Some Monumental Inscriptions of Rainham Church

Some Monumental Inscriptions of Rainham Church, noted by Bax & Rice Thursday Tuesday 3rd May 1897. Pages 88 to 92  of Epitaphs from Kent Churches typed up by Margaret Broomfield.

CHURCHYARD
No B(ax’s)

1. HS To the memory of Mr. Henry ELVY of this parish died 26th September 1800 aged 51 years. Also of Mary relict of the above Mr. Henry Elvy who died 13th of July 1824 aged 77 years.

2. HS ancient – an hourglass depicted Here lyeth ye body of Edmond son of Henry and Elizabeth ELVY who dyed November ye 5 1708 aged two weeks.

3. HS very rough delineation of a face (drawing) Her………./Interr………./of Fra………./wife of M………./and daugh……….(flaked off), /of Aug………./parish Gent………./December ye………./1720……….Aged 23 years……….

4. HS Two cherub’s heads with wings, scull Here lieth interred the body of Mr. Thomas LANE of this parish who departed this life August 19th 1746 aged 63 years. Left issue one son.

5. HS Two cherub’s facing one another winged In memory of Martha wife of John CROCKER of Chatham, who died 16th May 1756 aged 67.

6. High tomb (in the N pannel) Sacred to the memory of Elizabeth Ann FOWLE wife of Mr. John Fowle of this parish who departed this life September 13th 1799 aged 85 years. Left issue five sons and two daughters. Also Edward son of the above died March 1st 1800 aged 5 years. Likewise George their son died November 2nd 1800 aged 11 years. Also Elizabeth Ann their daughter died June 29th 1803/5 aged 18 years. [Nothing apparent on the top or other sides].

7. HS To the memory of Thomas ASHDOWN who died the 3rd Day of October 1807 aged 61 years. He was twenty five years Bailiff to John Fowle Esq. May ……… discharge of the duties of his station on earth obtain for his eternal reward from his master in heaven.

8. HS In memory of Catherine KNIGHT wife of John Knight of Upchurch who died March 11th 1862 aged 74 years.

9. HS To the memory of Cecilia wife of John KNIGHT of Upchurch who departed this life December the 20 1800 aged 35 years. Left issue 7 children 4 sons and 3 daughters. Also the above John Knight who died the 4th of January 1831 aged 62 years.

10. HS Fanny ATHERDEN died October 7th 1819 aged 5 weeks.

11. High tomb In memory of Mr. Joseph KNIGHT who died 20 March 1829 aged 90 years. And of Mary his wife aged 83 years (sic) after surviving him one month they together sustained the changes and chances of this mortal life in the above relation for 63 years. Also near this spot lieth great grandchildren of the above. Mary Ann Simmons died 21 October 1831 aged 26 years. Elizabeth Simmons died 6 November 1855 aged …. years. Joseph Simmons died 1 December 1856 aged …… years. Annemaria his wife died 31 August 1856 aged 33 years.

12. (Drawing) Here lyeth ye body of Will SCOTT who died January ye 28th 1726 aged 66 years. Elizabeth wife of William Scott died March ye 27 1736 aged 77. Henry …………Here lie ye bodies of John, William, Elizabeth and Fraunces sons and daughters of William Scott by Elizabeth his wife. John died June 3rd 1692 aged 8 months. William August 25th 1699 5 years. Elizabeth August 22nd 1701 4 months. Fraunces wif of John Smit of Bridger (broken).

13. HS Here lies ye body of Elizabeth BRETT of this parish who died March ye 3rd 1727 aged 75 years.

14. Here lyeth body of William TILDEN of this parish who died November 29th 1718 aged 36 years. Also ye body of Eliza his wife she died November ye 2nd 1755 aged ……. years. Also John and Elizabeth their son and daughter interr’d here. Left surviving 2 sons William and James.

15. HS In memory of Susanna the wife of Luke MILES of this parish who died the 13th December 1760 aged 43 years. Also three of their children and like wife James Skinner her brother Mary daughter of James and Susanna Miles died the 2nd of June 1781 aged 5 years and …. months. Luke Miles died the 2nd of February 1798 aged ……….. (sunk).

16. To the memory of James MILES of this parish, yeoman, who died the 14th of February 1796 aged 49 years. Also two of his children viz. Mary and Luke infants. Also Sarah wife of the above departed this life the 15th of June 1811 aged 59 years.

17. NB There are more modern "Miles" stones.

18. HS In memory of Martin son of John and Ann CAMP of this parish who died December the 2nd 1786 aged 1 year and 6 months. Also Sarah wife of William Rayner and daughter of John and Elizabeth Camp died August the 12th 1787 aged 28 years. Left issue one daughter, Sarah.

19. HS Sacred to the memory of Mr. James RIPPOTH who departed this life August 4th 1779 aged 59 years. Left issue two daughters and one son. Also Mr. James Rippoth son of the above (who was lost from on board the Hyaena Frigate at sea) May 22nd 1801 aged 30 years. Also Ann the wife of the above who died April 3rd 1820 aged 76 years.

20. HS In memory of Robert FREDERICK of this parish who died the 1st of March 1764 aged 64 years. Also Ann wife of the above Robert Frederick who died May the 1st 1783 aged 73 years.

21. High tomb (nothing on top: in the West pannel) Also near this place lyeth ye body of Elizabeth HARLO….mother, who died June 1714 aged about 70 years. (In the N pannel) Also here lyeth ye body of Elizabeth Harlock second wife of Mr. William Harlock and daughter of Stephen Barfoot of Nettlested who departed this life May the 27th 1719 in the 48th year of her age. (In the S pannel) William Harlock yeoman who departed J….. 11 1715 aged 3……. (In the E pannel)(perhaps) the body of Sus……….. aged 31 years.

22. HS Elaborate decoration Near this place are deposited the remains of William TWOPPENY (sic) of Blowers Place in this parish and Ann his wife. She died 6th January 1738 aged 47 years. He died 2nd April 1750 aged 56 years.

23. HS Here lieth ye body of Mary ye wife of William LUCKHURST who departed this life August/April 8? 1704 aged 32 years.

24. HS Here lieth ye body of John CUTALL who departed this life Aprill? ye 7 1705 aged 96 years. And daughters.

25. High tomb In memory of Mrs. Elizabeth HUNT wife of Mr. Daniel Hunt of the parish of St. M……. Bartheston who died ….. April 1769 aged 74 years. Also of Mr. Daniel Hunt died 19? November 1772 aged …… years. (nothing on the sides of tomb).

26. There are 3 other high tombs but where writing exists it requires a special light to decipher it.

27. HS Primitive "cutting" of a face Here lie ye body of Thomas SCUBBER of Bamber, Fisherm.. who departed this life January ye 11 1704 aged 29.

28. From Rainham Parish Register 3 May 1897. Rev. C. Cobb, Vicar
1624 Iho fil Richard Bax March 16
1626 John fil Richard Bax July 9
1663 Anna filia Johannis et Mirriam Backs December 29
1666 Elizabeth Bax the daughter of John bapt the 18th of November 1666
1667 Mary Bax the daughter of John Bax baptiz the 16 of October
1671 John Bax the sonne of John and Mary baptiz 5th of November to 1682
1686 August 29 Elizabeth daughter of John Bax and Sarah
1687.8 January 8 John son of John Bax and Sarah
1689 April 19 William sonn of John Bax and Sarah
[Searched bapts only to 1715].

Index of Names and Places

Names Index
ASHDOWN 7
ATHERDEN 10
Barfoot 21
Bax 28
BRETT 13
CAMP 18
Cobb 28
CROCKER 5
CUTALL 24

ELVY 1, 2
FOWLE 6, 7
FREDERICK 20
HARLOCK 21
HUNT 25
KNIGHT 8, 9, 11
LANE 4
LUCKHURST 23
MILES 15, 16, 17
Rayner 18
RIPPOTH 19
SCOTT 12
SCUBBER 27
Simmons 11
Skinner 15
Smit 12
TILDEN 14
TWOPPENY 22

Places IndexBlowers Place 22
Bamber 27
Bartheston 25
Bridger 12

Chatham 5
Nettlested 21
Upchurch 8, 9GeneralBailiff 7
Fisherman 27
Frigate, Hyaena 19
Parish Register 28
Vicar 28
yeoman 16, 21