WILMSLOW CHURCH,
CHESHIRE. {253a}
THE village of Wilmslow is in the hundred of Macclesfield, in Cheshire,
and before the introduction of railways, the mail-coach road from
Manchester to Birmingham passed through it. It has not the advantage of
having a market, but has some little trade, and possesses the convenience
of being one of the stations of the London and North-Western (formerly
the Manchester and Birmingham) Railway, which passes close to it; and it
is pleasantly situate on the south bank of the river Bollin, which there
flows through a picturesque and beautiful valley.
The parish of Wilmslow (anciently called Le Bolyn) contains four
townships:—Bollin Fee, which comprehends the hamlets of
Bollin-cum-Norcliffe, Hough, and Dean Row; Pownall Fee, which comprehends
the hamlets of Morley and Styal; Chorley, also comprehended in the manor
of Pownall Fee; and Fulshaw.
Wilmslow, in strictness, singularly enough, consists exclusively of the
parish church with its churchyard, and of a small plot of land, now
covered with buildings, near the church; and nearly the whole of the town
is built in the hamlets of Hough and Dean Row.
The church is dedicated to St. Bartholomew, and is built of dark-coloured
stone, close to the river, and consequently derives no advantage from
elevation or position. The tower is ornamented with battlements and
pinnacles, and has a peal of six bells; and both the tower and the church
are of the Gothic style of architecture, though with some modern
alterations. The church has evidently been rebuilt and considerably
altered, at various periods, one of the latest of which must have been
not long prior to the Reformation; and it has a clerestory and rood-loft.
The nave of the church is spacious, and on each side of it, and of the
chancel, are lofty and pointed arches, supported by octagonal pillars.
The pulpit has some handsome carved work, of a style which was common in
the time of Elizabeth and James I. On each side of the chancel is an
oratory or chapel. These chapels are separated from the altar, by
projecting wing-walls, and also from the body of the chancel, by portions
of an oaken screen, much mutilated; but the portions which remain are
sufficient to show that it has been handsome; and on the south side, some
small Tudor roses are yet visible in many parts; and a continuation of
the wood-work, much defaced, extends under the rood-loft, so as to
separate the chancel from the nave.
The chapel on the south side of the chancel is called the Earl of
Stamford’s Chapel, or the Booth Chapel. The present Earl of Stamford is
a descendant of the family of that name. It contains a massive raised
tomb, evidently of very great antiquity, built against the wall on the
south side, and bearing a strong resemblance to an altar; the
inscription, if it ever contained any, is now quite obliterated. A
grave-stone near it commemorates the “fifth son of S. William Booth, of
Dunham Massey, who departed this life the 28th day of March, 1620,” at
least so the date appeared to me; but there is some difficulty in
deciding upon the two last figures of it, because the wood-work of a
partition nearly covers them. Adjoining to it is another grave-stone,
much defaced, to the memory of Lady Elizabeth Booth, who died on the 14th
June, 1636. It appears, from a statement of donations painted up in
another part of the church, that this lady benevolently left a sum of
money, for the distribution of twelve loaves of bread weekly, to poor
aged persons in Wilmslow; a dole which is still kept up.
In this chapel, close to the left side of the door, on entering from the
churchyard, is an ancient pew, with carved panels at the back, on one of
which are cut the following initials and date:—
S G B B
1557.
Probably meant for Sir George Booth, of Bollin, because at one period,
the Booths resided at Bollin Hall, near Wilmslow, which was, after many
mutations and alterations, reduced to the rank of a farmhouse, and was at
last pulled down, when the railway was made.
The chapel or oratory, on the north side of the chancel and altar, is
called the Pownall Chapel, and in its east window are four scrolls, in
stained glass, each containing the words, “Ego autem in Dño gaudebo.”
{255b} On the north side of the chapel, is a piscina {255a} in the wall;
and on the south side, on the floor, close to the projecting wing-wall,
separating it from the altar, is a grave-stone, evidently of great
antiquity, with a singularly shaped cross carved upon it, the ends of the
arms of which are sloped off, instead of being carved square; and the
inscription is almost illegible, except that on each side of the cross,
there are yet to be seen the initials T H S, in the old characters.
At the east end of the chancel, is a large and handsome altar window, of
the Perpendicular Gothic style; and on the outside, immediately above it,
is a carved shield of arms, containing “the Griffin segreant,” the
armorial bearing of the Traffords. In the projecting wall, on the north
side of the altar, is a small square open recess, apparently intended, in
former ages, for an almbury, or aumbery, in which the sacred vessels, and
articles used in the celebration of the mass, were usually kept. The
roof of the church is very handsome, of oak, the cross beams being
elaborately carved, and in various places in the roof, the initial
letters H. T. appear in the ancient character, doubtless intended for
Henry Trafford, the last rector of Wilmslow, before the overthrow of the
Papal supremacy, and the first of that rectory of the Reformed religion,
if the Reformation can strictly be said to have been established, during
the lifetime of the capricious monarch, Henry VIII. I shall have
occasion to say more of this ecclesiastic hereafter. There are also one
or two shields of arms painted on the beams, containing “the Griffin
segreant, gules;” they furnish additional proof, that a large portion of
the church, and probably the roof, were rebuilt or renovated, just before
the Reformation. Amongst other ornaments on the roof, an etoile, or
star, appears painted in several places where the beams intersect each
other. {256}
The font is massive, quite devoid of ornament, and bears the appearance
of great antiquity.
At the west end of the church is an arch, which is said to have formerly
opened into the belfry of the tower; it is an exact segment of a circle;
but as it has not the slightest appearance of the zig-zag, or
dog’s-tooth, or any other of the ornaments so generally met with, on
Norman arches, I am of opinion that it is of a comparatively modern date,
and was probably erected when a portion of the church and its tower were
rebuilt or altered, not long before the Reformation. This idea receives
some degree of countenance from the circumstance, that on the south-west
corner of the outside of the tower, is a niche with its carved canopy,
which formerly contained an image, said to have been that of the Virgin
Mary.
The church porch, which fronts the south, has been handsome, and much
ornamented, but is now considerably defaced, and over the porch entrance
is a handsomely carved niche with its canopy, {257a} which is said to
have contained an image of Saint Bartholomew, the tutelary saint of the
church; but at present, in lieu of the old saint, the niche is disfigured
by an unsightly slab, or piece of stone, of a different colour to the
rest of the stonework near it, let into the niche with an inscription,
communicating the important fact, that certain good men were
churchwardens some thirty or forty years ago. {257b} The fact of the
existence on the walls of an old church, of niches, which contain, or
formerly contained, images, is a sufficient proof, that they must have
been erected, at least before the Reformation.
On the south side of the nave of the church is a chapel, projecting into
the churchyard, called the Hawthorn Chapel, which, in the last century
but one, belonged to a junior branch of the Leighs, of Hawthorn Hall,
near Wilmslow. The arms of Leigh, “argent, a lion rampant, gardant,
gules,” with a crescent for difference, and also the crest of the family,
appear painted over an arch, which connects it with the church, and also
in stained glass in the window of the chapel.
This chapel appears, from the style of its window, to have been rebuilt
or altered, since the general prevalence of the Gothic style, but as some
remains of inscriptions, in ancient characters, have been discovered on
its walls, the inference is, that it is an old chapel rebuilt or much
altered.
Hawthorn Hall, and the estate belonging to it, afterwards came from the
Leighs to the family of Page, who were the proprietors of it, and resided
there, during a considerable part of the eighteenth century, and at last
sold it to a person named Bower, and it is now used as a school. It is
about half a mile from Wilmslow, and is an antique brick mansion, with
large gables, and a small cupola, and much resembles the style of
mansions which were in fashion during the reign of William III., said to
have been adopted from the Dutch. The same armorial bearings, before
mentioned, of the Leighs, with the crescent for difference, appears over
the principal entrances, on the north and south fronts of the mansion;
and on the lead spouts are the initials of one of the Leighs, J L, and
the date, 1698; which probably may also give us a hint of the date of the
rebuilding of the chapel.
In my observations on Wilmslow Church, I ought not to omit mentioning,
that in the churchyard, at the east end, is an ancient grave-stone, with
the date 1596, and on the north side of the church is another, of the
same date, inscribed with the names, “Phe. Dale.” {258}
Under the altar is an under-ground chapel or sacristy, which at one time
was unworthily used as a charnel-house, and when I visited it, in
January, 1849, it was a place of deposit for bricks and rubbish; I am
glad to hear that they have since been removed. With some difficulty I
entered it from the churchyard, by an opening which exists under the
large altar window. It is not vaulted with stone, as might have been
expected, but the wooden floor near the altar forms its roof. Three
recesses, resembling sedilia, in the Gothic style, and which, if they had
been discovered near an altar, would be at once pronounced to be sedilia,
are formed in the wall in front of the opening, and the centre one has an
inclined groove on each side, cut into the stone, which rather conveys
the impression as if a temporary desk, for reading, had formerly been
sometimes fixed up there. It is lighted by loopholes, opening into the
churchyard; and on the south side is a narrow winding staircase, of which
many of the steps remain, which at one time gave access from the altar to
it, but the communication is now built up. The steps in it commence
under a plain Gothic arch, and the staircase was lighted by a loophole,
which still remains.
The following is a list of the names of the various Rectors of Wilmslow,
from 1339:—{259a}
Hugo Fitton.
1339—2nd September Thomas de Chatterton.
Thomas Ffrost.
1412—28th April Galfridus Boseley.
Willielmus de Bothe.
1418—26th Julii Georgius Radcliffe.
Galfridus Boseley.
1419—11th September Georgius Radcliffe.
1425—20th October Ricardus Radcliffe.
1456— Radulphus Davenport.
1500—13th February Robertus Broke.
1522—_Ante_ Henry Trafford, D.D. {259b}
1537—_Circa_ Henry Ryle.
1542— Henry Trafford.
1591—30th September William Massie, B.D.
1610—27th August Thomas Wright.
1654—12th December, _ante_ John Brereton.
1660— Thomas Wright.
1661—28th November Peter Ledsham.
1673—16th February Francis Mosley.
1699—24th August John Usherwood, A.M.
1705—9th December Joshua Wakefield.
1718—21st November Henry Moore, D.D.
1770—4th March Edward Berresford, A.M.
1787—16th April Croxton Johnson, LL.B.
1814—28th March Joseph Bradshaw, A.M.
The Rev. John Matthias Turner, D.D., afterwards Bishop of Calcutta,
succeeded to the rectory about 1823, an interval having elapsed
subsequent to the death of Mr. Bradshaw, about 1820, during which the
living was in sequestration.
The present rector is the Rev. William Brownlow, M.A., who succeeded the
Rev. Dr. Turner, in 1829.
Whilst describing Wilmslow Church, although I avow myself a Protestant,
and a member of the Church of England, without any kind of leaning
towards the Church of Rome, and without even admiration of her rites or
ceremonies, I feel myself called upon, as an act of common justice to our
Roman Catholic predecessors, to mention, that I have remarked, both in
Wilmslow Church, and in various other ancient churches erected before the
Reformation, that they appear better calculated for hearing, or, in other
words, for the transmission of sound, than more modern churches; yet we
might suppose that the large arches and massive pillars in the former
would militate against that effect. It may be that the architects of an
age gone by, understood the science of acoustics better than those of our
time, and I throw out the suggestion (without giving any confident
opinion), whether the pillars, arches, and carved oak roof, may not have
the effect of preventing the too great number of pulses, or repetitions
of sound in a given time, by returns from the walls, on the principle,
that although the human voice in a large room, quite devoid of furniture,
carpets, curtains, or a crowded assembly, will often produce a confused
and indistinct echo, yet the resonance of the room becomes diminished,
and the reverberation of sound becomes less, and consequently we can
sometimes hear better, when the speaker is delivering his address in the
room, when it is properly furnished, and contains a number of auditors.
I may also add, that there is not any place of worship which I have been
accustomed to attend, where I am more impressed (if so much) with
feelings of devotion, than when attending divine service in this and
other ancient churches erected before the Reformation; whether those
feelings may arise from the reflection forcing itself upon the mind, that
generations after generations of our fellow-creatures have worshipped
there, and died since the walls of the sacred edifice were erected, or
whether the massive walls, pillars, arches, and Gothic windows, naturally
produce a certain degree of solemnity or seriousness on the mind, I
cannot say; I can only speak to the effect which I have mentioned, be the
cause what it may.
There is a very ancient chest in the vestry, in which are contained the
parish books, which is said to be 500 years old. It is formed out of one
solid block of oak, nearly four feet wide, by five feet long, and three
feet deep.
On the north side of the altar, and erected as a continuation of the
wing-wall before mentioned, is a very remarkable and perfect monument.
On an altar-tomb, {261} and in flowing ecclesiastical robes, lies, the
size of life, the effigy of Henry Trafford, who was rector of Wilmslow,
both whilst the Roman Catholic religion was predominant here, and after
the overthrow of the Papal supremacy. He obtained the living at least as
early as 1522, and died in 1537; and the figure is interesting, as
combining, so to speak, badges of both the old and the reformed religion.
The head has the tonsure or shaven crown, but it rests upon a large
clasped book, evidently intended for a Bible: a combination which I do
not recollect having ever seen in any other monument. On the leaves of
the Bible, parts of a short inscription are visible; but I was not able
to read more than the words “ut non,” which are not very legible. Round
the four upper edges of the tomb is the following inscription, which
unfortunately is not cut, but painted on the stone, and although now
legible, it is by no means certain that it will long continue so:—
“Hic jacet corp’ Mr. Henr’ci Treffort sacre theologie doctor
lice’ciat quo’d’ ca’celarii metropolit’ eccl’ie Ebor’ et Rector de
Holtō psōn Rector etia ’eccl’sie de Siglisthorn & i’ti eccl’ie qui
obiit primo die me’s’ Augusti ann’ D’ni - - - MCCCCCXXXVII cuj’ ai’e
o’ipote’s De’ sit p’pti’.”
In English the inscription reads thus:—
Here lies the body of Mr. Henry Trafford, a Doctor in Divinity,
formerly Surrogate of the Chancellor of the Metropolitan Church of
York, and Rector of Halton, Parson and Rector of the Church of
Sigglisthorne, and of this Church, who died on the first day of the
month of August, in the year of our Lord one thousand five hundred
and thirty-seven: to whose soul be the Almighty God merciful.
In Lysons’ _Mag. Brit._ {262a} it is stated, that on the side of this
tomb are painted an emaciated body, and scrolls with inscriptions, in
text-hand. I however could not discover any trace of them, and probably
they have been for some time defaced.
In the reign of Henry V. the advowson of Wilmslow came to the family of
Trafford, and now belongs to Sir T. J. De Trafford, {262b} Bart.
In the north wall of the Pownall Chapel are two obtuse arches, with
crockets and foliage; one containing a tomb, on which rests the figure of
a man, in flowing robes, his head resting between two tuns or casks, with
a scroll on his body, containing the word “Neuton.” The adjoining one
contains a tomb, on which rests the figure of a female, in a flowing
robe, with the head resting on a garb, or sheaf of corn, and with a purse
or pouch attached to her girdle. Both tombs have fronts, ornamented with
remains of carved work and shields, but they are so much in the dark, by
the construction of the seats, and the valances in the pews, that even
with a candle which the sexton brought me, I could not discover any
armorial bearings. The pew adjoining the tomb which has the figure of
the man, was not long ago used by the residents of Pownall Hall, near
Wilmslow, which formerly belonged to an ancient family named Fitton,
afterwards to another named Pownall, and, after passing through many
hands, was purchased by Mr. John Worrall, in 1817, and was again sold,
some eighteen or nineteen years ago, to James Pownall, Esq., {263a} of
Liverpool, who resided there for some time after his purchase.
It is well known what a proneness existed, during the middle ages, to
make punning rebuses, even in sacred buildings; and if the male figure be
intended for the effigy of Humphrey Newton, after mentioned, I cannot
discover a reason for the head of that figure being placed or fitted
between two tuns or casks, which appears intended as a rebus or
figurative enigma on the word Fit-ton, and has no allusion, that I am
aware of, to the word Newton. I do not mean to hazard any opinion as to
the time when the word “Neuton” was inscribed on it; but, if it were
originally inscribed there, I cannot see the application of the punning
rebus to the name Newton. I could not find the slightest trace of any
inscription except that, on either of the monuments; but we are informed,
on the authority of Ormerod, {263b} that on the man’s tomb was formerly
the following inscription:—“Orate pro Humphrido Neuton de Pownall
Armigero, et Elena uxore ejus, fil: et hered: Tho. Fitton et Cecilie ux:
ejus, qui obiit A.D. MCCCCC.” A modern inscription, in stained glass,
also commemorating Humphrey Newton and Ellen his wife, has been recently
placed in the window above the tomb.
In the chancel, in the front of the altar, is a grave-stone, with
brasses, representing a male and female, Sir Robert Booth, Knight, of
Bollin and Dunham, and Douce, his wife, with the right hand of the former
clasping that of the latter. This Sir Robert Booth is said {264a} to
have been slain at the battle of Blore Heath, in the wars of York and
Lancaster; and there is every reason to believe the statement, which is
corroborated in a remarkable manner, by the fact that the battle was
fought on St. Tecla’s day, {264b} 1459, which saint’s day is mentioned in
the inscription on the brass, as the date of his death. The following is
a copy of the inscription, given by Ormerod:{264c}—“Hic jacent corpus
Roberti del Bothe, militis, quondam d’ni de Bolyn, Thorneton, et Dunh’m
qui obiit in festo _s’ce Tecle Virginis anno domini mill’mo cccc_LX
{264d} et corpus _Dulcie ux’ris d’ci_ Rob’ti del Bothe que obiit in
castrino s’cte be’e Virginis anno Domini mill’mo CCCC _quinquagesimo
tercio_, _quorum animabus p’p’tietur Deus_. _Amen_.”
Some parts of the inscription have been purloined or lost, and some
portions are preserved in the vestry, and a small part still remains
affixed to the stone; but if the inscription given by Ormerod be correct,
as there is reason to believe, one or two fragments, which probably got
loose, have been injudiciously riveted on, in wrong places. Immediately
following the part of the date relating to the husband, “mill’mo CCCC,”
the pieces of brass containing the words “quinquagesimo tercio, quorum
animabus p’p’tietur Deus. Amen,” have been riveted on in a wrong place,
and, so far from having any relation to the death of the husband, clearly
allude to the death of the wife, in 1453, and conclude with the prayer so
common, in those times, for the souls of both of them.
Such portions of the inscription as I could ascertain, from a careful
inspection both of the parts of the inscription and brass fixed to the
stone, and of the parts which are loose, are marked in _italics_ in the
above copy of the inscription. {265a}
The brass has originally had a handsome Gothic canopy engraved over each
figure, but at present one portion, that over the husband, is missing.
He is represented without a helmet, and bareheaded, and in the armour of
that age, but without gauntlets (which indeed would have been a little
incongruous, as he is clasping the hand of his wife), and with a plated
gorget, and rather remarkable pauldrons; his feet rest upon a greyhound,
and near them is a shield of four quarters, of which the dexter chief
only can be deciphered, which represents a lion passant gardant. The
wife is represented in a loose robe, with her hair flowing, and without
any kind of head-dress, except a narrow fillet or band, on which precious
stones appear to have been represented, and at her feet is a small dog;
over her head is a shield, on which is a bend with three garbs. A
similar coat of arms appears on the wood-work attached to a seat, situate
very near the grave, carved boldly, and evidently at a remote period
back, and it is also seen in stained glass in the large altar window; it
appears to be the arms of Fitton, which were, “argent, on a bend azure,
three garbs, or.” Some few other armorial bearings and fragments of
stained glass, but in very indifferent preservation, may be seen in the
window of the chancel. {265b}
In concluding, I must here express my regret that this interesting
monument should be so situated as to be exposed to great risk of injury,
and even of destruction. It is usually covered by a mat, but that is not
a certain safeguard against its being worn and trampled under foot, by
persons passing through the chancel, and it is close to the place where
the charity children sit, a class of beings not very likely to respect
old monuments. The same plan might be advantageously pursued respecting
it, which has been successfully adopted with other monuments, in other
churches: it might, at a very trivial expense, be removed, with the
grave-stone to which it is attached, and placed, in an upright position,
on one of the walls of the chancel, and a common grave-stone might be put
down in the place of the present one, with a few words engraved,
commemorating the removal. The inscription on the Trafford tomb might,
at a light expense, be cut in, by a skilful man, so as to be a copy,
_verbatim et literatim_, of the words now painted on it, and precisely in
their present characters and places, in order to prevent the inscription
from being lost.
It is to be hoped that some of the members of the families of the
personages interred under the two last-named monuments, will adopt some
plan, with the sanction of the rector, for their preservation; if not, it
would be judicious for some few individuals, who possess sufficient taste
to appreciate those interesting memorials of an age long past, to set on
foot a small subscription, and adopt measures to preserve them from
further injury or mutilation.
The following lines, from Crabbe, {266} may, without impropriety, be
quoted here, after describing the ancient monuments in the church:
“Wonder not, mortal, at thy quick decay.
See! men of marble piecemeal melt away;
When whose the image we no longer read,
But monuments themselves memorials need.”