Repton and its neighbourhood

by F. C. Hipkins

ETWALL AND ITS HOSPITAL.

Etwall is about four miles north-west from Repton, and six miles from Derby.

The manor belonged to Henry de Ferrers at the making of Domesday Survey, and included the lordships of Bearwardcote (its old moated farm-house remains), and Burnaston. Etwall was for a time in the possession of the Shirley family. In the year 1370 it was conveyed to the Abbey of Beauvale in Nottinghamshire. In 1540, King Henry VIII. granted the manor, together with the impropriate rectory, and the advowson of the vicarage, to Sir John Porte, Knight, one of the Justices of the King’s Bench, father of Sir John, the founder of Repton School.

The church was granted by Roger de Pont l’Evêque, Archbishop of York, (1154-1181), to the Abbey of Beauvale or Welbeck, and belonged to it till it was granted to Sir John Porte, from whom, through his son Sir John, it passed to Elizabeth, his eldest daughter and heiress, who married Sir Thomas Gerard, Bart., of Bryn, County Lancaster, “who, on account of his adherence to the Roman Catholic faith, and alleged complicity in a plot for the release of Mary, Queen of Scots, was imprisoned in the Tower of London, as a recusant, during the years 1567-70, and again from September, 1586, to August, 1588, when he was removed for some months to an inferior jail, called the ‘Counter,’ in Wood Street.” Sir William Gerard, grandson of Sir Thomas, sold the estate, and the advowson of the vicarage, in 1641, to Sir Edward Moseley, who, five years later, sold it to Sir Samuel Sleigh, whose co-heiresses Margaret and Mary, by his second and third wives, married James Chetham, and Rowland Cotton, of Bellaport, Shropshire, the descendants of Rowland still live at Etwall Hall.

The church, dedicated to St. Helen, consists of nave, chancel, north aisle, south porch, and a low embattled tower at its west end. Originally the nave was separated from the north aisle by an arcade of four semicircular Norman arches, supported by round piers with indented capitals, the two arches, nearest the east end, have been thrown into one, and a pointed arch substituted. The chancel is Early English, but most of the church, including the tower, has been rebuilt in the Perpendicular style. The chancel window of three stained glass lights, representing the Crucifixion, is flanked by two small square windows, a very unusual arrangement, they are also filled with stained glass bearing the arms of the Sees of Canterbury and Southwell. At the east end of the north aisle is the Porte chapel, fitted up with carved seats and a reading desk for the use of the “master and poor men” of the Hospital. The seats used to be between the belfry and north door, and the Porte chapel partitioned off from the nave. Early in the century the partition was taken down, and the seats removed to their present position. Built on to the east end of the north aisle is the Cokburne’s memorial chapel, which blocks up the east window of the Porte chapel. Two of the Cokburnes were Vicars of Etwall, their chapel was built about the year 1830, it contains several mural tablets, and is now used as a vestry.

Since Dr. Cox wrote his account of the church, a much needed restoration has taken place. The galleries at the west end, and the plaster ceiling, have been removed, and new seats, of pitchpine, pulpit, prayer desk, &c., have taken the place of the old ones.

There are several monuments in memory of the Porte family. The oldest one is a brass in memory of Henry Porte, and Elizabeth his wife, and used to be on the floor of the chapel. It has been taken up, and used to block up a door on the north side of the chancel. Only the matrix of the brass of Henry is left, but his wife, clad in conventual dress adopted by widows, and his children, nine sons and eight daughters, remain. At the upper corners of the brass are two shields, one bearing a figure of our Lord, with the “orbs mundi” in His left hand, and the other the Blessed Virgin, and Child. Of the two shields at the bottom one bears the arms of Porte, the other has been taken away. Below, on a brass scroll, is an inscription:—

“Orate pro an̄abus Henrici Porte, et Elizabeth ūxis ejus, qui quidem Henricus obiit in festo Sc̄i Thomæ Marturis.

Anno Dn̄i M. V. duodecimo quorum an̄abus propitietur Deus.”

“Under the arche that is bytwene the chancell and the chapell, where I and my wyff had used commonly to knele,” so did Sir John Porte, justice of the King’s Bench, by will dated January 19th, 1527, order that his body should be buried. Over the grave a monument was erected, on which rest the effigies of Sir John, and his two wives, Jane, daughter and heiress of John Fitzherbert of Etwall, and Margaret, daughter of Sir Edward Trafford. The tomb has been much mutilated, the heads of Sir John and one of his wives have been knocked off. He wears his robes of office, with a collar and pendant. On the north side of the monument are shields bearing the arms of Porte impaling Fitzherbert, on the south Porte impaling the quartered coat of Trafford. The Porte motto, “Intende prospere,” is frequently repeated on the cornice above, and the various emblems of the Passion are carved among the other decorations of the monument. Built against the south wall of the chancel is “the comely and handsome tomb of pure marble” of Sir John Porte, Knt., son of Justice Porte by his first wife Jane. “Set and fixed, graven in brass,” are portraits of Sir John, his two wives, (Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Thomas Gifford, of Chillington, and Dorothy, daughter of Sir Anthony Fitzherbert), and his five children, two boys and three girls, all by his wife, Elizabeth.

Above the tomb, on a square slab, is a shield bearing the arms of Porte, surmounted by helmet and crest. On the tomb, at the top left-hand corner, a shield Porte, impaling quarterly of Gifford and Montgomery, in the right-hand corner Porte impaling quarterly of the two Fitzherbert coats. Below, set in three quatrefoils, are three shields, (1) Porte, (2) Porte impaling Gifford and Montgomery, (3) quarterly of four, Stanhope, Maloval, Longvillers, and Lexington impaling Porte and Montgomery.

Below the figure is the following inscription:—

“Under thys tombe lyeth buryed the Boodye of Syr John Porte Knyght sonne and heyre unto Syr John Porte one of the Justyces of ye Kyngs Benche at Westmynstʳ Elsebeth & Dorothe wyves to the same Sʳ John Porte the sonne whych sonne dyed the syrt day of June Anno Dni 1557.”

Etwall Hall came into lay hands after the dissolution of monasteries. It is a very plain building, built, or rather faced, with stone brought from the ruins of Tutbury Castle. Nothing worth seeing, but, for those who admire tapestry, there are two beautiful pieces. One representing a garden scene, with a pagoda-like building, columns, flowers, fruit and Cupids. At the bottom the goddess Diana and other figures. Another piece represents scenes in the life of King David: playing before Saul, Battle scene, Marriage with Bathsheba. The border consists of a series of figures, chiefly ladies, with dogs, fruit, and flowers.

ETWALL HOSPITAL.

Etwall Hospital was founded by Sir John Porte. By Will, dated March 9th, 1556, he directed “that six of the poorest of Etwall parish shall have weekly, for ever, 20d. apiece over and besides such lodgings as he or his executors should provide for them in an almshouse, to be built in or near the churchyard of Etwall, and that the money so to be paid to the said poor should be had and received out of the lands and tenements thereinafter limited for the performance of his Will.” These lands, &c., were in Moseley, Abraham, and Brockhurst, in the County of Lancaster. The Hospital was built as directed. In 1622, (by letters patent, dated 20 June, 19 Jac. I.), owing to the improvements of the lands, &c., and consequent increase of funds, the number of poor men was raised to twelve, and a Master of the Hospital was appointed at a salary of £20. per annum. It was also ordered that “every day twice the poor men should repair to the church at Etwall, and there continue all the time of divine service, and sermon, if any, except for some just cause to be allowed by the master, and should receive the sacrament three times every year at the least; ... and that every one of them should have for their stipend or allowance for every week 2s. 6d., to be paid to them monthly.” The original building having fallen into decay, the present building was erected in the year 1681. Built on three sides of a square, on the north side of Etwall churchyard, from which it is separated by iron rails and a low wall, the Hospital consisted of twelve rooms and a lodge, where the Master resided, (i.e., a room in the north-west corner, (No. 5),) till 1812, when the “Master’s Lodge” was built, about half of a mile away, on the road to Willington. A nurse used to live in the room, which has its entrance from the back yard, at the north-east corner, where there is a washhouse, &c., her duties were to nurse, cook, and wash for the almsmen who had no wives. This room is now occupied by an almsman, the nurse, if there is one, living elsewhere.

Over the door in the centre of the north side is the following inscription:

“Sʳ John Port, Knight, son of Sʳ John Port, one of the Justices of the Court of King’s Bench, haueing by his last Will left an Estate for the Erection and Endowment of a Free Schole at Repton and an Hospital in this place, departed this Life June VI. MDLVII. the which Foundations hauveing been accordingly established, this Hospitall, through length of time falling to decay, was rebuilt, the Sallary’s increased, the Alms Men augmented from VI. to XII. The Right Honourable Theophilus Earle of Huntingdon, the Right Honourable Philip Earle of Chesterfield, and Sʳ William Gerrard, Barronet, Heires Generall to the Founder, being Governors, MDCLXXXI.”

Over the inscription are three shields, containing the arms of the governors, quartering, or otherwise impaling, those of Sir John Porte, over these the shield of Sir John.

The almsmen used to wear blue cloth gowns, with a silver badge on the shoulder, bearing the arms of Sir John.

In 1825 the number of “poor men” was increased to sixteen, and the four rooms were added on the east side of the Hospital.

List of Masters.

YEAR.
1622-1657	[2]	Rev. John Jennings, M.A.
1657-1691	[2]	Rev. John Jackson, M.A.
1692-1712	[2]	Rev. Ellis Cunliffe, M.A., Jesus Coll., Cambridge, Fellow, B.A., 1671, M.A., 1675.
1713-1740	[2]	Rev. James Cheetham, D.D.
1740-1746	[2]	Rev. Henry Mainwaring, M.A., St. John’s Coll., Cambridge, B.A., 1732, M.A., 1736.
1746-1785	[2]	Rev. Samuel Burslem, M.A.
1785-1809		Rev. Joseph Turner, M.A.
1809-1821		Rev. William Beer, M.A.
1821-1832		Rev. John Chamberlayne, M.A., Formerly 2nd Master of Repton School.
1832-1842		Rev. William Boultbee Sleath, D.D., Formerly Headmaster of Repton School.
1842-1863	[2]	Rev. William Eaton Mousley, M.A., Trinity College, Cambridge, B.A., 1839, M.A., 1842.
1863-1866		Rev. John Morewood Gresley, M.A.
1866	[2]	Rev. David Crawford Cochrane, M.A., Trinity College, Dublin, B.A., 1857, M.A., 1860. Ox. Com. Caus. 1861.