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Aldworth - St Mary |
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The church is open during
normal hours. You may park in the village or near the church
although space can be tight. O/S Ref: 554 794
First rate pub in the village - The Bell: the best cask ales and ciders,
no music, no game machines, no television, no actual bar so easy
to get served, many nooks - and the best
sandwiches you've ever had. |
These effigies represent members of the
de la Beche family,
lords of the manor in the 14th century, although it is not
possible to identify them individually. The effigies are very
mutilated but are never-the-less of great interest. Six of the
effigies lie under canopies against the north and south walls -
three on either side. These canopies were over restored by
Aubin
in 1817, although Earp did the actual carving. These monuments
date from the 1340's. The other three effigies, which are of a
similar date, although possible a little later, lie on tomb
chests under the arcading between the south aisle and nave.
I made drawings of the effigies over a weekend several years ago
and then prepared the etchings which are shown below. I took the
photographs a few years later. |
SOUTH WALL GROUP |
West |
East |
Central |
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West: This very
mutilated effigy is probably that of a civilian, this being
more certain when the now missing parts, which were once recorded,
are considered. The position of the damaged animal at the feet
suggests that the legs (now lost) were once crossed, an
unusual position in civilian effigies. The arms
are also lost but, judging from the remnants, were probably in
the praying position.. Soft limestone.
Central: This is of a
lady; she turns outwards to regard the observer. Although this
is the most complete of the effigies, it is very worn and damp.
Her body sways slightly and her hands hold up her cloak. There
appears to have been two angels (one now virtually gone) holding
her pillow and, unusually, a third angel helping her hold her
cloak on the right hand side. Oolitic limestone.
East: This is a military effigy and very worn. His whole
body now turns outwards, for which reason I have drawn him
from the side. His head rests on a double pillow and he
wears a helmet with the vizor raised. The left hand holds
his shield well away from his body and the right hand his
sword. Soft limestone.
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There has been much speculation
about these very different effigies and the last word
certainly has not been said; nor can it be, although I
think we can guarentee endless speculation often based
on the thinnest of evidence. The
sculptor(s) certainly showed great imagination in their
production . Are all the effigies in their original
medieval position? Do those against the wall face the
central monuments, although these may be later? Why have
different stones been used? When was the damage done? |
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NORTH WALL GROUP |
Central |
East |
West |
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East This military effigy is very different to
the others and most unusual. His attitude is almost like a
Jacobean effigy: he reclines on one side, leaning on his
right elbow with the hand supporting the head - although
rather he once did as this hand is now mainly lost as is the
forearm. His legs are drawn up and his legs crossed below
the knees. At his feet sits his page. There are effigies of
a similar - but by now means as extreme - attitude in Exeter
Cathedral (one shows a groom holding a horse as well as a
page) and Bere Ferrers in Devon. A wooden effigy of very
similar attitude may be seen in Chew Magna, Somerset; this
is dated by Fryer to 1340-50; it is now very heavily painted
. He wears an elaborately carved helmet with a raised visor
and a long surcoat.
This latter is held by a belt around the waist and
there is a wider and more elaborately carved sword belt below.
Plate armour encloses the limbs, which is again elaborately
carved - except for the thighs which are enclosed in a quilted
material. Between his legs can be seen the tails of a quilted
garment. The effigy is in the round with no slab, although the
detached page (once attached by dowels) does have such a slab.
He may have rested on a shield. Oolitic limestone.
Central His
head rests on a large double pillow and he wears a helmet with
mail for the neck. Again he turns outward to regard the lady
opposite. He again wears a long surcoat, cut short at the front,
but, once more, what would have been his mail shirt is not
carved. His legs (more complete than those of his companion) are
crossed and his feet rest on a large lion. His shield appears to
be held be a strap and his left hand (which shows evidence of
armour) rests on his sword. The right hand rests on his chest
and appears to hold the strap supporting the shield. Soft
limestone.
West
This effigy is similar to the one above but with interesting
variations. A military
effigy; his head, turned slightly outwards, rests on a single
pillow. His left hand holds his shield and his right hand rests
on his sword pommel. He wears a helmet and a long surcoat, cut
short at the front. The mail shirt is visible but the mail is
not represented. The legs, mostly missing, are crossed. Soft
limestone. |
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It has been said above that it is
not possible to identify these effigies with any
certainly until further information is uncovered.
However attempts has been made in the past to do so and
it may be of interest to briefly mention this here.
There is no surviving documentation, inscription or
heraldry to enable positive indentification of these
effigies.
In 1883 Francis Llewleyn LLoyd, vicar of Aldworth from
1857, published his research as an attempt to
identify the effigies, although two years later he
appeared to become convinved that his identification was
correct.
He identified the NE effigy as Sir Philip
(after 1335), founder of the new church; his wife -
Lady Joan - was identified as the SC effigy.
Two of their children were identified thus: Sir John
(1326) is the CE effigy and Sir Nicholas (1346)
the CW effigy; this may well be the other way round
from an earlier discription by Richard Symonds in 1644
so that the lady CE would then be his wife Lady
Isabella. The NW effigy was identified as Sir
Robert (1278) and the NC effigy - his son and
father of Sir Philip above - as Sir John
(after 1287). The SW effigy was identified as
another son of Philip and Joan, another Sir Philip
(1339) and the SE effigy as Sir John (1336),
son of Sir John and Lady Isabella.
Make of it what you will! |
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Clarke Family 1635 |
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Leicester Viney Vernon
and his
wife Emilie |
Left, Above Left &
Right and Right: Two monuments to
Robert Vernon (1849)
The kneeling lady is by
Baily
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In
the Churchyard |
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Above Left & Centre:
Hamilton Lindsay, Earl of Crawford
Above Right and Far Right:
Ann Linsay (1894)
wife of General James Lindsay |
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Barkham - St James |
Burghfield - St Mary |
Compton Beauchamp
St Swithun |
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Knight
(1290-1325) wooden with cross legs. This
had been stolen when I visited the church in the 1970's. It
has since been recovered and I will revisit.
Knight/Lady
(1410-1470) alabaster and very mutilated. Said to represent
the Yorkist Richard Neville, Earl of Salisbury and his
Countess;
However recent thought believes the lady does not to belong,
being an earlier Countess of Salisbury; because there are three
possible candidates from this period, it has not been possible
to identify her. (information from Jon Bayliss)
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Francis H Bacon (1911) Judge. 'He spent all
his life in benevolent efforts to make all around him happy'
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Lady (1250-1310) wood, very worn, in porch.
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A Short Note
on Richard Neville, Earl of Salisbury |
Salisbury was a Yorkist leader who was captured
by the Lancastrians after their victory at the Battle of
Wakefield in 1460, and confined in Pontefract castle. He was
then either executed or dragged out of the castle by the locals
and murdered. Richard, Duke of York, claimant to the
throne after whom the term Yorkist is named, was
also executed after the battle. Salisbury was initially buried at Pontefract but
following Yorkist control his body was transferred to Bisham
Abbey in Berkshire, which acted as the Neville mausoleum. At the
Dissolution of the Monasteries these effigies are said to the
been brought to Burghfield.
The armour is of the right period and the Neville Arms can be
faintly made out on the surcoat; however there is no inscription
or more definite arms. This Richard Neville was the father of
another Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, know as the King Maker
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William Feteplace (1516)
& his wife
Elizabeth (Waring).
The brasses, which are shown below, are set into the back wall of
this Purbeck marble monument consisting of a short tomb chest and canopy. They
gave money from their lands to maintain a priest, an alms
house for three poor men and a school for the children of
the parish. |
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Drawing and photograph of
Knight
of the early 14th century. A V B Norman reports heraldry.The effigy is set below floor level under a ogee arched
recess |
Tomb with canopy |
Above: Tombs & Effigies Below: Brasses |

Thomas (1480) & Alice (1477)
Waldrond English inscription |
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Left:
Robert Peak (1517), and his wife,
Agnes; there
are brasses on the tomb chest which are not easily seen in the
photograph. Purbeck marble; it has been dismantled at some point
and rather carelessly reassembled. He was Clerk of the Spicery to King Henry VI. Top left: Arthur Babham (1561)
and his unnamed wife, two sons and three daughters. Above right: Sir Isaac
Pocock (1810) who drowned in the Thames. By Flaxman |
Other Monuments |
John Brabham (1458) and
inscription. Brass. There is also a matrix of a female figure in
the stone, Probably his wife, Muriel. |
William Andrew ( 1503), John
Monkedon, and Margaret.
Brass. Possible wife and two husbands. |
Richard Brabham (1527)
Brass with kneeling effigies of him and his unnamed wife. |
Edward Wooyore (1615) Brass
to him and his unnamed wife (1613). Inscription. |
George Welldon (1611) Brass |
Maria Farmer (1645) Brass |
George Weldon (1649) Slab
with inscription in Latin; set in later moulded frame. Wall
mounted? |
There are several later floor slabs to the
Weldon family. |
Noah Barnard (1655), his
daughter, Mary (1691) and his wife,
Anne (1717) Floor slab |
Dorothy Sivedail (1655)
Floor slab |
Anthony Tuberville (1688)
He was killed at Westminster when Col. Kirke tried to carry the
Life Guards over to William III |
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East Lockinge - All Saints |
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Far left: 'Here lyes
Mrs Mary Nedham,youngest daughter of Mr Edward
Needham, of Ilston in the countyr of Leicester, Esq., who was
borne upon Friday the 22nd April, 1611, and dyed upon Friday,
the 16th day of January, 1628'
Centre Left and Right: Millicent Grace
1633, daughter of Edward Needham of Ilston and wife of
John Grace the Vicar. 'She went the road of saints from grace to
glorie'
Far Right: 'Here lyeth Edward Kent,
Gent...and Joane his wife...He aged 83 years
died ye first of May 1624, ahe aged 79 years
died the last of February the same year leaving behind good
fames of Hospitalyty and other virtues |
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Knight
(1330-50) cross legs
Lady
(1330-50) (shown
below)
These effigies, which are recut, are under very low arches in
the south aisle.
Mrs Benyon
(1777) carved scene of death by
Thomas Carter
1789 tablet
1805 tablet
Sir Thomas Englefield
(c 1500) Purbeck
marble monument of tomb chest and canopy; the brasses were on
the east wall.
Marquis of Winchester (1675) large black
and white marble tablet without date or name. A poem and a
quotation from Dryden.
Richard Benyon
(1854) relief of the Three
Maries at the Sepulcher.
John Englefield, Wife & Son (1605)
alabaster tablet with one recumbent effigy and two kneeling
below.
Milburg Alpress
(1803) tablet with kneeling
woman with son by urn.
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Hatford
St George |
Civilian late 13th century
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Fyfield - St Nicholas |
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Park outside the
church around the green. On my last visit the church was
unfortunately locked but we found a helpful key holder in the
house opposite the church. The church was damaged by a
fire in 1893 and later restored, which accounts for the damaged
state of the monuments. O/S Ref: SU 424 989 |
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Sir John Golafre (1442)
Effigy in armour
above and partly shrouded corpse below |
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Cartouche unknown: heraldy only |
Tablet to
Thomas White (1664)
Close examination of the lettering (below) reveals
that the letterer made an unfortunate error, missing
out the 't' in immortal
to produce
immoral.
The missing letter, as can be seen, was added later. We
do not know if he was paid! |
George Dale (1625).
Incised
bust with skull. Much of the lettering badly damaged. |

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Above Top: Thomas White detail.
Above Bottom: Damaged tablets (17th to 18th
centuries) partly used a picture frames.
Far Right: Lady Katherine Gordon (1527)
'The White Rose of Scotland'. Widow of the
pretender to the English throne, Perkin Warbeck, who was
executed in 1499. Outlines of brasses and their attachements can
be made out on the back wall. |
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Hurley - St Mary |
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Uffington
- St Mary |

Richard Lovelace (1602) and his son
Sir Richard, 1st Baron Lovelace (1634). These
figures, of which remain the upper parts only, are from a
lost monument and now rest in the monument to John
Lovelace (1558) and his Wife (1597)
Photograph by Dennis Hilliard
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Above: John Saunders JP (1638)
barrister '...this portion of sacred earth preserves his
body which is sequested for ye resurrection...'
Right\; Tom Hughes QC (1896)
sometimes MP, judge and author of Tom Brown's Schooldays
written for his eldest son who was about to go to
boarding school.
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Hungerford - St Lawrence |
Church is early Victorian.
Opening not known. Park in one of the town's car parks |
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Unknown knight c. 1350 |
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Faringdon - All Saints |
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Sir Thomas Unton (1533) and his first wife
Elizabeth (Yonge) (1487) He wears the SS collar and
tabard on which quartered arms of Unton impaling Yonge.
Alabaster
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Kintbury - St Mary |
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From left to right. The
theme from the earliest monuemnt (1711) was taken up by the
Scheemakers in the construction of the later two.
Jemmet Raymond (1767) & Wife
'In memory of Sir Jemmett Raymond of Barton
Knt...Born in the Year of our Lord 1662 and of his two ladies.
Sir Jemmett in the Year 1687 married Elizabeth (Brown)
... by whom he had only one son Jemmett...She
died on the 19th day of July 1688. And in the year 1704 Sir
Jemmett married Elizabeth (Skylling) ....By her
he had several sons and daughters who all dyed before him,
except his daughter Elizabeth married the Rev John Craven...And
surviving his second lady who died on the 4th day of January
only a few months, he departed this life on the 20th day of
December in the same year. (1754) This monument
was erected according to the order of his son Jemmett Raymond
Esq by his widow Elizabeth . By Peter and Thomas
Scheemakers.
Johnathan (1711) and Anne Raymond |
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Martha Butler (1873) |
Margaret Duncan (1890) |
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Lambourn - St Michael
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John of Estbury
(1372) & Son brasses, demi-figures
Sir Thomas Grandison & Wife brasses, demi-figures (shown)
John Estbury
(1508) brass on tomb chest
Sir Thomas Essex (1558)
& Wife Alabaster effigies on tomb
chest; he has a dolphin at his feet.
Thomas Garrard
(1583)
& Wife tablet with kneelers
Thomas Garrard (1619)
& Wife
brasses
Charles Garrard
(1710) tablet with putto heads |
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East or Little Shefford
Old Church |
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Sir Thomas Fettisplace
(c 1442)
& Beatrice
(1447)
Alabaster effigies of about 1440-50. Tomb chest of alabaster
with angels holding shields. (shown)
John Fettisplace
(1524) Purbeck marble recess with tomb chest
and canopy. Kneeling brasses against the back wall. |
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Shellingford
St Faith |
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Left:
Sir Edward Hannes (1710) Physician to Queen
Anne. Pupil of Westminster School, to which he left money for a
new dormitory and drinking goblet to the Queen's Scholars.
Below: William Viscount Ashbrook (1780)
signed William Tyler of Bath white, gray and
brown marbles
Right: Mary Packer (1719) She
inherited the manor of Little Shefford from her sister. white
and gray marbles |
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Chancel - Medieval Effigies |
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Robert Achard (c1298) |
Adam
Achard (c1221) Rector |
Chapel -
Medieval Effigies |

Three wooden effigies said to be of
Sir Robert
Achard (1353) and his two wives:
Joanna
(1336) and
Agnes (1365)
Joanna is one the left and the slightly damaged one but
which lies on a tomb chest with figures; Agnes is on the right,
more complete but modern tomb chest, and of whom the etching by
the Hollises is shown.
Details of the effigies are to be found below |
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Thomas Bothe (c 1495)
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William de Herleston (1353)
Rector 1312-1342 when
advowson was sold to Queen's College, Oxford; thereafter
vicar
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Unknown c 1510
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John Fettiplace (c 1602)
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Tablets |
Church Yard |
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Above: Monument to
Alfred John
('Jackie') Hicks who died in
1933 aged
9, shown with his cricket bat.
Far Left: John Playdell (1591)
and Bridget (1623) '7 sonnes and 6
daughters 3 are bvried in ths ile Anthony Samvell
and Catherin.'
Left: Sir Gerog Hyde (1623)
'had by Katherin (Ferrers) 8 children'
Both monuments use capitals whose vertical strokes are joined
in individual words,
rather like Æ. |
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Wantage - St Peter and St
Paul |
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Sir William FitzWarren
(1361)
& Amicia
Alabaster
of 1330-65. Note Fitzwarren arms on jupon. Legs are crossed -
unusual for this date. (shown - photograph & drawing)
Sir IvesFitzwarren
(1414) brass
Priest
(1330) brass
Male Civilian (early 16th century) brass
Walter Talbot (1522)
& Two Wives brass
William Wilmot
(1684) Tablet with columns and pediment,
supported on three angel busts Two frontal demi-figures with a
baby upright between them. By William Bird of Oxford.
John Stamp
(1728) & Wife
(1741) by
John Townsend Jnr |
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CS10 - In Memoria
I produced the drawings on this page (and elsewhere on the
site) with technical pens on CS10 paper, which was made by
Frisk. This was almost magical paper for you could scratch the surface and
still draw on the scratched away part below: in fact, it was in effect all
surface. This had two very useful purposes. If you made a mistake after
several hours drawing - or, and even more frustrating, if one of those
temperamental technical pens decided to produce a blot - you could
scratch away the unwanted ink with a scalpel and leave a clean, useable surface
underneath. Even better you could partly scratch away wanted ink so
giving a less intense lines, producing an effect rather like
'stopping out' gives in the etching process.
Frisk unfortunately ceased production of this paper several years ago
and I have been unable to find a similar paper anywhere; it is highly
likely that none exists.
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The photographs and etchings of Aldworth, as are all the
drawings are by the Web Master, who also took some of the photographs. Other illustrations from Hollis
and Boutell. Some of photographs from Sparsholt are reproduced by kind
permission of Dr David Kelsall and that from Wantage by Miss Sally
Badham FSA. Other photographs kindly sent to me by Jean McCreanor, who
also provided more photographs from Sparsholt |
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