of our Lord, One Thousand Seven Hundred and Seventy Eight, and in
the Nineteenth Year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord George the
Third, by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, France and Ireland,
King, Defender of the Faith, &c. Between the Reverend John Gardenor
of Battersea, in the County of Surrey, Clerk, Allyn Simmons Smith,
John Camden and Thomas Rhodes, all of the same place Esquires, and
John Lumisden of the same, Surgeon, (being five of the Trustees
appointed for carrying into execution an Act of Parliament made and
passed in the fourteenth year of the Reign of his present Majesty
King George the Third, Intituled an Act for Re-building the Parish
Church of Battersea, in the County of Surrey, and for enlarging the
Church Yard of the said Parish Church) of the one part, and William
Dent of Battersea in the County of Surrey, Esquire, on the other part,
Witnesseth that for and in consideration of the sum of Thirty-one
Pounds Ten Shillings already paid and advanced by the said William
Dent to the Treasurer appointed for the purposes of the said Act of
Parliament, and also for and in consideration of the Yearly Rent and
Covenants hereinafter reserved and contained, they the said John
Gardenor, Allyn Simmons Smith, John Camden, Thomas Rhodes, and John
Lumisden, in persuance and in Execution of the powers and Authorities
vested in them in and by the said Act of Parliament, have Leased, Lett
and Demised, and by these presents, do Lease, Lett and Demise unto
the said William Dent, his Executors, Administrators and Assigns, All
that Pew situate and being in the Gallery on the North side of the
said Church of Battersea, (No. 62), with the appertenances. To have
and to hold the said Pew, with the appertenances unto the said William
Dent, his Executors, Administrators and Assigns, from the Feast day of
Saint Michael the Archangel, which was in the Year of our Lord, One
Thousand Seven Hundred and Seventy Seven, for and during, and unto
the full end and Term of Ninety Nine Years thence next ensuing and
fully to be complete and ended, Yealding and paying therefore Yearly
and every Year during the said Term, unto such person or persons, who
for the time being shall be lawfully appointed to collect or receive
the same Rent or sum of Two Shillings and Sixpence of lawful money
of Great Britain, on the Feast day of Saint Michael the Archangel,
in every year. And the said William Dent for himself, his Executors,
Administrators, and Assigns, doth Covenant and Agree to and with the
said before named Trustees, their Heirs and Assigns, That he the said
William Dent his Executors, Administrators and Assigns, shall and will
well and truly pay or cause to be paid the Rent hereby reserved and
made payable according to the reservation aforesaid, And also at his
and their own proper Costs and Charge, well and sufficiently repair
the said Pew so Leased to him, during all the said Term of Ninety Nine
Years, Provided always that if the said Yearly Rent hereby reserved,
or any part thereof shall be behind and unpaid by the space of Three
Calendar Months next over or after the said Feast day of payment,
whereon the same ought to be paid as aforesaid (being Lawfully
demanded) then and in such case the Demise or Lease hereby made shall
cease, determine, and be utterly void to all intents and purposes
whatsoever. In witness whereof the said parties to these presents have
hereunder interchangeably set their hands and seals, the day and Year
first above Written.
_Sealed and Delivered without stamps, according to the Act of
Parliament above in the presence of:_
Wm. HOLT,
ROBT. CORAM.
J. GARDNOR,
ALLYN SIMMONS SMITH,
JOHN CAMDEN
JOHN T. RHODES,
JOHN LUMISDEN.
The window over the Communion table at the east end of the church
is decorated with portraits of Henry 7th, his grandmother Margaret
Beauchamp and Queen Elizabeth in stained glass which was carefully
preserved from the former church, and executed at the expense of the
St. Johns.[1] The following will explain why the three portraits
were placed at the end of the Church. "The first, that of Margaret
Beauchamp, ancestor (by her first husband, Sir Oliver St. John) of
the St. Johns, and (by her second husband, John Beaufort, Duke of
Somerset) grandmother to Henry VII.; the second, the portrait of that
Monarch; and the third, that of Queen Elizabeth, which is placed here
because her grandfather, Thomas Boleyn, Earl of Wiltshire, (father of
Queen Ann Boleyn), was great-grandfather of Anne, the daughter of Sir
Thomas Leighton, and wife of Sir John St. John, the first baronet of
the family."--_Oulton._
[Footnote 1: Here also in two circular windows pierced for additional
light are figures of the Holy Lamb and Dove of Modern Execution.
The east window consists of painted glass, over the portraits of Queen
Elizabeth and Henry VII. are the Royal Arms in the central compartment,
and on each side, the arms and quarterings of the St. Johns. The
portraits are likewise surrounded with borders containing the arms of
the families allied to them by marriage. At the top is a white rose
inclosed in a red, under the Crown. _St. John_ bears Arg. or a chief
Gu. 2 Mullets or; and Quarters: 1 Arg. A bend Arg. Cotised between 6
Martlets or, for _Delaberes_. 2 Arg. a fesse between 6 Cinquefoils Gu.
for _Unfreville_. 3 Erm. on a fesse Az 3 Crosses Moline or. 4 Gu. a
fesse between 6 Martlets or for _Beauchamp_. 5 Arg. a fesse Sa between
3 Crescents Gu. for _Patishall_. 6 Paly of 6 Arg. and Az on a bend Gu.
3 Eagles displayed or for _Grandison_. 7 Az 2 bars Gemelles, and in
Chief a lion passant for _Tregoze_. 8 Arg. a fesse Gu between 2 Mullets
of 6 points Sali for _Ewyas_. 9 A Saltire Engrailed Sa. On a Chief of
the Second 2 Mullets of the first, for _Iwarby_ or _Ewarby_. 10 or, 3
lions passant in Pale Sa. for _Carew_. 11 Az 3 Battleaxes Arg. 12 Sa.
2 bars Arg. in Chief, 3 plates for _Hungerford_. 13 per Pale indented
Gu. and Vert over all a Chevron or. 14 Arg. 3 Toads Sa for _Botreux_.
15 Paly wavy or and Gu. All these are quarters on one shield with a
Viscount Coronet; the 11 first are quartered by St. John, Baronet.]
The epitaph written by Lord Bolingbroke on his wife reads as follows:
"In the same vault are interred the remains of Mary Clara des Champs
de Marcelly, Marchioness of Villette and Viscountess Bolingbroke,
born of noble family, bred in the Court of Lewes 14th. She reflected
a lustre on the former by the superior accomplishment of her mind.
She was an ornament to the latter by the amiable dignity and grace of
her behaviour. She lived the honour of her own sex, the delight and
admiration of ours. She died an object of imitation to both with all
the firmness that reason, with all the resignation that religion can
inspire, aged 74 the 18th of March, 1750."
The interior contains some interesting sepulchral monuments, among
which is one of Roubiliac in the reliefs to the memory of Viscount
Bolingbroke and his second wife, niece of Madame de Maintenon, both
lie in the family vault in St. Mary's Church. The epitaphs on himself
and his wife were both written by Bolingbroke. That upon himself is
still extant in his own handwriting in the British Museum, and is
as follows:--"Here lies Henry St. John, in the reign of Queen Anne,
Secretary of War, Secretary of State and Viscount Bolingbroke; in
the days of King George I. and King George II. something more and
better. His attachment to Queen Anne exposed him to a long and severe
persecution; he bore it with firmness of mind, he passed the latter
part of his life at home, the enemy of no national party, the friend
of no faction, distinguished under the cloud of proscription, which
had not been entirely taken off by zeal to maintain the liberty and
to restore the ancient prosperity of Great Britain." Another monument
commemorates the descent and preferments of Oliver St. John, Viscount
Grandison, who was the first of the family that settled at Battersea.
When studying the law at one of the Inn Courts, he killed in a duel the
Captain of the Guard to Queen Elizabeth and Champion of England. "In
1648, Sir John St. John was buried at Battersea with such unusual pomp
that the heralds were fluttered and commenced a prosecution against
the Executor for acting contrary to the usage of arms and the laws of
heraldry. William Riley, one of the heralds deposed 'that the funeral
of the deceased was conducted in a manner so much above his degree that
the escutcheons were more than were used at the funeral of a Duke; and
that he never saw so many persons but at the funeral of one of the
blood royal.' This burial is omitted in the register." In the south
gallery is a monument to Sir Edward Wynter, an officer in the service
of the East India Company in the reign of Charles 2nd, on which is
recorded an account of his having singly and unarmed killed a tiger,
and on foot defeated forty Moors on horseback. He appears to have
been a friendless youth but obtained his promotion by virtue of his
intelligence, courage and good conduct as the epitaph states:--
"Born to be great in fortune as in mind,
Too great to be within an Isle confin'd,
Young, helpless, friendless seas unknown he tried;
But English courage all those wants supplied.
A pregnant wit, a painful diligence,
Care to provide, a bounty to dispence,
Join'd to a soul sincere, plain, open, just,
Procur'd him friends, and friends procured him trust;
These were his fortune's rise, and thus began
This hardy youth, rais'd to that happy man,
A rare example and unknown to most
Where wealth is gain'd and conscience is not lost.
Not less in martial honour was his name--
Witness his actions of immortal fame!
Alone, unarm'd a tiger[1] he oppress'd
And crush'd to death the monster of a beast;
Twice twenty mounted Moors he overthrew
Singly on foot; some wounded, some he slew,
Dispers'd the rest--what more could Samson do?
True to his friends, a terror to his foes
Here now in peace his honour'd bones repose."
_Vita Peregrinatio._
[Footnote 1: Being attacked in the woods by a tiger, he placed himself
on the side of a pond, and when the tiger flew at him, he caught him in
his arms, fell back with him into the water, got upon him, and kept him
down till he had drowned him.]
He died March 2nd, 1685-6, aged 64.
Near at hand is a monument--a small statue of a mourning female leaning
upon an urn--erected by the benevolent James Neild, in memory of his
wife Elizabeth, who died 30th of June, 1791, in her 36th year. The
epitaph states:--
Here low in beauteous form decay'd
My faithful wife, my love Eliza's laid;
Graceful with ease, of sentiment refin'd,
Her pleasing form inclos'd the purest mind!
Round her blest peace, thy constant vigils keep
And guard fair _innocence_ her sacred sleep,
'Till the last trump shall wake the exulting day.
To bloom and triumph in eternal day.
_Conjux Mærens Posuit._
And of her father, John Camden, Esq., whose son, John Camden Neild,
lived in Cheyne Walk, Chelsea, and bequeathed to Queen Victoria the
whole of his property, £500,000.
At the east end of the north gallery is a beautiful marble monument
most elaborately sculptured sacred to the memory of Sir John Fleet,
Knt., Alderman of the City of London. He was unanimously elected Lord
Mayor of the City in 1693. He received Royal favours, and all ranks
of the greatest honour and esteem from his fellow citizens, having
been one of their representatives in Parliament thirteen years, and
constantly interested in their highest stations, in which offices
and honours he was universally applauded. He was a merchant and just
magistrate, constant to church, loyal to his Prince, and true to his
country. He was fortunate and honest, bountiful in charity a generous
benefactor and a faithful friend.--_Obit_ 6 _Julii_ 1712. _Ætat:_ 65.
Another tablet is erected to the memory of Margaret Susanna Pounsett,
wife of Henry Pounsett, Esq., of Stockwell, in this County, and eldest
daughter of Richard Rothwell, Esq., of this Parish; Alderman of the
City of London and High Sheriff of the County of Middlesex: she died on
the 22nd day of March, 1820, in the 32nd year of her age, leaving two
sons and three daughters. Her numerous amiable and exemplary qualities,
endeared her to her family in her life--Her Christian piety and
cheerful resignation alone consoled them in her death. Also of Ellen
Anne Pounsett, her second daughter, who died the 7th of December, 1834,
aged 22.
In the west gallery is a marble tablet sacred to the memory of Richard
Rothwell, Esq., Alderman and formerly High Sheriff of the City of
London, and County of Middlesex; who departed this life most deeply
regretted, July 26th, A.D. 1821, in the 60th year of his age. In the
public station which he filled of Magistrate and Sheriff, his strict
integrity, his splendid liberality, and his genuine philanthropy,
justly merited and procured the highest esteem, and warmest approbation
of his fellow citizens. In his private character he was respected
for the vigor of his mind, the solidity of his judgment, and the
uprightness of his principles, and beloved for the urbanity of his
manners, and the benevolence of his heart. In him the perplexed found
an able counsellor, and the distressed an active friend. His feelings
were tenderly alive to the important truths of religion, and while
punctual in the performance of the duties of this life he placed his
sole reliance on the merits of his Redeemer for happiness in the life
to come.
On the right-hand-side of the pathway leading towards the porch of
the Church is a grave stone at the bottom of which is the following
inscription:--"Mrs. Sarah Eleanor McFarlane, who fell by the hand of
an assassin the 29th of April, 1844, aged 46 years." This poor widow
resided in Bridge Road, and obtained a subsistence by keeping a Day
and Sunday School. The name of the murderer who deprived the life of
his victim by cutting her throat on Old Battersea Bridge, was Augustus
Dalmas, a Frenchman. This horrid crime was committed late at night. The
woman who had charge of the toll seeing the helpless condition of Mrs.
McFarlane conveyed her to the "Swan and Magpie" Tavern at the foot of
the Bridge, where she expired exclaiming "Dalmas did it!"
In the north gallery is an upright marble tablet for Sir [George]
Wombwell, Bart., of Sherwood Lodge, who died October 28th, 1846, in his
77th year.
At the east end of the south aisle is a tablet to Thomas Astle, Esq.,
F.S.A., keeper of the records in the Tower, and who wrote on "The
Origin and Progress of Writing." He left a valuable collection of
manuscripts which were deposited at Stow, the seat of his noble patron
the Marquis of Buckingham, to whom he gave by his will the option of
purchasing them at a fixed sum.
In the churchyard lies Arthur Collins, author of "The Peerage and
Baronetage of England." His grandson, David Collins, Lieutenant
Governor of New South Wales, and author of a History of the English
Settlement there. William Curtis a distinguished botanical writer,
author of the "Flora Londinensis," was buried here, January 31, 1731.
"While living herbs shall spring profusely wild,
So long thy works shall please dear nature's child,
Or gardens cherish all that's sweet and gay
So long thy memory suffer no decay."
The Countess de Morella, who lived in one of the five mansions which
gave its old name of Five House Lane to Bolingbroke Grove, has placed
a coped stone with a cross on it over the old grave of her aunt Miss
Elizabeth Hofer, in the church yard near the mortuary, and has had the
tablets of her family at the west end of the north gallery cleaned.
Mr. Poole, the Curator of the monuments in Westminster Abbey, is now
engaged in cleaning some of the mural monuments in the Church which had
become grimed with the dust of years.
In the centre of the plot in front of the portico is the family vault
of Sir Rupert George, Bart. Mr. Chadwin, one of the oldest parishioners
now living in Battersea, relates how Sir Rupert George came to select
St. Mary's Church yard as his burying place. "He was on a visit to
Lord Cremorne, at Cremorne House, on the opposite side of the Thames,
and he came over to Battersea and was so impressed with the beauty of
the view across the river that he purchased the vault as a resting
place for himself and his family. Several of his sons and daughters
are interred there, and Dr. Inglis, Bishop of Nova Scotia, the first
Colonial Bishop, was also buried in the vault of Sir Rupert George, to
whom he was fondly attached by the strongest ties of friendship and
also closely allied by marriage." The Bishop's tablet is on the wall
under the north gallery.
Charles Williams of London was an actor of some eminence at the Theatre
Royal, Drury Lane. He died in the prime of life. His mortal remains
were interred in the church yard. As a tribute of respect his funeral
was attended by the whole body of Comedians; the pall was supported by
Wilks, Griffin, the two Cibbers, and the two Mills. "There is" says
Daniel Lysons, "no memorial of his grave."
It is thought that as the former Church was built of brick that
probably it was not very ancient. A church is mentioned in Doomsday,
a most ancient record, made in the time of William 1st, surnamed the
_Conqueror_, and containing a survey of all the lands in England.
Lysons, from whom we take the liberty of making some liberal
quotations, when writing about 85 years ago, says, "The Church of
Battersea is dedicated to St. Mary; it is in the Diocese of Winchester,
and in the Deanery of Southwark, the benefice is a Vicarage. Lawrence,
Abbot of Westminster, first procured the appropriation of the great
tithes for that Abbey about the year 1156. The monks of Westminster
were to receive out of it two marks, reserving sufficient to the Vicar
to support the Episcopal burdens and himself. The Rectory was held
by John Bishop of Winchester in the time of Philip and Mary. The
principal profits of the Vicarage accrued from the gardens, which
rendered the living one of the most valuable in the neighbourhood of
London. The gardeners at Battersea paid 7s. 6d. an acre for tithes
to the Vicar. The living of Battersea is dated in the King's Book
at £13 15s. 2½d." The present living is estimated at about £1,000
with residence. "In the Valor of 1291, usually termed Pope Nicholas'
Taxation, the Rectory is valued at 26 marks and a half: the Vicarage
at £4 3s. 4d. In 1658 the Rectory was stated as worth £80 a year, and
the Vicarage at £100, and in the King's Book the Vicarage stands at
£13 15s. 2½d. Battersea was one of those parishes which in memory of
the Abbey dedicated to St. Peter, presented to the Abbot and Convent
in early times, the tithes of salmon taken in this portion of the
river. The Incumbents however of Chelsea, _Battersea_, and Wandsworth
endeavoured to shake this custom off as long ago as 1231, but failed:
the composition entered into upon the occasion may be seen in Dart's
History of Westminster Abbey."--_Ecclesiastical Topography._
"There are two terriers of Battersea in the register of Winchester
fastened together of the dates of 1619 and 1636."--_Ducarel's
Endowments of Vicarages_, (Lambeth Library). "Owen Ridley, who was
instituted to the Vicarage of Battersea, A.D. 1570, appears to have
been involved in a tedious litigation with his parishioners and to have
encountered no small degree of persecution from them. The circumstance
would not have been worth recording but for two curious petitions which
it produced, the originals of which (date of both 1593) were in the
possession of the Rev. John Gardenor, Vicar, by whom, (says Lysons)
they have been obligingly communicated. One of these is from certain
inhabitants to Dr. Swale, one of Her Majesty's High Commissioners for
crimes Ecclesiastical; in which they state many grievances which they
suffered from their Vicar during the space of eighteen years. Amongst
other crimes alleged against him is that of conversing with a Witch.
The object of their petition was, that he might be deprived. It is
signed with thirteen names and about thirty marks. The other petition,
which is to Lord Burleigh, being the more curious of the two is here
given at large. _To the Right Honourable the Lord Burleigh, Lord High
Treasurer of England._ Most humbly sheweth unto your honor, your daiely
orators, the inhabitants of Battersey, besechinge you to extend your
favor in all just causes to our mynister Mr. Ridley: (so it is right
honorable) that some have sought his deprivation, by many trobles many
years together, and in divers courts sometymes in the Archdeacon's,
sometymes by complayninge to the busshop, sometymes before the highe
Commissioners, sometymes before the Archbusshop of Canterbury, his
grace: Yea and once he hath ben edicted at the assizes. But God the
defender of the innocent, hath so protected him that his cawse beinge
tryed and knowene he hath hadd a good issue of all theis trobles;
yet the adversarie will not cease, but seeketh to deprive him of his
life, for seekinge after Witches, and procuringe the death of a man by
Witchcraft. He hath byn our Vicar theis twenty years: he is zealous in
the gospell, honest in life, painefull to teache us and to catechise
our youth; charitable and liberall to the poore and needy accordinge
to his ability, he never sued any of all his parisheoners for tythes,
althoughe he hath hadd cawse gyven by some so to doe. Of our conscience
wee take him rather to hate wytches, than to seeke after them; for he
hath spoken often very bitterly against them out of the bible, neither
doe we thinke or suspect the woman to be a witche which is accused,
but hath always lyved honestly, quietly and painefully here, to get a
poore lyvinge truly. Therefor the man being such a one, whom for his
virtues wee love, his trobles heretofore so greate, so many and so
chandgable to the undoings of himself, his wife and children, and now
so daingerous for the hope of his life, doth move us to become suitors
unto your honour for him, besechinge your honor to take notice, and to
make due triall of him and his cawse, so that the truth being fownd
owte, justice maie take place; Your honor will defend the innocent in
his innocencee, putt an end to his tonge, many wearisome and daingerous
trobles and be a patrone unto him in all his good and honest actions;
so shall we be bound to thancke God for you, and pray for you for ever.
Signed by Robert Cooke Alias Clarencieulx Roy d'Armes, Robert Claye,
preacher, and fourteen others."
"Dr. Thomas Temple, brother of Sir John Temple, the Irish Master of
the Rolls, was instituted to the Vicarage of Battersea in 1634, and
continued there during the civil wars; he was one of the ministers
appointed by Cromwell to assist the Committee for displacing ignorant
and insufficient School Masters and Ministers. He was likewise one
of the Assembly of Divines and a frequent preacher before the long
Parliament. Several of his sermons are in print. Mr. Temple was
succeeded in the Vicarage of Battersea by the learned Bishop Patrick,
who was educated at Queen's College, Cambridge, and was domestic
Chaplain to Sir Walter St. John, by whom he was presented to this
benefice. Several of his tracts were published while he was Vicar of
Battersea and are dedicated to his patron. He resigned the Vicarage in
1675. He was a zealous champion of the protestant religion, both by
his writings and in conversation, particularly at a conference which
he, in conjunction with Dr. Jane, held in the presence of James the
Second with two Roman Catholic Priests, in which he had so much the
superiority over his opponents in argument, that the King retired in
disgust, saying that he never heard a good cause so ill defended or a
bad one so well. At the Revolution he was rewarded with the Bishopric
of Chichester, and was afterwards translated to Ely. He died 1707, and
left behind him a numerous collection of printed works; consisting of
sermons, devotional and controversial tracts and paraphrases on the
Scriptures, which are held in great estimation and which were continued
by William South."
"Dr. Thomas Church, of Brazen Nose College, Oxford, who was instituted
to the Vicarage of Battersea in the year 1740, distinguished himself
much in the field of controversy in which he engaged against Westley
and Whitfield, and Middleton: for his successful attacks on the latter
and his defence of the miraculous power during the early years of
Christianity. The University of Oxford gave him the degree of D.D.
by diploma. He was too zealously attached to his religion to let the
opinions of Lord Bolingbroke pass unnoticed notwithstanding he had been
his patron. His publication on this subject however was anonymous, it
was called 'An Analysis of the Philosophical Works by the late Lord
Bolingbroke,' and came out in 1755. He died in 1756, aged 49."
"The registers of this parish begin in the year 1559, and excepting
the former part of the 18th century appear to be accurate. Dr. Church
soon after he was instituted to the Vicarage began to transcribe a
considerable part of the registers, which for many years preceding
had been kept by a very ignorant parish clerk. He proceeded so far as
to copy the whole of the baptisms, and with great industry rectified a
vast number of mistakes and supplied many deficiencies; the difficulty
of transcribing the burials of which indeed for some years there
were no notices, discouraged him from proceeding any further in this
laudable undertaking."--_Lysons._