel

Catherine Waters and Others

There is a plaque on the north wall of the chapel arising from the extension of the church in 1898:

Near here are the remains of Catherine Waters – widow of the late Rev W. T. Waters Died Feb 6th 1867 aged 87 years. Marianne Fothergill died   Sep 6th   1868   aged   82   years John William Bocock '   July 5th   1869   '   14   months Christopher Bocock '   Nov 21st   1871   '   5   years Francis Hallam '   Feb 18th   1872   '   51   years Charles Featherstone Morris '   June 25th   1875   '   10   weeks John Richard '   Mar 4th   1877   '   10   months Sarah Hallam '   July 16th   1886   '   71   years William Derry '   Dec 7th   1886   '   44   years Charles Heard Chasty '   Aug 24th   1886   '   71   years Edgar Morris '   June 27th   1889   '   20   months Jane Melbourne '   Oct 31st   1890   '   68   years Eliza Smith '   Mar 8th   1890   '   43   years Caroline Morris '   Jan 9th   1890   '   46   years Annie Maria Gladish '   Mar 26th   1891   '   26   years Clara Sleath '   Sep 16th   1891   '   35   years Arthur Cook '   Nov 4th   1891   '   20   months Selina Amelia Muir '   Jan 18th   1892   '   39   years William Dent '   May 4th   1892   '   86   years John Lewin Crawmour '   April 1st   1892   '   4   months Sarah Mills Jones '   Jan 8th   1895   '   43   years

Simmons

A wall plaque on the north wall records that:

TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN MEMORY OF TOM & EMILY SIMMONS, AND THEIR DAUGHTER MARY THIS SOUTH CHAPEL WAS RESTORED A.D. 1934.

Partington

The screen on the north side of the chapel records that:

Hargreaves

On the south wall is a plaque, which was granted a faculty in 1956:

+ IN LOVING MEMORY OF RICHARD HARGREAVES RECTOR OF THIS PARISH 1904- 1930 HE DIED 15 JUNE 1955 in HIS 85TH YEAR & IS BURIED IN THE CHURCHYARD +

Elliott

On the south wall is a plaque:

THE WROUGHT IRON GATES LEADING FROM STRATFORD ROAD WERE PROVIDED IN MEMORY OF GRACE MARY ELLIOTT BELOVED ST GILES MOTHERS' UNION ENROLLING MEMBER 1941 – 1961 WHO DIED NOVEMBER 21ST 1962

Alexander Linning

On the south wall is a plaque:

IN LOVING MEMORY OF THE REVEREND ALEXANDER LINNING 1919 – 1993 WHO SERVED IN THIS PARISH 1962 – 1993 THE LORD SHALL BE UNTO THEE AN EVERLASTING LIGHT AND THY GOD THY GLORY ISAIAH 60v19

South Aisle

David Shelton

A slate memorial on the north wall to the south aisle has outline engravings of two miners’ safety lamps and reads:

IN LOVING MEMORY OF DAVID SHELTON 1962 – 1993 A MEMBER OF THIS CHURCH WHO DIED IN THE BILSTHORPE COLLIERY DISASTER 18 AUGUST 1993 HE LAID DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS

Below it, a small plaque adds:

In fact, David Shelton was awarded the George Medal rather than the George Cross. He was under-manager at the mine when the tragedy occurred: 'On the 18th August 1993 three men were killed and three were trapped by an extensive underground roof fall. The disaster occurred in a tunnel which was being driven 640 metres underground. In a matter of seconds the roof collapsed over a length of some 46 metres in one large block 14 metres high and some 8,000-9,000 tonnes in weight. There was no certainty at the time that this would be the limit of the fall, and further falls could have been expected. Mr. Shelton was working directly beneath the area of roof that fell. Initially the roof dropped by over half a metre accompanied by the loud noise of splitting shoring timbers. Miners who were working with him and had seen the roof drop, started to run outwards towards the mine shaft to safety. As they did so one grabbed Mr. Shelton to drag him with them. He chose however not to escape, and remained under the dropped roof to warn other miners who were working in the tunnel at the coal face. He would have been well aware that at any moment the roof could collapse completely. He was seen to shine his miners lamp towards them to give a recognised warning signal, and was pointing at the roof. Very shortly afterwards the roof fell in, completely burying him.'

Ringing Chamber 

On the south wall are two monuments, which Godfrey noted as being on the north wall of the nave of the old church and, before that, had been in the old chancel. Thus they were presumably moved to the tower during the church extension. The initials M.G. refer to the wife (whose maiden name was Millicent Guy) of the late Captain Andrew Gideon Fisher, formerly of the Honourable East India Company Bombay Artillery. Robert James Fisher was their son.

Millicent Stokes

Underneath Lie the Remains of MILLICENT STOKES Youngest Daughter of the late Revd John Stokes A.M. Rector of this Parish Ob. Novr 5th 1806 Aet 67 In affectionate Regard to her Memory This Monument is erected By her adopted Daugfhter M.G.

(The A.M. after Stokes' name is presumably a misprint for M.A.)

Robert James Fisher

This Tablet is dedicated by his afflicted Parents to the Memory of their beloved Child ROBERT JAMES only Son of Capt. A.G. FISHER,  (late of the H.E.I.C. Bombay Artillery), and MILLICENT his Wife: born Jany 24th 1812, died Octr 4th 1815: and is interred underneath Suffer little Children to come unto me and forbid them not, for of such is the Kingdom of GOD.

Tower

Hawerthorpe ?

On the floor of the tower, by the door to the ringing chamber, is a grave cover that was in the ancient chancel until it was moved in 1871. It shows that there was once a brass memorial of a kneeling figure, under which was a rectangular inscription.

It appears to represent a priest in academic dress, with the hood of a university degree at the back. It is speculated that this may be a memorial to a past rector, Thomas de Hawerthorpe, who was instituted in 1369. The rector expressed the wish in his will to be buried in the chancel.

Wragby

Another grave cover, moved from the ancient chancel, is to be found in the north-west corner of the tower and is partly obscured by a safe. It commemorates William Wragby, who was instituted rector in 1437.

See the Archaeology section for further information.

Tower Walls

Ross

On the west face of the pillar on the north side of the tower is a plaque:

THE OAK PANELS ON THE RINGERS' GALLERY WERE GIVEN IN MEMORY OF WILLIAM HILTON ROSS A DEVOTED CHURCHWARDEN FOR FOURTEEN YEARS  1941 - 1955

The Haven

Biddle

The room known as The Haven was formed from what was previously known as the Biddle Lounge.

Entrance to George Chapel

Laws

The northern pillar at the entrance to the George Chapel, near to where the organ was once housed, has a plaque:

George Chapel 

Newbold

The present day kitchen in the George Chapel used to house the organ. Underneath the serving hatch is a panel with a shield for St Giles and another with three blackbirds, the letters ONCC and 'Lauda Finem' (praise to the end):

TO THE MEMORY OF DUDLEY NEWBALL ORGANIST OF THIS CHURCH 1924 – 1941

Stone Man

The stone man

Detail of the effigy

Effigy by the road, c.1890

The stone man was discovered when excavating a pond in West Bridgford at the beginning of the nineteenth century. The effigy was placed beside a pond near the junction of the Melton and Loughborough roads. Since then it has inspired much speculation as to its origin and even a 29 page poem.

The effigy was brought into the churchyard in 1893 and in 1907 placed in its current position under a fourteenth century arch on the north wall of the George Chapel. The tradition is that the effigy originally came from St Giles' and represents a member of the Lutterell family as founders of the church.

Nave

Cleaver

The pew rail at the front of the nave on the north side records the replacement of the wooden chairs, used since the extension of the church, with upholstered chairs: