Chancel Window
Selected Monumental Inscriptions inside the Parish Church of
St Mary, St Cuthberga & All Saints
Extracted from Hutchins "History and Antiquities of the County of Dorset"
Translations from Latin in blue by Kim Parker
Chancel Window
© Kim Parker 2012
1. Nicholas GILBERT
In the chancel:
"All Christian people give thanks to the Lord for the departure of Nicholas GILBERT of Bruton, in the county of Somerset, gentilman, which decessyd the XXVI [26] day of June, in the yere of our Lord God MCCCCCLXVI [1566], whose soule commend to God's infinite mercy."
2. Robert WILLIS
In the chancel, just outside the rails of the altar, on a gravestone:
Hic sepultus est ROBERTUS WILLIS, nuper parochiae in com. Southampton Abbots Ann dictae, necnon hujus parochiae Rector. Qui obiit Feb. x. A.D. 1726, aet 52.
Here was buried Robert WILLIS, late of the parish of Abbots Ann in the county of Southampton, as well as Rector of this parish. Who died 10 February 1726 A.D., aged 52.
3. John COLE
"In the aisle is a mural monument of marble. On the top a round pediment, under which, Argent, a bull passant gules, Cole, impaling Argent, three fleurs-de-lys gules, in chief a file of three points azure. Underneath, on the sides of a square compartment of white marble, between two pillars: Cole; quartering, Argent, three swords in pile sable; impaling Cole; and other blank escutcheons.
On the compartment this inscription:
HIC SITUM EST IN
SEPULCHRO CORPUS JOHAN
-NIS COLE, E COMITATU DORSET,
ARMIGERI.
VIRI EQUIDEM VENERAN
-DA CANTITIE, FAMA BONA, MORIBUSQUE
ILLIBATUS. QUI SEXAGESIMUM OCTAVUM
AETATIS ANNUM PRODUCTURUS, INDUTO
CHRISTO, EXUVIAS HUMANITATIS HIC DE
-POSUIT AUG 3TIO ANNO DNT 1636
In this sepulchre is the body of John Cole of the county of Dorset, esquire. He was a venerable ancient man, of good report and of character intact. Who in the sixty-eighth year of his age put on Christ, and the spoils of whose humanity were buried here on August 3rd 1636 A.D.
Heavens have my soule, let dust to dust returne,
There's no rest like to that within this urne.
My number'd daies are spent, and now I find
A quiet grave for a contented mind.
Here sleepe I shal until that day whereon
The trumpe shal sound a resurrection.
An then my soule and body both shall be
Married againe to imortalitie.
4. John & Elizabeth RIDOUT
In the aisle "parallel to the former, on another square compartment of grey marble, this inscription:
Religion, Piety, and Bounty free,
The branches were of this delightful tree,
Which in earth's orchard did so fruitful grow,
That every where abroad her fruit did flow.
But now from hence God did the same translate
Unto a Paradise of better state.
Where Christ her bridegroom doth her virtues crown,
With diadem of glory and renown.
This tomb of earth her earthly part doth keep,
Till the last trump shall raise the same from sleep.
When soul and body shall be join'd again,
In heavenly bliss for ever to remain.
Sacred to the memory of JOHN RIDOUT, esq.
of Dean's Leaze in this parish.
He died on the 30th day of Jan. 1773, aged 70,
and was buried at Blandford Forum, in this county,
which was the place of his nativity.
Sacred also to the memory of ELIZABETH his widow,
who survived him more than eighteen years,
at whose request this stone was erected.
She died Nov. 16, 1791, in the 75th year of her age,
and is buried under the north window
in the body of this church.
Arms: Ridout impaling Kellaway
5. Mrs Elizabeth SCOBEL
To the memory of Mrs ELIZABETH SCOBEL (the mother of Mrs Johanna Cole), who having lived a godly life, on the 9th of October 1631, being of the age of LXII [62] years, bequeathed her soul into God's hands, and her body to the earth, in hope of a glorious resurrections.
"Under this on a grave-stone on the floor:
Within this tomb both young and age do lye,
Confirming God's decree that all must die.
Impartial Death, though cruel, that doth strike
The infant and the aged both alike.
Modie mihi, cras tibi.
It is my lot today, yours tomorrow.
"Over all: Argent, three fleurs-de-lys or, with a file of five points azure, impaling Gules, on a fess sable, between three martlets, three estoiles gules."
6. Elizabeth BINGHAM née RIDOUT
Sacred to the memory of ELIZABETH BINGHAM, sole daughter of John and Elizabeth Ridout, late of Dean's Leaze in this parish, and wife of Richard Bingham, esquire, of Melcombe Bingham in this county. She died on 31st of December, 1813, in the 60th year of her age, and was buried at Melcombe.
7. Reverend Roe KING
Sacred to the memory of the Rev. ROE KING, 38 years Rector of this parish, of which he was also the patron. A native of the county of Dorset, for which he was many years a most upright and active magistrate. He died in London on March 14, 1817, aged 64 years.
8. Elizabeth HARVEY, William & Ann HARVEY, Ann PORTER née HARVEY and Sarah HARVEY
Sacred to the memory of ELIZABETH HARVEY, who died June 17, 1826, aged 74 years. Also of WILLIAM HARVEY, who died Feb. 21st, 1832, aged 77 years. Of ANN his wife, who died Feb. 12th 1840, aged 84 years. Of ANN their daughter, wife of William PORTER, who died Jan. 10th, 1846, aged 60 years; and of SARAH, daughter of John and Sarah HARVEY, who died May 24, 1835, aged one year and two months.
9. Stephen & Mary BURT and Elizabeth BURT
Sacred to the memory of STEPHEN BURT, who died July 1, 1803, aged 65 years, and of MARY his widow, who died August 1, 1805, aged 60 years. Also of ELIZABETH BURT, junior, who died August 10, 1813, aged 18 years.