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 ccccLX [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.