On the north side of this tomb is the following inscription:—
Here lyeth the body of Sr. Thomas
Brereton of Handforth Barronett
who married Theodosia, Daughter
to the Right Honourable Humble
Lord Ward and the Lady Frances
Barronesse Dudley, hee departed
this life the 7th of January
Anno Dom: 1673
Ætatis Suæ 43.
On the dexter side of that inscription is a shield of the arms of Brereton, before described, with the badge of Baronetcy; the crescent gules, before mentioned, appears on the first bar in the arms, but there is not the cross crosslet (before adverted to, in noticing the arms at Handford Hall); and on the sinister side is a shield of the arms of Ward, “chequy, or and azure, a bend ermine.” The east and south sides of the monument are so close to the walls, that it is impossible to ascertain what they contain by way of inscriptions or heraldic devices; and the same remark applies to the west end, where the side of a pew completely precludes all examination. All the three effigies are said to be those of Breretons, and there does not seem to be any fair doubt of the fact. The tombs seem to have been removed to their present position, as it is scarcely probable that they were originally crowded close to each other, and to the walls, as they now are.
In the east window of the Handford Chapel is a mutilated shield of arms, in stained glass; the parts remaining are, as far as I could distinguish, as follows:—On the dexter side, on a chief azure, three bucks’ heads caboshed, or, for Stanley (the rest of the dexter side is so much injured that it cannot be distinguished); impaling the arms of a female, evidently one of the Handfords, of which only the following quarterings remain distinguishable, viz.: second, gules, a scythe argent, for Praers; fourth, sable, a star, with six or eight rays (it is not easy to distinguish the number), argent, for Handford; the crest is rather defaced, but seems to be an eagle’s head erased, holding in its beak an eagle’s leg and claws erased.
Ormerod describes the arms in the window, as the arms of “Stanley impaling Handford, on a chief engrailed azure, three bucks or; impaling Handford, first and fourth, sable, a star of six rays argent; second and third, gules, a scythe argent, Praers; crest, an eagle’s head erased or, holding in the mouth a claw gules.” [279a] It is probable that the stained glass (with the arms) was more perfect when Ormerod wrote, than at present; but he seems to have fallen into an error, in mentioning three “bucks” instead of “bucks’ heads” on the chief. On the dexter side of the arms is the inscription “Vanitas vanitatum.” The chapel has a carved oak screen or frame-work, enclosing it on the west and north sides, with some carving, not very dissimilar to lace-work, but much injured; with a cornice containing the before-mentioned rebus, of a brier and a tun, for Brereton, repeated thirteen times, with the initial letters V and B between each alternately, for “Urian” and “Brereton,” on the north side, but the rebus has been destroyed on the west side. [279b] At the bottom of the screen, on each of those sides, are panels, carved so as to resemble drapery, in upright folds, with two arrows showing themselves upon the drapery on one or two of the panels, and which probably may also have formerly appeared on some of the others.
On the north side of the church is the part called the Mosely Chapel, and sometimes called the Bamford Chapel, which has on the south and west sides a screen or frame-work of carved oak, of a plainer style, and apparently of an older date, than that of the Handford Chapel. It is much mutilated, and there are on it traces of an inscription, in the old characters, of which only a few letters are still visible and legible; but I was informed, by Mr. George Smith, the clerk, that the pulpit, which has been removed, and placed close to the screen, now conceals other imperfect portions of the inscription, which, however, he had previously carefully copied (a measure highly creditable to him), and that the imperfect portions which exist, are as follows:—“rginis — — artu milīmo — uīgētismo XXIX”; the latter being meant for the date—millesimo quingentesimo undetricesimo (1529).
The roof of the church is of oak, supported by elaborately carved oak beams, with cross rafters, also handsomely carved, and with bosses at the intersecting points of the rafters; in several places the etoiles or stars, similar to those mentioned in my account of Wilmslow Church, are also carved on the bosses. Some modern bosses have been recently introduced in the roof of the chancel, and of the side aisles, where the old ones had disappeared; they have been carved in good taste by Mr. Smith, in strict conformity with the remaining ancient ones; he is not only the clerk of the church, but also a mason, and the Gothic font, which was presented by him, and is now used in the church, is of his design and workmanship.
On the east window, which has been sadly altered for the worse, is a mutilated inscription, in stained glass (which may, however, have originally belonged to a much older window), with the date 1556.
The chancel is separated from the nave by a slight screen of carved oak, nearly denuded of all ornament, which seems to have been the lower part of the rood-loft, the upper portion having been long since destroyed.
On a grave-stone near the altar is a small brass plate, with the arms of Bulkeley, three bulls’ heads couped, and the following inscription:—