Some Monumental Inscriptions of Aldington Church

Some Monumental Inscriptions of Aldington Church noted by Rev Bryan Faussett in 1759. Transcribed for the website by Pat Tritton.

In The Chancell. No Altar Peice.
1. The Brick Pavement, on whch the Communion Table stands, hides the Inscription of a Flat Stone, which, as I was told, is in Memory of Mr William CADE some time Rector of Aldington, whose Wife is buried at Sellindge. See Page 27 [Sellindge}.

2. At The West End are 6 Stalls, on the Wooden Seats of 2 of them are carved These Coats. [1. A cross. 2. A cross patonce (no tinctures given, naturally].

3. On The South Side of the Communion Table, is a Gothic Peice of Work, against The Wall, which I Imagine to have been the Tomb of some Founder, or Benefactor to the Church. On it are also ye above Coats.

4. Here are several ancient Flat Stones; all without Inscription. And there are Some Remains of good painted Glass in the Windows.

In The South Chancell.
5. On a Mural Monument on the West Wall. [Arg. a fess wavy betw. 3 lions’ hds. erd. or BLECHYNDEN imp. Arg. a ln.rt.gu.]. Hic Jacet inclusum solido sub Marmore, Corpus Joh. Blechyndeni, Symnels pro Sede tenentis, Armigeri; hunc tandem lethalis, Funere trish; Calculus involvit, Morsq immaturae, secundis Connubijs junctum, numerosâ et Prole Parentem, Transtulit e Terris; ducelat Stamina Vitae, Ultima, Monctoniae, quam continet Insula Thanet. Hic jacet, at revirescit adhuc post Funera Virtus.

6. On a Flat Stone. Humfredus BLECHYNDEN de Colle Rufino, Armiger viii Jun. A.D. M.D.LXVII Christo publice sacratus ad. vtum. usq Novembris MDCXXXIV Deo, Patriae, Familiae. Sibi faelicitèr militavit, in novissimum, clangen te Archangelo, et redeunte e Caelis Exercitium Domino, triumphaturus Inimicum.

7. On Another Flat Stone. Here lieth interred, the Body of Mary, Daughter of Mr. Edward METCALFE of Woodstock in the County of Oxon. and Widow of Henry GREGORY, sometime Rector of Middleton Stoney, in the said County. She departed this Life, May 19 1707 aged 69. She left surviving 2 Daughters, viz. Grace, Wife of Mr. Thomas BRAMSTON of Waterhouse, in the County of Essex; and Mary, Wife of

8. William DEEDES, Dr. of Physick, of the City of Canterbury who buried her in this Part of his Chancell, beneath this Stone, placed to her pious Memeory, in sure and certain Hope of the Resurrection to eternal Life.

9. On Another Flat Stone. [Per fess wavy gu. & arg. 3 martlets counterchd. DEEDES imp. Or, 2 bars az. in chief a leopd. az. GREGORY]. Here lieth the Body of Dr. William Deedes, Son of Julius Deedes, Esq. of Hythe. He died 4 Decr. 1738 aged 79 Years. He practised Physick with great Integrity and Humanity, near 50 Years, at Canterbury. He was a charitable Neighbour, a sincere Friend, a good Christian. He left a Son and a Daughter, by Mary his Wife, who is buried in the same Grave. She was Daughter of Henry Gregory, Rector of Middleton Stoney, Oxon; and died 26 Oct. 1737 aged 64 Years. She was beloved and admired by all who knew her; The best Wife; The most Tender Mother; The most desirable Friend; truly pious; strictly religious; An Ornament to her Family; a Pattern to her Sex.

10. On a loose brass Plate, now kept in the Parish Chest, but, which was formerly fix’d to a flat Stone in this Chancell. Here lyeth buried that religious, and modest Gentlewoman, Margaret BLECHYNDEN, the late Wife of Richard ASHENDEN, late of Tenderden, Gent; who had by her said Husband, Five Sonnes and Eight Daughters. She departed this Life, in the Fayth of Christ the 30th Day of June 1596.

11. Here are 2 Other ancient Flat Stones, not legible. On One of which, I, with much ado, made out the Arms of GODFREY, at the Feet; and (in a Lozenge) some other Coat at the Head – but I could not tell whose. It looks like the *HONEYWOODs.
*I have, now, Reason to think it, ye Arms of BLECHYNDEN – as they intermarried with the GODFREYs, B.F.

12. In The Body. On a Flat Stone. Here lieth the Body of Richarde KNIGHT, Yoman who departed this Life the 20th of Desember A.D. 1616 aged 78 Yeares.

13. On Another Flat Stone, inlaid with ye Figures of a Man, a Woman, and A Group of 3 Sons. Another Group is lost. Hic jacent Corpora Johis WEDDEOL Gentilmanni et Matildae Ux. ejus; qui quidem Johannes obijt xx die Marcij A.Dni. MCCCCLXXV (1475/6) quorum Animat ppicietur Deus. Amen.

14. Two other Flat Stones without Inscription. One of them has been richly inlaid with Figures, Coats. etc.

15. This Church consists of The Great and South Chancells,
The Body and an Isle to the South. At the West End stands the Tower, which is very high, & commands a very extensive Prospect of The Sea, Coast of France etc (sic). In it hang 5 heavy Bells, all cast by John PEELE. A.D. 1705. The Great Bell bears ye Name of the aforemention’d William CADE, who was then Rector.

16. The Famous ERASMUS was Rector of this Parish, being presented by Arch. Bip. WARHAM. As was also Richard MASTERS, who was hangd at Tiburn 25 H.8. for being an Accomplice with Elisabeth BARTON, who was called the Holy Maid of Kent.

17. Here was formerly a Palace, and a Chace belonging to the Arch Bishop; the Latter still is call’d Aldington Frith.

18. The Church was dedicated to St. Martin, it is a Rectory in the Gift of The Arch Bishop. The present Rector is The Revd. Dr. CHAPMAN, who is also Rector of Mersham. 1759.

19. In The Church Yard, are Memorials of FAGG, FORD, HOBBS, COZENS, LOYD, BRADLEY, LUCKETT, GREY, GODDARD, KILVERT, VIDGEN and WANSTALL.

20. There is a Fair Tumulus in this Parish, not far from the Roman Road which runs to Lympne.

Index of Names and PlacesNames Index;
ASHENDEN 10
BARTON 16;  BLECHYNDEN 5, 6, 10, 11;  BRADLEY 19;  BRAMSTON 7
CADE 1, 15;  CHAPMAN 18;  COZENS 19
DEEDES 8, 9
ERASMUS 16
FAGG 19;  FORD 19
GODDARD 19;  GODFREY 11;  GREGORY 7, 9;  GREY 19
HOBBS 19;  HONEYWOOD 11
KILVERT 19;  KNIGHT 12
LOYD 19;  LUCKETT 19
MASTERS 16;  METCALFE 7
PEELE 15;
VIDGEN 19;
WANSTALL 19;  WARHAM 16;  WEDDEOL 13

Places;
Aldington Frith 17
Canterbury 8
Hythe 9
Mersham 18
Middleton Stoney, Oxon 7, 9
Sellindge 1
Tenderden 10
Waterhouse, Essex 7
Woodstock, Oxon. 7
General
Dr. of Physick 8
hangd at Tiburn 16
Holy Maid of Kent 16
Physick 8, 9
Yeoman 12