North Muskham
St Wilfrid

Monuments and Memorials

Chancel

There is an unusual monument in the shape of a truncated rectangular alabaster pyramid with incised arrises on a chamfered base to John Smithe who died in 1581. On the pyramidal sides is the following inscription:

Heare
lieth ye corp
of Jhon smithe
Meate for Wormes to
fede therwith. Whose soul
is gone to god on hie. Through
Christes’ merites a[n]d gods mercie.
Whose bodie I hope shall rise agayne.
And ever with Christe for to remayne
Deceased the seco[n]d daye of may beinge in years
of age thirtie and iij anno dni. 1581.
he hath caused a
famous testame[n]t to be
made of his liberall devocio[n]
towards ye poore. That is to say
he hathe geuen Xli yearlye to be payed
unto X poore persons dwelling in muscam
cu[m] holme or bathelay. Vs quarterlye. And euery one
to have a gowne of viij the price. And in the churche of
Muscam iiij sermons in the yeare to be made quarterly for euer
Out of his lands = unto the glorye of god.   In bathelaye
Also
he hathe
Geue unto vji
scolers beige borne
in Notinghamshire &
placed in penbrooke hall i[n]
Cambridge. Euery one to have
foure nobles in the yeare during ye
space of iiij years. And the[n] to change ta
kinge in other vji And this order to co[n]tineue
Out of his la[n]des – for ever – In Newarke
Moreouer out
of his lands lienge
in Sutton. He hathe geue[n]
vj lodes of coles to be distrib=
=ted euerye unto the pore of ye
towne at midsomer. And in the Churche
of Sutton one sermon to be made at midsomer
and this order to continewe yearlye for ever.

The number on the inscription appears to have been altered from 6 to 7, the figures being recut, but 6 is the number mentioned in the actual will, which is dated 17 April 1581, giving to the 'six poor scholar' 'twenty six shillings and eightpence yearly unto every one of them at four times in the year'.

In the centre of the north wall of the chancel there is a painted alabaster and slate wall monument with draped incised panel in moulded surround, with apron and above, draped arms, to William Woolhouse (1664):

In memoriam pia WILLIELMI WOOLHOUSE
qui una cum ELIZABETHA fidelissima illius
conjuge et HENRICO filio minore natu
dilectissimo hic infra sepultas jacet
Encomion mendax um... gloria
venalis cineres Nobilium regunt
sin inodo veridicum hos epiaphium
...ac  dixrne propriis ailium elegantis,
AE... Perennius mausoleum foret
cognatis amor et delicium suis
vixit honos proavis atgs nepotibus
Formosi pariter corporis incola
Mensicasia prudens fuit et serenissima
Augustum nimis est marmur utillius
exorimat elogium et plura nesas loqui
quipne dolor muneris eloquitus vetat.

Obit III nonas Decembris Anno a partu
virgineo MDCLXIIII materno LXIII

At the east end of the north chancel wall is a mural tablet in memory of Richard Welby who died in 1827:

THIS HUMBLE TRIBUTE OF REGARD IS INTENDED
TO PERPETUATE THE MEMORY OF
A WORTHY HONEST MAN
RICHARD WELBY GENT.
WHO DEPARTED THIS LIFE JULY XXIX TH
MDCCCXXVII
AGED LXX YEARS.

On the south wall of the chancel are several tablets.

A classical marble and slate tablet in memory of the Reverend Joseph Markham Parry who died in 1853:

SACRED
TO THE MEMORY OF
THE REVD. JOSEPH MARKHAM PARRY, M.A.
27 YEARS VICAR OF
NORTH MUSKHAM, AND HOLME.
OBIIT AUGUST 19TH 1853
AGED 57 YEARS.
THIS TABLET IS ERECTED
BY HIS AFFECTIONATE WIFE
ELIZABETH PARRY.

I HEARD A VOICE FROM HEAVEN SAYING UNTO
ME, WRITE. BLESSED ARE THE DEAD WHICH DIE IN
THE LORD FROM HENCEFORTH: YEA, SAITH THE
SPIRIT, THAT THEY MAY REST FROM THEIR LABOURS
AND THEIR WORKS DO FOLLOW THEM. REV. XIV. 13.

A brass tablet commemorating Thomas Parr (1874):

IN MEMORY OF
THOMAS PARR
WHO DIED IN NORTH MUSKHAM
MARCH 26 : 1874
AGED 71 YEARS
AND
JANE HIS WIFE
WHO DIED AT
NEWARK-ON-TRENT
SEPTEMBER 20: 1876
AGED 75 YEARS.

COME UNTO ME ALL YE THAT LABOUR AND ARE
HEAVY LADEN AND I WILL GIVE YOU REST.

A slate tablet with oval brass cartouche in memory of Richard Welby (1827) and his family:

IN VAULTS WITHIN
THESE RAILS LIE THE REMAINS OF
RICHARD WELBY, ESQR.
WHO DEPARTED THIS LIFE JULY 29TH 1827, AGED 76.
ALSO MARY, HIS WIFE
WHO DIED DECR 2ND 1851, AGED 84.
AND ALSO OF THREE SONS OF THE ABOVE,
RICHARD BRISTOWE,
WHO DIED NOVR 1ST 1813, AGED 13.
WILLIAM,
JUNE 26TH 1822, AGED 21.
JOHN CHARLES,
MARCH 1ST 1832, AGED 28.

A brass in memory of William Rastall Dickinson (1822) and his family:

In affectionate remembrance of William
Rastall Dickinson who died Oct 9: 1822 aged 66
Also his wife Harriet Rastall Dickinson, who died
Nov 22: 1805 aged 38. Also their son Joseph Charles
died April 26: 1809 aged 7: & 3 daughters Frances who
died Aug: 30: 1816 aged 15 Catherine Augusta died
Sep: 21: 1816 aged 12 Louisa, died Oct 7: 1795.
All children of the above. And also of Mrs Rastall,
wife of the Rev Dr Rastall died Feb: 8: 1799.

Floor Stones

There are two badly worn floor stones in the chancel.

Mary Rastall (1799):

Here
Rest the mortal remains of
Mary Rastall
Widow of the Rev W Rastall D.D.
Her immortal Spirit
is Next
To those regions
where alone
Filial p... ...at affection
and personal tenderness
can receive their full reward
She departed this Life Feb 8th 1799
in the ... year of her age.

William Woolhouse:

Hic jacet Gulielmus Woolhouse
juxta p.... num Gulielmus
Uxor ... ... ...

Hatchments

Hatchment of
William Dickinson		 Hatchment of
Harriot Dickinson

There are two hatchments in the vestry. One is the hatchment of William Dickinson, justice of the peace for the counties of Nottingham, Lincoln, Middlesex, Surrey, and Sussex and historian of Newark and Southwell. He was born William Dickinson Rastall, the son of Dr William Rastall, vicar-general of the church of Southwell, in 1756. In 1795, at the request of Mrs. Henrietta Dickinson of Eastward Hoo, he assumed the name of William Dickinson. His residence was at Muskham Grange in North Muskham. He died in London in 1822.

The other hatchment is of his wife, Harriet, the daughter of John Kenrick of Bletchingley in Surrey, who was born in 1767 and died in 1805.

There is a brass plaque to William, Harriot and other family members on the chancel wall.