We may here state that the elm-trees in the church-yard were planted at the expense of the Rev. Thomas Owen, when Vicar of the Parish, between the years 1707 and 1713.
Monuments and Tablets within the Church.
How valuable are Monumental Inscriptions, when they are the records of truth, and affectionate tributes to departed worth! The tablets on our church walls are silent, but often effective monitors, reviving drooping spirits, recalling scenes of sublunary enjoyments, transient as the stay of the dew-drop in the sun, and suggesting the brevity and uncertainty of human existence. Within Oswestry Church, as well as in its grave-yard, most of the Monuments and Inscriptions are simple, chaste, and impressive. They either plainly mark the spot where lies the departed body, or touchingly express the natural grief of surviving relatives or friends. Whilst wandering among the habitations of the dead, and viewing, with “slow and solemn steps,” the houses, for rich and poor, “appointed for all men living,” we can sympathize with Salopia’s own sweet poet, in his beautiful apostrophe:
“Thou, sainted Memory, art mine,
And smiling Hope, of birth divine,
Ev’n now I feel your mingled pow’r,
Ev’n in this solitary hour.”
On the north wall, within the church, is an ancient monument exhibiting a male and female kneeling.
“In memory of Mr. Hugh Yale, alderman of this town, and Dorothy his wife, daughter of Roger Roden, Esq., of Burton, in the county of Denbigh, whose bodies are interred within ye chancel of this church, commonly called St. Mary’s, before its demolition in the late wars, anno 1616. They gave to ye poor of this town the yearly interest and benefice of one hundred pounds, to continue for ever; besides other good acts of charity.”
“Underneath are interred the remains of Margaret, the wife of David Yale, Esq., daughter and heiress of Edward Morris, of Cae-mor, Gent. She departed this life, the 20th day of December, 1754, aged 66. Also lye the remains of David Yale, Esq., who dy’d January the 29th, 1763, aged 81. This was erected by her son, John Yale, of Plas yn Yale, Clerk.”
In 1721 died Edward Yale. There is a monument to him in Wrexham Church, with the following inscription:—
“Born in America, and in Europe bred,
In Africa travell’d, and in Asia wed,—
Where long he liv’d and thriv’d—in London died.”