An Incised Slab at West Wickham

AN INCISED SLAB AT WEST WICKHAM By F. A. GREENHILL, M.A., F.S.A.(Scot.) ON the floor of the north (or Lennard) chapel in West Wickham church hes a much perished slab of hght-grey marble, shghtly over five feet long and about 2 feet 5 inches wide, on which is incised the haU effigy of a priest in mass vestments. There was originaUy a marginal inscription in Lombardics, also incised ; only portions of four letters on the dexter edge survive : the two towards the bottom are iUegible, while the other two look like " C " and " T." - Although part of the figure is effaced, the main portion fortunately remains in fair preservation. The priest is represented in amice appareUed in a quatrefoil pattern, alb, and plain maniple and chasuble. Of the alb sleeves, only the left one is now showing, and its apparel (U any) is entirely concealed by the maniple. Almost the whole of the right side of the head is missing, but the chin is squared, and the left ear shown in front of the hah. These features, and the use of Lombardics for the inscription, would of themselves suggest that the slab was engraved c. 1350. A print in the coUection of the Society of Antiquaries, taken from a line drawing made when part of the inscription still remained, gives " H . . . ace . . . . de. H. .tigfeld. .ecto.. ", and WaUer, who visited the church on 6th September, 1837, while stating that the inscription was then " almost enthely obliterated," read the surname, with a query, as " Hontingfeld." The slab is evidently the memorial of the John de Huntingfeld who became rector in 1361 and died during the following year. The figure so closely resembles those on contemporary brasses that there can be httle doubt that it was designed by a draughtsman who furnished drawings for both types of monument. Slabs bearing incised effigies seem to be somewhat rare in Kent. The foUowing is a Ust of aU those known to me in the county. Cliffe-at-Hoo. c.1300. Eleanor de Chve, haU effigy. On floor of north aisle. Now almost whoUy effaced, though quite clear when Fisher made his drawing. Westwell. c.1300. John , priest, in mass vestments ; head and shoulders, canopy, and marginal inscription in separate Lombardio letters, all of brass, now lost. On floor of chancel. Strood. c.1300. Mariote de Creye, under canopy; marginal inscription of brass, in separate Lombardio letters, aU lost. This slab, engraved in Gough's Sepulchral Monuments, II, Introduction, plate 106 AN INCISED SLAB AT WEST WICKHAM & • . ! ». !.:V':'/.";'v (fi '^^sSS^M ¥. $¥• $1 # ''* '' I M INCISED SLAB OF JOHN DE HUNTINGFELDE, RECTOR, 1362, WEST WICKHAM. (Slightly over 5 ft. in length.) 107 AN INCISED SLAB AT WEST WICKHAM XVII, was then (1796) in the north aisle. It may possibly still be in the crypt of the modern church built on the site about 1847, either whole or broken up among the rubble which almost fills it, making a search next to impossible. Horton Kirby. c.1320. Head of a priest in amice. On floor of north chapel. Rochester Cathedral, c.1325. Civilian or priest, under canopy, almost completely effaced; head and hands once inlaid in white marble or composition (now lost). Foreign ; very large. Crypt, near north-east corner. West Wickham. I. ? 1344.' ? Walter de Cestreford, rector; marginal inscription of brass, in separate Lombardio letters', now lost. Only two fragments, let into the paving just outside the south porch, remain. These are dealt with in Mr. D'Elboux's notes on the West Wickham brasses (see page 119). II. 1362. John de Huntingfeld, rector, in mass vestments, haU effigy. On floor of north chapel. Lesnes Abbey, c.1360. A civilian. Crundale. 1466. John Sprot, J. C. B., rector, in mass vestments. On altar tomb at west end of north aisle. Nonington. 1526. John Hamon and two wives. Almost entirely worn out. On floor of nave. Margate. 1588. Henry Crispe, in haU armour. Mural in alabaster frame, south chapel. Wrotham. 1588. Robert Rychers, Esq., in civU dress, and wife, kneeling. Mural in alabaster frame on north waU of chancel, high up. Otterden. 1654. Margaret, wUe of WiUiam ? Slatyer, with four children, rising from a funeral urn. On nave floor. If any member can add to this hst, I should be grateful if he would kindly send me a note of any further examples to 2 Holly Road, Broughty Ferry, Dundee, Angus, N.B. I am indebted to Mr. D'Elboux for his kindness in looking up Waller's notes for me. 108