Monumental Inscriptions of Harbledown Church & Hospital

Some Monumental Inscriptions of Harbledown Church & Hospital, noted by Rev Bryan Faussett noted 1758. Kindly typed up for the website by Pat Tritton.

In The Chancell.
1. On a Mont. on ye S. Wall.

[Az. a chevn. arg. 3 molets sa. imp. Az. 3 bars dancy. arg. a cantn. erm.]. To The Memory of Mary, Daughter of Thomas TEDDEMAN Esq. of this Parish, Wife of John ROBERTS of the City of Canterbury, Surgeon, and Mother of Thomas-Teddeman, Mary & Elisabeth. She now enjoys, who merited each Day,/Honours, superiour to what Art can pay./But, Oh, Fair Reader, let this pious Line/Commend her virt’ous Worth, and heighten thine/. She died the 29th Day of May 1736. Aged 25 Years. And Mary her Daughter died Aug. 28 1733. Aged 8 Months. Thomas-Teddiman died to the inexpressible Grief, of his Tender Father, July 1739. aged 8 Years 7 Months.

2. On an Atcheivement, on the N. Wall. [¼ly of 6. 1,3,5). Sa. a plate chargd. wt. 3 bars sa. 2,4,6). Or, a lion’s head raised gu. imp. Gu. a fess betw. 8 billets or.]. Near this Place is interred the Corpse of Charles WHITE, late Rector of St. Nicholas Harbledowne. who died the 19th Day of October. Anno Dni. 1647.

3. On a Monument on the N. Wall. Under this Pew, lies interred the Body of Edward HOWLAND, late of this Parish, who died October 20 1757. Aged 60 Yeares; he left Issue 1 Son surviving. Young William Howland.

4. On a very Ancient Flat Stone are the following Coats; but the Brass Figg. and Inscription are lost. (2 shs. in line). I. Gu. a wyvern arg. *BRENT. *This is the Coat of Roger Brent, who was formerly Possessor of Polres, a Manor in this Parish. – see Harris F.143.


5. BRENT imp. [¼ly 1&4). On a chevn. 3 tablts. courant MARTIN – see Philpot 178. 2&3). 3 covered cups (no tincts.). BUTLER – V.J.T.).

6. On a Flt Stone. Here lyeth the Body of Mrs Katherine TYRWHITT, Daughter of ……./Mary Tyrwhitt, …../County of Lincoln ……/aboute the Age of Sixteene …./1643.

7. On Another Flat Stone. Here lieth interred the Body of Jane, Daughter of Thomas GOOKIN Esq. and by Jane, his Wife, who departed this Life Aprill the 6th 1659.

8. On Another. Here lies interred the Body of Henry HARNETT late of this Parish, who had Issue by Mary his Wife 10 Children, of whom 9 survive. He departed this Life July 20 1714 in the 42d. Year of his Age. Also, here lieth the Body of Mary, Wife of the above Henry HARNETT, who left 6 Children surviving. She died 10 Apr. 1730. Aged 53 Years.

9. There are 2 Other Flat Stones, which are without Inscription, and 2 others which are hid by the Pewes.

10. The Arch which parts the Chancell from the Body, is a round one.

In The Body.
11. Cut on Bricks. Henry BARNETT. Samuel HOPPER. Church Wardens 1707.

12. This Church consists only of the Chancell and Body. The Seeple which is low, stands at the West End, in which hang 3 Bells – thus inscribed.
1. Joseph HATCH made Me, 1613 (as it seems).
2. ………/1670.
3. Sancta Katherina, ora pro Nobis.

13. In The Church Yard, are Headstones, etc. for ALLEN, ELPHICK, GILES, BASELL, HOBDAY, HOLDSTOCK, HOMERSHAM, MOOR, PEARSE, SANKEY, SOUTHEY and WILLIAMS; & 2 ancient Flat Stones, 1 of them broken, and neither of them legible.

14. On the North Side of the Body are the Ruins of an ancient Building, which joynd to it and over a very low Door Way, which led from it into ye Church, is a fair Arch of Roman Tiles; and Another Arch of the same sort of Tiles, in the North Wall of the Chancell, about a Foot or 2, from ye Ground: This last is but a small one.

15. This Church was dedicated to St. Nicholas; it was founded by A.Bp. LANFRANC, who was also The Founder of the adjacent Hospital.

16. It is a Rectory, in the Patronage of The Arch Bishop. The present Rector is The Revd. Mr Henry HALL, 1758.

17. [On a loose slip, inset]. Mem. I have been told that this Church was dedicated to St. Michael and, that, the Hospital, wch. was dedicated to St. Nicholas, stands, in a Different Parish, viz. St Nicholas Harbledown.


Funeral Inscriptions etc. at Harbledown Hospital. (n.d).
In The Chancell.
18. On a Flat Stone. Here lieth The Body of Mr George SHORT, sometime Master of this Hospital, who departed this Life Nov. 25 1641. resurgam.

19. The Windows have been very finely painted. In the North Window, which is still pretty entire, is to be seen the Figure of a Monk kneeling before St. Nicholas, and these Words, "Ad Te ……./Prae Me salve, Nicolae". In the same Window is, also, the Figure of a Bishop (I suppose LANFRANC ye Founder) in a praying Posture. Also, the Figure of The Blessed Virgin, or some Female Saint, with a white Dragon at her Feet, a long Crosslet in her Left Hand, and something, like a Book, in her Right; and, underneath, this Fragment of an Inscription ….."ella Capellan". In a Small Compartment at The Top of the same Window, is The Figure of the Virgin, in a kneeling Posture, beholding Our Saviour’s Ascension, Whose Feet only appear out of a Cloud.

In The Body.
20. On a Flat Stone. Here lyeth Lennard LOVELACE, Reader, 1671.

21. Several other Flat Stones, without Inscription: Two of which have been inlaid with Brasses.

Index of Names and Places

Names Index
ALLEN 13
BARNETT 11
BASELL 13
BRENT 4.5
ELPHICK 13
GILES 13
GOOKIN 7
HALL 16
HARNETT 8
HATCH 12
HOBDAY 13
HOLDSTOCK 13
HOMERSHAM 13
HOPPER 11
HOWLAND 3
LOVELACE 20
MOOR 13
PEARSE 13
ROBERTS 1
SANKEY 13
SHORT 18
SOUTHEY 13
TEDDEMAN 1
TYRWHITT 6
WHITE 2
WILLIAMS 13Places
Canterbury 1
Lincolnshire 6
General
Church Wardens 11
Surgeon 1