Memorials in St Margaret's Church


Page Index


Full Schedule of viewable Memorials (pre- and post- 1853)

Name Death
Date
Remarks Type and/or Location
Akerman, Samual 1813 Master of the school for 36 years External West wall - tablet south of west door
Baker, Eden 1598 Wife of John Baker of Eglesden & dau. to Thomas Truelove and Ales his wife. Brass in Nave floor with full length standing effigy, wearing a tall broad-brimmed hat
Baker, George 1818 died 1818 aged 33 White marble tablet with panelled sides, cornice, draped urn on grey pyramidal background - on South wall of Tower
Bissett, Dorothey E. 1968 April 1968. Plaque commemorates sound equipment in the Church given in her memory. Brass plaque on north wall of Gratwicke Chapel.
Cortis, George 1840 and Ann Cortis, 1824 White and grey marble tablet on North wall of Tower; inscription white oval; cornice with urn
Croker, Jane 1821   Tablet on East wall of the Gratwicke Chapel
Croker, Jane 1821   Floor tablet
Day, Rev. John, LL.D. 1761 Rector of Llanvetherine, and Mary, 1772, his wife [nee Palmer] Tablet with pilasters and curved pediment on South wall of Tower
Edmunds, John 1795 died 12 May 1795 aged 72. Marble tablet, upright oval with urn above and cherub below on North wall of Tower
Fletcher, Dame Emily 1888   South aisle window
Fletcher, Gertrude 1878 Wife of Lancelot Fletcher Plaque on organ
Fletcher, Sir Henry Aubrey-, Baronet, CB, MP 1910 Plaque placed in Easter 1911 commemorating the clock and chimes erected in his memory by his friends and relatives. Brass plaque on right of stairs leading to tower.
Fletcher, Sir Henry Aubrey- 1910 Inscription in his memory ".....erected by his wife 1910" Carved lettering on wooden pulpit.
Fletcher, Lady Agnes Aubrey 1916 Wife of Sir Henry Aubrey Fletcher, Bt., of Ham Manor Marble tablet with figure playing the organ on North wall of Gratwicke Chapel
Gratwicke, Humphrey 1757 also Jemima 1786, wife of William Gratwicke; Frances Kinleside, 1798, wife of the Rev. William Kinleside and dau. of William and Jemima Gratwicke of Ham; Mary Gratwicke, 1817, wife of William Gratwicke of Ham, and William Gratwicke of Ham, 1821 Shield of arms of Gratwicke on the East wall of the Gratwicke Chapel
Gratwicke, Humphrey 1757 and Jemima, 1786, wife of William Gratwicke, and Frances Kinleside, 1798, wife of Rev. William Kinleside Floor tablet
Gratwicke, William 1821 and Mary, 1817, his wife Floor tablet
Hammond, Martha Harriet - Plaque reading "....for 34 years verger of this Church 1920-1954" Brass plaque on west wall of South Aisle.
Hardy, Ethel Charlotte 1981 1904-1981. Wife of George Theodore Hardy. Also their daughter Vivienne Ann Chapman (1940-1977) Brass plaque on west wall of South Aisle.
Horton, Lottie Gray 1933 Given by her husband William S. Horton and her son Capt. W. Gray Horton, MC, Scots Guards Window
Johnson, William 1799 died 14 March 1799 aged 70 and Mary [nee Penfold], died 19 Dec1804 aged 62 Tablet with pilasters and curved pediment on North wall of Tower
Jupp, Philadelphia 1822   Tablet on East wall of the Gratwicke Chapel
Jupp, Philadelphia 1821   Floor tablet
King, William Rodney Stewart, RAF 1955 Died in a sailing accident on the Firth of Forth on 14th May 1955, aged 23 years Tablet on wall of north aisle
Kinleside, Jukes Harrison 1803   Tablet on East wall of the Gratwicke Chapel
Kinleside, Jukes Harrison 1803   Floor tablet
Kinleside, Rev. William 1836 Rector of Angmering and vicar of Poling. Also Eliza Raikes Kinleside. 1835, youngest dau. of the above (buried in Hackney) and Martha Mathew, 1845, second wife of the Rev. William Kinleside Tablet on East wall of the Gratwicke Chapel
Kinleside, Rev. William 1836 and Eliza Raikes Kinleside, 1835 Floor tablet
Knocker, Eileen A.C., MTC 1940 Died in Blitz in Sept. 1940. Brass given by her brother Group Captain Guy Mainwaring Knocker, RAF. Small brass plaque on column between pulpit and Gratwicke Chapel.
Molson, Gerald Hildred Elsdale 1939 Lieut. Commander RN of The Pigeon House, Angmering. Second in command of HMS Rawalpindi and killed in action Shield of arms on North aisle wall
Orme, George 1867   Window
Orme George 1867 George Orme of Broadwater, Worthing 1797-1867. Brass on south wall of South Aisle.
Orme, George Lawrence 1912 of H.M. Office of Works and son of the rector. Born 5 Jan 1866, died at Leysin, Switzerland 4 July 1912 Brass on South aisle wall
Orme, William 1872 born 22 Oct 1837, died 3 Nov 1872 Brass under South aisle wall window
Palmer, Ann 1769   Tablet with pilasters and curved pediment on South wall of Tower
Palmer, Rev. T. Liddesdale 1938 Rector (1923-1938) External West wall - doors to porch
Pechell, Admiral Sir George Richard Brooke, Bt. 1860 Son of Sir Thomas Brooke Pechell and his wife Charlotte, dau. of General Sir John Clavering KB, and the Lady Diana, his wife, dau. of Earl de la Warr Wall tablet with coat of arms in Chancel (South wall)
Pechell, Capt. William Henry Cecil George 1855 Son of Admiral Sir George Pechell and his wife the Hon. Katherine Annabella, dau. & co-heir of Cecil Bisshopp, Lord Zouche Wall tablet with Pechell arms in Chancel (North wall)
Williams, Mabel Edith 1965 1905-1965. Plaque commemorates reredos and frontals given in her memory. Brass plaque on south wall of Gratwicke Chapel.
Wilson, Mary 1960 Died 16 Nov 1960. Plaque commemorates Sanctuary carpet given in her memory. Brass plaque on south wall of Sanctuary.
Woodham, Rev. John 1755 Rector of Rustington and three of his sons External West wall - tablet north of west door
Other memorials include:
  • A metal cross set in stone inscribed 'Waller fecit London' in floor
  • Brass War Memorial 1914-18 containing names of the Fallen
  • A brass recording the rebuilding of the church by W.G.K. Gratwicke of Ham (1853)

Neil Rogers-Davis

November 2003

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Ancient Memorials pre 1853

Note: exact details of inscriptions are not included A detailed survey may be conducted when the opportunity permits.

Francis Skeet's quote from Dallaway list of 1832
Several inscriptions of Blaxton family
William Gratwicke of Ham 1740, age 61
Thomas Gratwicke of Ham 1744, age 54
Jemima wife of William Gratwicke Esq of Ham 1786, age 36
Frances wife of William Kinleside MA Rector 1798, age 26
John Woodham Vicar of Rustington 1755 age 64
James Croker MA Rector 1766 age 60

WSRO Document Par 6/4/1
1852 Notes on sheet re old church pews etc just before rebuilding 1852. Crabbed note at bottom of sheet:

'Tablets and Murals'
North wall of Nave - Mr George Baker 1818
North wall of Chancel - Mrs & Mr George Cortis 1840
Six in the Gratwicke Chapel :
South wall - Rev Day & Mrs Day 1768 & 1772
South wall - Mrs Ann Palmer 1769
South wall - Mr John Edmunds 1795
West wall - Wm & Mary Johnson 1799 & 1804
----------
On Floor
Henry Alfred Usborne 1839
Alice Blaxton 1638
Eden Baker (Brass) of Ecclesden 1598

Church Guide c1960
Early memorials listed in Guide to the Church of St Margaret Angmering, WH Godfrey.

Nave floor adjoining chancel step
Eden Baker 1598

Gratwicke Chapel East wall
Humphrey Gratwicke 1757 and others of family [floor slabs below]
Philadelphia Jupp 1822
Jukes H Kinleside 1803
Jane Croker 1821
[William GK Gratwicke 1862]
Rev William Kinleside 1836

Gratwicke Chapel Floor
Rev William Kinleside 1836
Humphrey Gratwicke 1757
William Gratwicke 1821
Jane Croker 1821
Philadelphia Jupp 1821
Jukes H Kinleside 1803

Tower North wall
George Cortis 1840
William Johnson 1799
John Edmunds 1795

Tower South wall
George Baker 1818
Ann Palmer 1769
Rev John Day 1761

External - Tower west door
Rev John Woodham 1755
Samuel Akerman 1813

Interpretation of Lists
(Purpose: To reconstruct layout of memorials before 1853)

It is evident that the two old lists need to be related together in order to determine the memorials that actually existed in the Old Church. One survey missed external and Gratwicke floor ledgers. The other concentrated on the Gratwicke family.

External tablets in West wall of Tower each side of door.
Rev John Woodham 1755
Samuel Akerman 1813

Chancel North wall
Mrs & Mr George Cortis 1840

Nave North wall
Mr George Baker 1818

Nave floor
Henry Alfred Usborne 1839
Alice Blaxton 1638
Eden Baker (Brass) of Ecclesden 1598

Chapel South wall
Rev Day & Mrs Day 1768 & 1772
Mrs Ann Palmer 1769
Mr John Edmunds 1795

Chapel West wall
Wm & Mary Johnson 1799 & 1804

Chapel East wall
Rev William Kinleside 1836
Humphrey Gratwicke 1757
William Gratwicke 1821
Jane Croker 1821
Philadelphia Jupp 1821
Jukes H Kinleside 1803

Chapel Floor
Rev William Kinleside 1836
Humphrey Gratwicke 1757
William Gratwicke 1821
Jane Croker 1821
Philadelphia Jupp 1821
Jukes H Kinleside 1803

It can only be assumed this is a full list. If both surveys in 1832 and 1852 omitted a floor slab or other memorial there is probably no way this can be discovered.

The 2008 archaeological investigation of parts of the church being excavated has revealed the Usborne vault intact, and certain ledger stones very much decayed not listed in 1832 or 1852. It has to be assumed they were tiled over or too eroded to read by that time.

If an earlier date were selected, in the 18th century for instance, many memorials would not yet have been installed but many others, in the Palmer chapel for instance, would be included. But there are no lists of these surviving so far as this author is aware.

RW Standing

June 2008

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Moving Memorials !

An article by RW Standing

There can be few people in Angmering unaware that something is up at Angmering Church. 2008 is almost another 1852 or 1450, with vast rebuilding causing tremors even amongst those who do no go to church. Memorials that nobody knew we had are being found, and others that are well known are being moved - if only a few in the Gratwicke Chapel, and merely to an adjacent wall.

In 1852, with virtually the whole church rebuilt above foundation level, the opportunity was provided for a complete reordering of memorials that were to be kept. Consider present arrangements. There is not a single ancient monument or tablet in the nave, aisles, or chancel, apart from a safely hidden brass on the floor of the nave in front of the chancel step, to Eden Baker 1598. As may be expected all those who are commemorated in the Gratwicke Chapel are of that family, and related Jupp & Kinleside clan. All of the wall monuments appear to be purpose made in 1852. Whether there are genuine 18th century slabs on the floor is a matter for more investigation.

If epitaphs to other old village people are to be seen, a trip up into the tower is required. George Cortis 1840, George Baker 1818, Wm Johnson 1804, John Edmunds 1795, Rev Day 1772, and Ann Palmer 1769. But such people did not just have expensive marble and stone carved and inscribed in order for it to be seen only by the occasional bell ringer. The truth is perhaps told by a list of monuments in the old church, drawn up shortly before its rebuilding. Apart from a few on the nave floor, including the Usborne boy, and Baker brass, all of those now in the tower were distributed throughout the church including the chapel.

On Floor
Henry Alfred Usborne 1839
Alice Blaxton 1638
Eden Baker (Brass) of Ecclesden 1598'

North wall of Nave - Mr George Baker 1818
North wall of Chancel - Mrs & Mr George Cortis 1840

There is still the Cortis vault below the chancel although said to be filled in, perhaps in 1852, and it would seem likely this was an ancient vault taken over by Cortis. The Henry Usborne grave, son of the rector, has been found intact and a decision on the final resting place of the coffin is pending.

Six in the Gratwicke Chapel :
South wall - Rev Day & Mrs Day 1768 & 1772
South wall - Mrs Ann Palmer 1769
South wall - Mr John Edmunds 1795
West wall - Wm & Mary Johnson 1799 & 1804

Those in the Gratwicke Chapel are represented by four monuments in fact, with wives' epitaphs included with their husbands.

These wall monuments do not indicate burial in the church, in all cases - George Baker is presumably in the family vault outside, and there are Palmer altar tombs south of the church. No mention is made of any Gratwicke memorials, and at best there were half a dozen set in the floor to that family, as there is today. Although why these were not listed is a large question. As already suggested in another article, the chapel was taken over by Gratwicke rather than being his by right. It was built, so far as can be judged, before the family came to prominence. When a grateful parish had their church rebuilt by munificent gift of WGK Gratwicke [Kinleside] all of these village memorials were moved out of sight.

As observed, the Johnson tablet is in the tower. It has an interesting inscription beginning with the words. 'Beneath in a vault lies interred the body of William Johnson.' A vault below the tower is not likely - this vault was in the Gratwicke chapel. Is the body of Johnson and his wife still there? He was the owner and shopkeeper at Saddlers in the High Street rather than the usual landowner.

There is another list of 1832, quoted by Francis Skeet, and this is in complete contrast, although by not providing locations it loses some of its value. It concentrates on Gratwicke memorials missed by the later list, and these were no doubt in the floor of the chapel. Put the two together and it may be deduced that the Grarwicke family acquired use of a vault, but had far from exclusive use of the chapel.

The other great change and loss to the church, was the ruination of the Palmer chapel on the north side of the chancel in the late 18th century. Memorials there to the New Place family who owned much of Angmering were reputedly transferred to Michegrove, before that mansion was demolished by the Duke of Norfolk.

RW Standing

June 2008

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Last updated: 24 June 2008