Repton and its neighbourhood

by F. C. Hipkins

On the south side of the chancel is the Harpur mortuary chapel. In it are two large raised tombs, each supporting a pair of recumbent effigies. One tomb is that of “Richard Harpur one of the justyces of the Comen Benche at Westminster and Jane the wife, sister and heyre of and unto Thomas Fynderne of Fynderne Esquyer. Cogita mori.”

The other tomb bears beautifully-carved effigies of Sir John Harpur and his first wife. Over the tomb, on a tablet, is this inscription:—“In piam posteritatis memoriam et spem certam futuræ resurrectionis monumentum hoc struxit Johannes Harpur Miles Filius Richardi Harpur armigeri justiciarii de Banco Regio. Cui uxorem ducenti Isabellam filiam Georgii Pierpont militis, Deus amplam et fœlicem dedit filios filiasque duodecium quorum nomina scutis infra præponuntur, Mortem obiit septᵒ die Octobris Anno Domini 1627.” In front of the tomb, kneeling at a double prayer desk, are the figures of seven sons, and five daughters.

STANTON-BY-BRIDGE.

Pleasantly situated on the high ground overlooking the valley of the Trent is the village of Stanton-by-Bridge (Swarkeston). The De Stantons were lords of the manor for many generations. In the reign of Edward III., John Frances of Tickenhall married Margaret, daughter and heiress of John de Stanton, so the manor passed to the Frances family, and remained with them till an heiress of that house married Sir Thomas Burdett, Bart., of Bramcote, Warwickshire. About this time the manor was divided between the Burdetts and Harpurs, each, in turn, appointing to the living. Now it is in the sole patronage of the Harpur-Crewe family.

The church, dedicated to St. Michael, is a small one, about 60 feet long, and consists of nave, chancel, north aisle, south porch with a bell turret on the west gable. The chancel arch, a plain semi-circular one, is considered to be Saxon, and the south doorway, ornamented with chevron, or zizag, and billet mouldings, is of the Norman period, not later than Stephen’s reign. There are several remains of incised sepulchral slabs, and also slabs of alabaster bearing incised effigies of the Sacheverell and Francis families. During a restoration in 1865, some of the older slabs were discovered, and were placed as they are now.

About a mile south of Stanton is a farmhouse called St. Bride’s, supposed to be once a grange chapel of Burton Abbey. Built into its walls are many remains of Norman work, and in the yard are stone coffins, and other fragments of worked stone.

BRETBY AND HARTSHORN.

Three miles south of Repton is the village of Bretby. Like most of the land round, it used to belong to the Earls of Chester, from them it passed into the hands of the Segraves, who possessed, among other manors and estates, Coton-in-the-Elms, Rosliston, Linton, and Repton.

In 1300 John de Segrave received a license to castellate his mansion at Bretby. Soon after it passed, with the manor, into the families of the Mowbrays, Dukes of Norfolk, and, through one of the co-heiresses of that family, to the Berkeleys, who, in 1585, sold it to Sir Thomas Stanhope, grandfather of Philip, 1st Earl of Chesterfield, and now, by descent, it belongs to the Earl of Carnarvon.