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Attenborough Church (part 2)

Carving in Attenborough Church.

There is a piscina in the south wall of the sanctuary and another in the south wall of the south aisle; and in the south pier of the chancel arch we have a fine example of the stair­case which led in former days to the Rood screen.

Another remarkable feature is to be seen in the two flying arches in the south aisle. One wonders why they were placed here and whether they can be in their original position. Both these flying arches have the same roll and hollow moulding.

Carving in Attenborough Church shewing intials of John Poutrell.

The chancel contains some well-carved bench ends of the 14th century, and some good oak panelling of a later date in the stalls on the north side. You will find some well-carved mermaids and a boy with a trumpet charming the Leviathan. The initials I.P. are carved in the left-hand top corner of one of the fronts. They are no doubt the initials of one of the Powtrell family. On the east wall of the chancel may be seen a wooden frame, carrying the date 1623, and bearing the arms of the Powtrell family; also an old mural monument to the Rev. John Mather, vicar of this parish, who died in 1625; and near the chancel arch, on the north wall is another mural monument to “Ffrancis Jaques, allias Gamboul of Toton, gent,” who died 1606. Some memorials of the Charltons, of Chilwell may be found in the south aisle, and in the north aisle is a small marble tablet, surmounted by a hatchment, recording the decease, in 1822, of the Rt. Hon. Admiral Sir John Borlase Warren, Bart.

There are two stone brackets on the east wall of the chancel underneath the tablets, and there is a piscina on the south wall. The altar, measuring 6 feet 7 inches by 3 feet, and 3 feet in height, is Jacobean, as well as the two chairs placed within the sanctuary.

Carving in Attenborough Church.

The bells are five in number, and are rung from the floor of the church. They bear the following inscriptions:—On the west bell: “Remunerabit benefactoribus Deus ;“ and on the north bell, “Jesus be our spede; 1631.” On the east bell, “Thos. Hedderley, Founder, 1749. John Lown, John Earp, Churchwardens.” On the south bell, “Henry Day, Collector, 1733.” On the centre bell, “S. John in principio erat verbum.”

In a field to the South of the Church a fragment of an ancient cross is still to be seen. It consists of a portion of the base stone, with a plain chamfer on the edge and with the mortice hole for the stem of the cross.

Mr. T. W. Charlton has kindly furnished the following arms and inscriptions in Attenborough Church, taken in August, 1662 (Coll. of Arms) Dugdale’s Visitation of Notts., fo. 77—

INSCRIPTIONS.

On a monument at the east end of the chancel:

The monument to John Mather still exists and its inscription is fairly legible. With the help of Dugdale, an exact copy has been possible.

In the midst of the Chancel is a gravestone of marble with this Epitaph—

In a north window of the church, argent three bars azure. Painted on the wall of the church, azure, on a chevron or between threl swans argent, as many cinquefoils gules. (Charlton).

In a south window, argent ten torteaux 4.3.2.1. a label of three points azure.

Also (i) argent ten torteaux 4. 3. 2 & 1 (no label) impaling quarterly ermine and chequey or and gules.

(ii) (Nevile impaling blank) see Thoroton.

(iii) Leake without border, impaling Babington (with label).

Painted on the wall, Quarterly Poutrell and Strelley, im­paling argent, three bars azure, on a canton or a fesse gules, in chief three lozenges.

The arms of Charlton, recorded above, were painted on the wall over the present pew occupied by the family, and were unfortunately whitewashed over in 1840.

Mr. Geoffrey N. Chariton, of Chilwell, has kindly given permission to the Society to reproduce a letter in his possession, written by General Henry Ireton in 1648. The following is an exact copy of its contents :—

S^r

I have sealed & deliv^erd the Conveyance of carvers fflatte unto you & a letter of Atturney for makeinge Lyvery of Seisin; there is noe alteration from the draughts w^ch y^r brother brought mee, save in the time limitted for deliveringe up to you, all writeings concerninge that Lande w^ch is altered from Michaelmas next unto Lady day followinge; Michellmas, through the delay of sealeinge, beeinge soe neare & my imploym^ts soe farre of & the p^rsent troubles such, as I could not have performed Covenante w^th you in that poynte, if it had beene limitted to that timed all though the mayne and most materiall of the writeings I delivered to y^r ffather at Addenborow last springe, w^ch I p^rsume you have allready I desire you to paye the wholle price to my mother Ireton & her receipt for it shall bee y^r sufficient dis­charge, but at any time afterwarde I shall bee ready upon y^r deliveringe in of that to give you an Acquittance for the monye under my owne hand & scale The deeds now sealed are committed into y^r brother Mr. Nich: Charleton his hande, in truste betwixt us, untill hee shall deliver to mee a Receipt or letter from my mother Acknowledgeinge the Receipte of the monye & a counterparte of the Conveyance to be sealed by you; w^ch I desire you hasten, & and lette the Counterparte bee deliverd alsoe to my mother, whose acknowledgm^t of the Receipt of it shall serve wthout y^r trouble of sending it to mee. An hundred pounde of the monye I intend for the discharge of soe much due from mee to y^r uncle Mr Edw: Charleton upon bonde, if you bringe & deliver in that bonde to my mother w^th the Rest of the price, shee may give you a Receipt for the wholle price; I know not certaynely what Interest may in strictnesse bee due to y^r uncle, but my mother doth: I hope he will upon the payeinge in of the principall, consider the troubles & difficultyes of the times since I had it & not exacte full Interest upon the Acc^t for the wholle time, but make a conscionable abatem^t & Acc^t what the full Interest (for the years hee hath Receivd it) does exceed the yearly Rate hee thinks reasonable to take for the wholle time, in satisfaction for the time in Arreare wherein I pray you (w^th my service) p^rsent my desires to him. I remayne (S^r.)

Written along the margin of the letter, which occupies one page is:—

The Interest of y^r uncle’s 100^l from the time you enterd upon the Lande, I p^rsume you will bee soe reasonable as to discharge over & above the price; at least, consideringe that very soone after the bargayne I desired y^r father or y^rselfe to pay 100^l of the price unto him & take in the bond into y^r handes, untill I should scale the writeings; wherein I assure you there hath been noe wittinge delaye on my parte. My humble service to y^r father mother, y^r Lady & freinds w^th you, I pray you p^rsent.

[Addressed on fly-leaf]

ffor my hono^red ffreind
M^r Thomas Charleton
at his ffather’s house
in Chilwell
Nottingham
post pd 6d

[Sealed in red wax with an oval shield bearing these arms and crest]

Arms: Ermine, two bars gules.

Crest: a squirrel sejant cracking a nut ppr.

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