VII. STAUNTON (2).
This effigy, the furthest to the west on the north side of the aisle, rests with its head on a double cushion. The coif hangs over the surcoat in front. The top of the head and both hands have gone, but the latter were placed in the usual position on the breast. There is no charge on the shield.1 The sword has straight quillons and the sword-belt is attached to the scabbard with interlocking thongs. The quilted gambeson is visible below the hauberk, partly covering the knee-caps. Both feet, which originally rested on a lion, have disappeared. The total length has been 6ft. 2in.
In all probability this is the effigy of Sir Geoffrey de Staunton, who died c. 1310, the father of Sir William, whose semi-effigial monument will be described later.
VIII. HAWTON.
This effigy lies under a canopy on the north side of the chancel: it is not in situ, having been evidently cut down to fit its present position.2 The head lies on two square pillows, but the upper is not placed, as is usually the case, diagonally to the one below. The mail coif, which is fastened with a plain fillet, hangs over the surcoat in front. The sword-belt is secured with interlocking thongs and dependent sennit-knot. The sword has straight quillons: the shield, supported by a guige and charged with three heaumes, is attached to the left arm by an enarm. It may be noted that the form of the heaumes on the shield is much later than the one at Blyth. Here they have a pointed top, and are reinforced with ridges down the back, sides and lower edge as well as down the front and over the eyes. There are four square breathing-holes at each side. The hauberk, slit up the front, shows the folds of the quilted gambeson beneath it. The knee-caps are quite plain.
The arms on the shield show the knight to have been a member of the Compton family, who bore sable three heaumes or: these arms are ascribed to Sir Robert Compton in Cott. M.S., Tib. D. 10.
Thoroton gives three successive knights of this name as holding Hawton. The style of the armour best suits the second of these, who died in 1308. The effigy is generally assigned to his son and successor, who was living in 1331. If this is correct, it cannot possibly have been erected at the time of his death, though it may have been set up when be built the chancel, perhaps about 1315.
IX. BINGHAM.
This knight wears a round topped cervelière under the coif of mail, which is fastened with a plain fillet. The head rests on the usual double cushion. The hands are joined in prayer on the breast, and are withdrawn from the mail mittens, which hang down in front. This feature is unusual in English effigies, though it is found in French ones. Other English instances of the suspended mittens are the minature Purbeck marble effigy at Bottesford in Leicestershire, an early effigy at Pershore and the well-known Septvans brass. The surcoat, confined at the waist by a narrow girdle, is folded back displaying the hauberk, which is split up the front for convenience in riding. The feet rest on a lion, prick spurs are worn, and the knee-caps evidently of cuirbouilli, are quite plain. The sword has a circular pommel and the sword-belt is fastened with interlocking thongs. The plain shield is suspended by a guige passing over the right shoulder.
This is undoubtedly the effigy of Sir Richard Bingham, who held a knight’s fee in Bingham in 1285.3 From 1296 till his death, in or about 1310, he was one of the most important personages in the county. He served on the commission of peace, was a commissioner for the collection of lay subsidies and a commissioner of array. In 1301 be had a licence, in consideration of a fine, to alienate in mortmain a rent of five marks from property in Nottingham to pay a chaplain to celebrate in the chapel of St. Elena at Bingham. In 1310 he was appointed to take a survey of the Castle of Nottingham.3
The date 1310 accords quite well with the style of the effigy, which was probably set up about the time of his death.
X. LOWDHAM.
.
This fine effigy is shown with a round topped cerveliêre under the coif of mail, which hangs over the surcoat in front. The head is bound with a fillet ornamented with roses. The hands are joined in prayer, and the wrists are secured with straps. The long tag of the girdle which confines the surcoat hangs down the right side. The hauberk is slit up the front, and shows beneath it the lower edge of the quilted gambeson. The knee-caps are ridged down the front, and the feet rest on a finely-carved lion. The sword-belt is ornamented with transverse bars and studs of metal. The shield bears the arms of Lowdham, argent a bend azure crusily or.5 On the right side of the slab on which the effigy rests an inscription is carved in Norman-French, forming a rhyming couplet:—
SIR . ION . DE . LOVDHM . GIT . ICI.
DE. SA. ALME. DEVS. EYT. MERCI.
At either side of the cushion on which the knight’s head rests are carved small figures of ecclesiastics reading from books.6
Sir John de Lowdham is returned as holding a quarter of a knight’s fee in Lowdham in 1302/3.7 He had the king’s protection on going over seas in the company of Roger de Monthermer in 1313.8 He died in 1318, and his Inquisition post mortem held in August of that year shows that he held a capital messuage in Lowdham of the Prior of Shelford.9
(1) Thoroton’s illustration,
as in the case
of the other effigy in this church, shows the arms of Staunton.
(2) It is doubtful if
recesses in this position were ever intended for the reception of effigies.
It is much more probable that they were used to accommodate the bodies
of the parishioners
during the performance of the funeral rites. Later, when they were no longer
used for this purpose, a resting-place was found in them for effigies with which
some Churches were inconveniently full.
(3) Feudal Aids.
(4) Cal. Pat. Rolls: Pipe Rolls. The common
ancestry of the Binghams and Willoughbys, both said to be descended from
Ralph Bugge of Nottingham,
is well known.
(5) These arms are given in several of
the rolls of arms. “Sire Joh’n de Loudh’m: de argent a vne bende de azur’ crusule
de or,” (Parliamentary Roll).
(6) These figures may be compared with
those on the monument of Sir Brian Pith Alan at Bedale, co. York. They may be Augustinian Canons of
Shelford, of which Priory he held his manor, but are more probably friars.
(7) Feudal Aids.
(8) Cal. Pat. Rolls.
(9) Cal. Inq. p.m. (Tuesday after the Feast of
the Assumption, 12 Ed. ii.).