Some Monumental Inscriptions of Kingsnorth Church

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

Chancell.
1. On an Ancient Altar Tomb, on ye N. Side of The Communion Table, are inlaid ye Brass Figures of an Armed Man & his Wife; under them the Figures of 11 Children, viz, 6 Men & 5 Women with the Following Inscription & Coats. [I. Erm. 2 pales wavy sa. (CLARKE). II. Per pale arg. & sa. 3 chevns. counter-charged (MANEY)]. Humfrey Clarke Esquyer & Margaret his Wyffe were maryed to gyther fforty Nyne Yeres VI Moneths & the sayd Humfrey dyed in hys LXXIX Yeres of hys Age, & had Issue John, John, & Humfrey, Edward, John, & Walter. Johne Margaret, Elizabeth, Jhane & Letyce.

2. In a little Arch over this Tomb, with this Coat, in Brass.[¼ly of 6:
I. Erm. 2 pales wavy (CLARKE).
II. Per fesse gu. & arg. 3 swords erect in fesse countercharged hilts or (quillons, wrongly, gu.) (CLARKE (sic).
III. Or, on a bend vert a cinquefoil or, for diffce.
IV. Arg. on a fesse gu. 3 martlets or, between 6 martlets gu.
V. Arg. a fesse gutté-de-sang betw. 3 water-buckets sa. (arg. sic) (? faded).
VI. Sa. a chevn. betwn. 3 pelicans’ heads erased or (GODFREY).Epitaphium Martyni COLIPEPER Doctoris de Humfredo CLARKE, Armigero, Socro suo qui obijt xiiii Die Januarij A.D. 1579/80. Est, Domini, vixisse din, Domini est, bene, vivere, donum;/Corpore, Mente, bene vixerat ille diu./Est Domini Gazas, Terras, Natos dare, Famam;/Hec dedit huic, et eum, cui dedit eum rapiut,/Ut beat in Celis, et nos nostrosq moneret,/Suae cuncta suum Fata subire Diem.

3. On a Brass Plate, on a very Ancient Flat Stone, on ye Floor. Hic Jacet Dominus Thomas UMFREY, quondam Rector istius Ecclesiae. Cujus Aie ppicietur Deus. Amen.

4. On Another Flat Stone. Underneath this Stone lieth The Remains of Thomas READER, A.M. Rector of this Parish; One of the Sons of James Reader of The Bower in Maidstone, in this County. Gent & Hannah his Wife, Daughter of Stephen STRINGER of Goudherst in this County, Gent. He was a strict Observer of his Duty towards God & Man; and, during the Course of 34 Years Minister, by Acts of Charity & Benevolence, gained the General Love & Esteem of all his Neighbours; & the Money he expended on the Rectorial Premises will ever endear this Memory to his Successors. He died much lamented in the 60th Year of his Age. Jan. 15 1739/40.

5. *North Chancell.    *This Chancell, being much out of Repair, and, the Family who shd. have repaired it being extinct, or incapable, was pull’d down to the Ground. A.D. 1763.

6. On an Ancient Altar Tomb close to the N. Wall, is portraied in a Plate of Brass, the Figure of an Armed Man, with the following Inscription & Coat, in Brass also. [On a fesse 3 roundels]. Hic jacet Willmus PARKER Armiger, Filius Willi Parker quondam Civis et Mceri London. qui obijt XVIII Die Mensis Junij Anno Dni. M.CCCC.XXI – cujus Aie ppicietur Deus. Amen.

7. On An Ancient Board, fix’d to the N. Wall, are following Coats & Inscription. [I. Gu. on a saltire az. (sic) 5 molets or (TAYLOR) imp. Gu. 3 swords in pale arg., hilted or, 1&3 with hilts to dexter, 2 to sinister, in an orle of 10 molets or (CHUTE).
II. (TAYLOR as above) imp. Sa. a cross gu. (sic)].
Underneath this Place lieth buried the Body of John TAYLOR, Gentleman, whose First Wife, was Elisabeth, ye Daughter of Philipe CHUTE Esq. by whom he had Issue 4 Sons & 4 Daughters, yt. is to say, John, Humphrey, Ros…./ & George, Sonnes; Susan Philip…./, E……./ & Mary, Daughters. his Second Wife was Bridget, ye Daughter of Richard /…./ BUCK, Gentleman, by whom he had Issue 2 Sonnes, & 1 Daughter, that is to say, Thomas & John Sonnes, & Elizabeth his Daughter; he always liv’d in the Fear of God peaceably, & faithfully died therin the VIIth Daye of Maye 1616, about the 90th of his Age. for whose Vertuous Remembrance, John, his youngest Sonne whom he had made sole Executor of his Will erected this Monument.

8. On Another Painted Board, on ye N. Wall. Just beneath this Place, about the Distance of 2 Feet from ye Wall lieth buried the Body of Christian ye Wife of Wm. MOORE, by whome he had Issue 1 Sonne & 2 Daughters. She was the Daughter of Edward & Alice WIGHTWICKE; &, whilst She lived, for her singular Love to her Husband & all other virtuous Disposition Shee might well have been a Pattern to all of her Sexe. She dyed, March the 12th 1653/4 to whose Remembrance her said Husband in Token of the Love he bare to her, erected this Monument.

9. On Another. Right before this Place lyeth buried the Body of Richard WELLS who while he lived walked before God & Man, in ye Person of a true honest Man; full of Zeale to all Christian Duties & in Religion a sincere Professor, in the same, most faithfully died unto God the XI Day of Feb. 1618/9 leaving behind him Richard his only Sonne by Sara his wellbeloved Wife wch. Sara, in her faithfull Remembrance, to the said Richard at her own proper Cost has erected this Monument.

10. On a Flat Stone, on ye Floor. Here lieth the Body of Alice Daughter of Nicholas SAWKINS who died April 15 1652. Aetatis suae 13. And the Body of Nicholas, the Sonne of Nicholas Sawkins who died 13 May 1652. Aetatis suae 3. /….s Travail is to an Iun-/These Children came ……./And finding nothing worth their Stay/They brake their Fast & went their Way.

11. On Another. Here lieth the Body of Humphry the Son of Edward WIGHTWICKE who died October the 16th 1627. Aetatis suae 30. As carefull Mothers unto Sleepe will lay/Their Babes, that would too long with Wonton play/ So, to prevent My Youth’s approaching Crimes/Nature, My Nurse, put Me to Bed by Times.

12. On Another. Here lieth buried the Body of Martha the Wife of George WIGHTWICKE, late of this Parish Gent. who departed this Life Dec. 22 1722. Aged 68 Years.

13. On Another. Here lieth the Body of Marye WIGHTWICKE, ye Wife of Humphrey Wightwick Gent. Daughter of Freegift STACE of Tenterden, Gent; who left Seaven Sonnes, George, Humphrey, Freegift, Thomas, Robert, Samuel & John. Hee was buried 1 Nov. …. in ye 42 Year of his Age. Here also lieth Humphrie Wightwicke Gent, Son of the said Marie, who was buried ye 1 of May 16.2, in the 21st Year of his Age. Here also lieth the Body of George Wightwick Gent, Son of the said Marie who left Issue 3 Sonnes, and 5 Daughters. He died Aug. 7 1710 in ye 59 Year of his Age.

14. On Another. Here lieth the Body of Alice late Wife of Edward WIGHTWICKE Gent ….. he had 3 Children, Humphrey ………/.

15. On Another. Here lieth interred the Body of Mary Wife of Humphry WIGHTWICKE, one of the Jurats of the Town and Port of New Romney. Daughter of Edmund MARTON late of the said Place Gent. She left Issue, Mary, Martha, Hester, Humphry, Elizabeth & Richard. She departed this Life, ye 21st of Aprill Anno Domini 1731. Aged 44 Years.

16. On Another. Here lieth Edward the Son of William & Christian MOORE, who died the Fourth of Feb. 1652/3. Aetatis suae ../.

17. On Another. Here lieth the Body of Edward the Son of Nicholas and Martha SAWKINS; who died the 12th Day of August 1653. Aetatis suae 1.

18. On Another. Here lieth the Body of Humphry WIGHTWICKE, Gent. who died March ye 2 1685/6. Aged 63 Years & left 5 Sonnes: George, Thomas, Robert, Samuel and John.

19. This Church consists of the Great, & North Chancell & the Body; in which last there is nothing worth Notice; except, that, in the Middle Window on ye North Side, is still to be seen, a pretty well painted Figure of St. Michael vanquishing ye Dragon.

20. In The Tower, which is at ye West End, hang 5 Musicall Bells, with the following Inscriptions.
   1. Praise The Lord Your King. 1728.
   2. Anthony JARVIS, C.W. S.K. fecit 1727.
   3. John TAYLOR, C.W. S.K. fecit. 1727.
   4. Samuel KNIGHT fecit. 1727.
   5. Thomas READER, Rector. S.K. made Me, 1728.

21. This Church was dedicated to St. Michael.

22. It is a Rectory, in the Gift of …../
The present Rector is the Revd. Philip HAWKINS, A.M. late of Pembroke College in Oxford.

Index of Names and Places

Names Index
BUCK 7
CHUTE 7
CLARKE 1, 2
COLIPEPER 2
Freegift 13
GODFREY 2
HAWKINS 22
JARVIS 20
KNIGHT 21
MANEY 1
MARTON 15
MOORE 8, 16
PARKER 6
READER 4, 21
SAWKINS 10, 17
STACE 13
STRINGER 4
TAYLOR 7, 20
UMFREY 3
WELLS 9
WIGHTWICKE 8, 11-15, 18Places
Goudhurst 4
Maidstone The Bower 4
New Romney 15
Tenterden 13
General
Jurats 15