The Boynton family and the family seat of Burton Agnes/Burton Agnes Church

by Carus Vale Collier

BURTON AGNES CHURCH

AND INSCRIPTIONS

THE CHURCH.

The Church of Burton Agnes is dedicated to St. Martin, and was given with the tithes by Gosfrid Baynard to the Abbey of St. Mary at York.^[1]

The earliest existing remains indicate a Church of the first half of the 12th century, the plan of which consisted of an aisleless nave, doubtless with an aisleless chancel with square east end. The surviving remains of this 12th century Church, include the masonry at the four angles of the nave, and a narrow little window placed high up in the wall nearly opposite the present south door. Under the south aisle roof are some eaves corbels of this earlier work re-used. The chancel arch has been restored. The jamb shafts and outer order and hood-mould of the arch are original work, but the arch has been altered to the pointed form, and the inner order was made new possibly in the 13th century, and probably the arch itself was widened.

The font dates from the middle of the 12th century, its sides are decorated with interlacing arches.

Burton Agnes Church was a typical aisleless Church of the type common in the Wold district, as elsewhere in the early part of the 12th century.

During the third quarter of the 12th century, a north aisle was added to the Church. The earlier wall was pierced with an arcade of three bays. The piers are cylindrical, with scalloped cushion caps, square chamfered abaci and pointed arches of a single square order. This aisle was much narrower than the present one.

In the second quarter of the 13th century a south aisle was added to the nave. The earlier wall was taken down, and replaced by an arcade of three bays. The piers are cylindrical and octagonal, with corbels to the responds and simple chamfered arches. The arcade bases have square plinths. This aisle also was originally narrower than it is at present. Early in the 14th century both aisles were widened.

In 1314, the chantry of the Blessed Virgin Mary was founded by Roger de Somerville,^[2] and in 1317 a licence was granted to translate the body of his wife Maud to the new "ala" adjoining the Church. The founder's tomb is on the north side, under the arch in the wall. He died in 1337.

There are two monumental recesses of this period in the south wall of the south aisle.

In the 15th century the clear story of the nave and the west tower were added. A chapel was added to the north side of the north aisle near its east end, either late in the 15th century or early in the 16th century. The second Sir Walter Griffith who died in 1531, expressed a wish that his body might be buried in the new chapel annexed to the church of St. Martin at Annes Burton, where his mother was buried.^[3] Sir Walter's mother was Agnes (Constable), who died in 1506, and who left £10 to church work at Burton Agnes, and desired to be buried "in Annes Burton Church in the chauntre closett therein by our Lady, as my sonne knowthe."^[4] This chapel was standing until the last century when it was used as a parish school. A wide four-centred arch remains in the wall marking the position of this chapel.

In 1730, Sir Griffith Boynton, Bart., beautified the Church,^[5] and to this date we may refer the pews and other woodwork in nave and aisles.

In 1763 the roof was releaded, and in 1840 Archdeacon Wilberforce^[6] completely rebuilt the chancel.

1. The oldest monument in the Church is one placed under a recess in the north wall of the chapel of the Blessed Virgin. The side, that is seen, is ornamented with quatrefoils, and above is a loose slab bearing a modern inscription as follows:—

Here lies Sir Roger Somervile
Summoned to Parliament among the Barons of the Realm
In the 18th of Edward III
and died in February, 1336.
Also Sir Philip Somervile, his Brother and Heir
Who departed this life the 23rd of January, 1354
Posess'd of this and several other Manors
Was succeeded by his Daughter and Grandaughter
viz. Joane Wife of Sir Rees ap Griffith
Who died 8 October, 1377, at Stockton-in-Warwickshire
and Maude Daughter of John Stafford (?)
Elizabeth 2nd Daughter of the said Sir
. . . . . . . . . . . . .

2. In the east window of this chapel are two kneehng figures, a man in armour and a lady. His tabard and her mantle are blazoned Barry argent and gules, within a bordure azure charged with martlets. (Merlay). Below are the words

Sir Roger de Somervile
and Maude his Wife.

3.

Here he the Remains of Sir Walter Griffith, Kt.
who departed this life on the 9th day of August, 1481
and Jane his first Wife
Daughter of Sir Ralph Nevill, by Mary
Grandaughter to John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster
In the Chapel also lie the Remains
of Agnes, Second Wife of the said Sir Walter
Daughter of Sir Robert Constable of Flamborough
and married secondly to Sir Gervase Clifton
of Clifton, in the County of Nottingham, Kt. of the Bath
She died January the 23rd, 1505
Leaving Issue by Sir Walter Griffith aforesaid Walter his
Successor made Knt. of the Bath on All-hallows Eve, 1494
at the Creation of Henry 2nd son of Henry VII. Duke of York
and Agnes Married to Gervase Clifton,
of Clifton-in-Nottinghamshire, Knt. of the Bath,
Son of Sir Gervase, above mentioned.

This last inscription refers to the altar tomb and effigies in the middle of the chapel. At the east end of the monument are two shields of arms, one bears Nevill and Boteler of Wem and Oversley, quarterly; and the other Somerville quartering Griffith with an inescutcheon of pretence, for Merlay. The effigies represent Sir Walter Griffith and his wife Joan Nevill. Sir Walter wears armour of the third quarter of the 15th century, his head rests on a helm with mantling, and a woman's head, for crest. His feet rest on a griffin. His head is bare,

and his hair is rounded over and his face clean shaven. He wears the collar of SS with trefoil loop, from which is suspended a small ring. The effigy of Joan Nevill has the head resting on a cushion held by two angels. The feet rest on two lap dogs collared and belled. The costume is of the same period as her husband's armour, and she wears a collar of SS with trefoil loop. The lady's hair is bound with a fillet. There are two small effigies, one on each side of the larger ones and quite similar to the larger, representing a son and daughter.

The figures on the sides of the monument are (South side) a bishop, St. John Baptist, St. Gabriel, the B.V.M., St. John, Evan., a bishop and St. Martin; (North side) St. Sithe, St. Frideswide, St. Margaret, St. Anne, St. Katherine, St. Agnes, St. Martha or Juliana.

In the window of the chapel are these arms and inscriptions:—

4.

Arms—Gules, on a fess dancettes argent between six lioncels rampant gold, three martlets (sable) for Griffith, impaling Gules, seven mascels 3, 3 and 1 gold, over all a label of three points azure for Ferrers. Below—

Sir Walter Griffith Knight
of the Bath married Jane
Daughter of Sir John Ferrers
of Tamworth and died Oct. 30th, 1557.

5. Arms—Silver, a chevron sable between three birds for Thomas, impaling Gules, on a bend between six cross crosslets fitchfee silver, an inescutcheon gold, charged with a demi-lion pierced through the mouth with an arrow, within a double tressure flory counter-flory gules, for Howard. Below—

Sir Rees ap Thomas
Son of Thomas ap Griffith, Knight of the Garter
married Katherine, Daughter of
Thomas Howard, Duke of Norfolk.

6. Mural Monument.

In Memory of Sir Henry Griffith Knt. and Bart, and Elizabeth his Wife Daughter of Thos. Throckmorton of Coughton in Com. of Warwick, Efq by Margaret Daughter and co-heir of William Whorwood, Efq. Attorney General to King Henry VHI Sir Henry had Ifsue Walter, Ralph, Margaret, Henry, (his succefsor) and Frances married Sir Matthew Boynton of Barmfton in this County, Knt. and Bart.

Arms — Griffith, implaing Gules, on a chevron silver, three bars gemelles sable, for Throckmorton. Above are two esquires helmets with mantling. The dexter bears a grifiin passant, the sinister, a gold falcon, . A large monument on which are three coffins, with a display of skulls and other bones on the base. This Monument was erected In Memory of Sir Henry Griffith, Bart. and his two wives. the one (as appeaxs by the Arms) a Willoughby and the other a Bellingham. Arms on pediment — Middle — Quarterly of six. 1. Griffith. 2. Gules, a chevron between three helms closed gold, for Owen ap Meredith. 3. Somerville. 4. Ermine, four chevrons gules on a canton of the last a lion passant, for Orreby. 5. Merlay. 6. Barry of twelve silver and gules for Stuteville. Over all on fess point, a Baronet's badge. Crest — On an Esquire's helm with mantling a griffin passant gold. Dexter — SUver, three bugle horns sable, stringed gules, for Belhngham. Sinister — Gold, two bars gules and three water bougets of the field, for Willoughby. Page:The Boynton family and the family seat of Burton Agnes.djvu/110 Page:The Boynton family and the family seat of Burton Agnes.djvu/111 Page:The Boynton family and the family seat of Burton Agnes.djvu/112 Page:The Boynton family and the family seat of Burton Agnes.djvu/113

1. Cat. Chart. Rolls, 1308, p. 114. Torre's MSS. Drake's Eboracum, p. 585.
2. Pat. Rolls, 7 Ed. II. pt. I. mem. II.
3. Test. Ebor. V 287.
4. Test. Ebor. IV 242.
5. Par. Reg.
6. Vicar of Burton Agnes, 1840–1853.