Hatchment Appeal St Leonards, Deal

Hatchment Appeal
St Leonards, Deal
Contents
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Background
The project
The Hatchments and other items
• Man O’ War 1705
What is a Hatchment?
What work needs doing?
Descriptions of the Hatchments
Queen Anne Arms
Bulstrode Board
Scripture and benefaction boards
The History of the people commemorated by the Hatchments and
other memorials
The Appeal and project are being run by “The Friends
of St Leonards, Deal” on behalf of the church.
Contact details:
Email: info@stleonardsdeal.co.uk
Website: www.stleonardsdeal.co.uk
Donations should be made payable to:
“St Leonards P.C.C” and can be sent to:
Steve Goodsell
13 Downs Close
East Studdal
CT15 5 BY
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Background
There has been a church on the current site since at least 1180 and
evidence has been found to suggest an earlier building stood on the
site during the Saxon period. Although the towns development over
the years has left St Leonards standing on the outskirts, it still
remains the Parish Church for Deal.
As Deal has grown in size, so has the church, leaving the present
building a cocktail of various architectural styles, including many
important features from all periods. It has developed in a manner
which lead one Bishop to call it "The most cockeyed church in
Christendom" It is well worth a visit to discover exactly what he
meant!
It is not only the building itself that is of
historic interest. The church also contains
many important artefacts from past
generations which are of great local and
national interest because they echo the part
the church has played in Deals history and
also the part Deal played in the proud Naval
tradition of Britain. It is evident that over the
years the town and church have been
justifiably proud of their place in the life of
the country and preserved the many
reminders of the importance of Deal.
It was in order to continue this stewardship of our historical
inheritance, that the “Friends of St Leonards” or “FOSL’s” was
established in 2007 with the specific aim of raising funds to help
maintain and improve the fabric of the building and also those
items of historic importance it contains. The group is independent
of the church, while of course working closely with it, and its
membership is open to all irrespective their religious beliefs.
Soon after FOSL’s formation, the collection of Hatchments and
other artworks within the church were identified as being of local
and national significance and in need of urgent restoration. To this
end, last year the Friends organised a comprehensive professional
assessment of their condition and now at the request of the church,
are organising an appeal to raise the necessary funding to have this
work carried out.
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The Project
The main aim of the project is to conserve the fine collection of art
works for future generations to enjoy.
We also want to raise awareness locally and nationally of the
importance of the collection and increase the current knowledge
about the people and events commemorated, with emphasis on
how this relates to the story of Deal’s place in our maritime history.
We will achieve this by making the collection and the information
more accessible to the public both during and after the project.
During the fundraising we intend to start achieving this by:
• Holding open days with emphasis on the collection
• Creating a website
• Making maximum contact with the various news media
• Holding talks about the collection
• Researching the history of the people and events behind the
objects
• Developing links with local Schools, Colleges and Universities
to enable them to participate in the research and conservation
• Involving the public and local history and art societies in the
work
• Starting a record of the project with the aim of producing a
lasting record of the work undertaken.
Once the conservation is underway, we intend to continue with all
the above and also provide the opportunity for people to see the
conservation in progress, by arranging for some of the work to be
carried out in-situ and also organising visits to the restorers studios
wherever possible.
Once the conservation is complete, we intend to produce a
publication which will fully document the collection and its
conservation. Along side this we intend to maintain the website and
continue to hold organised open days to ensure that the work
carried out is discovered and appreciated by as many people as
possible.
We would also hope that links made with the local community
during the project will continue to flourish and that together we can
move on to record more of the history of the church building itself,
with the aim of eventually producing a comprehensive record of its
history, architectural development and all the artefacts it contains.
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The Hatchments and other items
The collection of sixteen Hatchments in St Leonards is one of the
finest in Britain and spans a period between 1673 and 1865 and
contains good examples of the changing fashions in their design
over the years.
We are lucky they have survived - in many churches they have
been removed when repairs to the church were required, never
been replaced and have now disappeared! This is a shame as they
are not only decorative, but also contain much of interest to local
historians, genealogists and those interested in heraldry.
In many cases the paintings directly reflect Deal’s maritime history,
commemorating admirals, captains, deaths at sea and even the
commander of a ship, the Amsterdam, from one of Britain’s great
naval rivals, the Dutch. Ships appear as crests and sailors as
supporters, reminding the viewer of the deceased’s naval
connections. The Deal shipyards may also have an indirect link with
these paintings, as some of the panels and canvases may have
been made from off-cuts of sail canvas and wooden planking, cheap
and easily available to local heraldic painters.
The church is also lucky in having many other wall hangings and
panels of note, including early examples of both carved and painted
Royal Arms boards, a large monumental board thought to be
unique in its design and a 1705 painting of a Man O’ War
commemorating the Great Storm of 1703 in which thirteen ships on
their way back from the war of Spanish Succession, were wrecked
on the Goodwin Sands and 1200 souls lost.
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What is a Hatchment?
Hatchments came into use in the early 17th century and originated
in the Low Countries. They started as a replacement for the
medieval achievement (the carrying of the shield, helm and other
accoutrements) at funerals of knights and other nobles. It was
customary in this country for the hatchment to be carried in front of
the funeral procession, hung outside the home during mourning
(usually a year and a day) and then to be placed in the church
where burial had taken place.
The practice was commonplace into early Victorian times but now
has become almost obsolete, although some Oxford colleges still
follow the practice. The most recent I am aware of in Kent is that
of Sir Arthur Luxmoore in the church at Bilsington dated 1944. Over
time memorial plaques of similar design were produced and some
would say these were not "genuine" hatchments, but it is not
always easy to differentiate between those produced for the funeral
and those some time later purely as memorials.
On the previous page, is a series of illustrations which show how
the make up of the arms and the background colour to the
hatchment is of great significance and enables even a casual
observer to tell the marital status of the deceased.
• Single people had only one coat of arms on the hatchment and
the background colour was all black.
• Where a male death, a helm surmounts the arms. For a
female death it is either a ribbon or left unadorned
• Where married, both parties arms are shown. Male are always
on the left, and the surviving partners are on a light
background. For the second death the whole background is
again black.
• Where more than one marriage has occurred, previous
spouses can be shown in various ways (see1, 2, 3 and 4)
• I believe the example for a Bishop (showing mitre and stole)
to be incorrect, in that the colours of the halves should be
reversed if he is pre-deceasing his wife or both parts should be
black if his is the second death.
• The example for the Peer shows the extra adornments by way
of supporting animals and crown that went with rank.
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What work needs doing?
The amount of work required varies between the different items.
Some need only a thorough clean and their fixings renewed. Others
are on the point of no return if nothing is done.
The book Hatchments in Britain vol. 5 by Peter Summers says of
the hatchment for Admiral Sir John Harvey and also that for Lady
Sarah Drake, that in 1975 they were almost indecipherable. These
two will be lost forever if action is not taken very soon.
The survey commissioned last year says of Admiral Harvey’s “The
support is a very degraded canvas with extensive paint loss exposing
areas of bare canvas, which are very dark, probably as a result of
oxidation over a long period”.
And of Lady Sarah Drake’s “The painting is the most severely damaged
hatchment in the church. The support is a very degraded canvas with
extensive paint loss and, massive surface deformation.”
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Some of the boards on which the
paintings have been executed are in
need of attention – The Hatchment for
Scrivens has woodworm (right) as do
several others including that for Poulton
(see below) Without treatment eventually
the Boards will crumble and we will have
lost our heritage.
Others of the collection are in need of a
thorough clean and coating with a
protective layer, in order to allow the
beauty of the art work to be properly
appreciated and conserved.
A good example of this it the 1718
Bulstrode Memorial, a very unusual, if
not unique, wooden trompe l’oeil
imitation of a stone wall memorial.
The central text panel imitates
gilded slate, with a fictive stone
surround in grisaille.
The board has five armorial
shields which along with the
text in the centre tell the
history of part of the Bulstrode
family.
Investigation regarding
their connection with Deal is
ongoing.
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Descriptions of the Hatchments
The hatchments are listed in the order you will find them if starting from by the west
door under the Pilots Gallery and heading round the church, first heading north.
Numbers 15 and 16 are in the Tower lobby.
1. Captain Thomas Gardner (d. 1699)
Description: All black background. Azure a
chevron ermine between three griffins' heads
erased argent longued gules (Gardner)
Crest: A griffin sejant argent langued gules, resting
its dexter claw on a book sable garnished or
Mantling: Gules and argent
Winged skull in base
For Captain Thomas Gardner, bur. 2 Jul
1699 (P.R)
2. Elizabeth Baker (d.1799)
Description: Sinister background black
Sable ermined or a griffin segreant argent,
legged, armed and longued or (Baker) In
pretence: Azure latticed argent a lion rampant or
Crest: From a naval coronet or a cubit mailed
arm or holding a trident fessways sable headed
argent
Mantling: Gules and argent
Motto: Manet post funera virtus
th
Elizabeth Baker (nee Bromshall) Buried 5 Jan 1799
Wife of John Baker (below)
3. Mrs Thomasin Renton (d. 1730)
Description: All black background. Azure a
chevron argent between three standing bowls
or, issuing therefrom three boars' heads
palewise argent tusked issuing therefrom
three boars' heads palewise argent tusked or
langued gules (Bowles). To dexter of main
shield. Sable three pheons argent (Nicholls),
impaling, Bowles Dexter background black. To
sinister of main shield. Argent a lion rampant
within a bordure azure (Renton), impaling,
Bowles Dexter background block
No crest
Mantling: Gules and argent
Frame: decorated with skulls and crossbones
On motto scroll: In Memory of Mrs. Thomasin Renton.
For Thomasin Bowles, who m. 1st, George Nichols of Deal, and 2nd, 1710, Alexander Renton, and d.1730
Thomasine Rentone bur I May 1730 (Mar. Lie. P.R.)
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4. Mr. Sampson Wise (d. 1673/4)
Description: All brown background. Sable
three chevronels ermine (Wise)
Crest: A demi-lion argent holding in the dexter
paw a mace erect or
Mantling: Gules and argent
On motto scroll: In Memory of Mr. Sampson
Wise
For Sampson Wise, who d. 1673/4
Burial Register: Mr Samson Wise gent. bur 26
Jan 1673/4 (P.R.)
5. Mr Henry Gerard (d. 1698)
Description: All black background. Argent a
saltire gules a label sable for difference (Gerard)
Crest: A monkey passant sable langued gules,
collared and chained at the waist or
Mantling: Gules and argent
On motto scroll: In memory of Mr. Henry Gerard
who deported this life the 27th of September A°
Dom. 1698 In ye 24th Yeore of his age'
Frame: Wide black frame decorated with skulls,
crossbones and monogram of HG
Buriel Register: Hy. Gerard bur 1 Ocf 1698
(P.R.)
6. John Baker
Description: All black background. Sable
ermined argent a griffin segreant or (Baker) In
pretence: Chequy azure and or a lion rampant
argent armed and langued gules
Crest: As 5, but arm sable and trident gules
headed or
Mantling: Gules and argent
Motto: In coelo quies
John Baker Esq.of Deal
Buried 22 Jul 1802
7. Captain Thomas Poulton (d.1699)
Description: All brown background. Gules a
chevron between three molets or (Poulton)
Crest: A lion's head erased offronte sable
ducally gorged or
Mantling: Gules and argent
Frame: decorated with skull and crossbones,
and inscribed 'In Memory of Capt. Tho: Poulton'
and at top and base 16 and 99
For Capt. Thomas Poulton, who d. 1699.
Burial Register: Ct. Thos. Poufton bur 22 Jun 1699,
Stranger J (P.R.)
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8. Mr George Serocold (d. 1705/6)
Description: All brown background. Per
chevron argent and sable in chief two fleurs-delys
and in base a tower or (Serocold)
Crest: A tower or surmounted by a fleur-de-lys
argent
Mantling: Gules and argent
Frame: decorated with skulls and crossbones
and date 1705
Burial Register: Geo Sorocold Gent., bur 23 Jan
1705/6 (P.R.)
9. Revd. Henry Gerard (d. 1710)
Description: All black background. Argent a
saltire gules a crescent sable for difference
(Gerard)
Crest: A monkey passant sable collared at the
waist and chained or
Mantling: Gules and argent
On motto scroll: 'In memory of Mr. Henry Gerord
late Rector of this Parish who deported this life
the 2nd day of January in the 65th year of his
age. Anno Dom. 1710'.
Frame: decorated with skulls, crossbones and
hourglasses
Burial Register entry: Not in burial register
10. Miss Mary Screven (d. 1687)
Description: All black background. Argent gutty
gules a lion rampant sable crowned or (Scriven)
Helm, but no crest
Mantling: Gules and argent
On scroll in position of crest: 'In Memory of Mis'
Mary Screven who died ye 18th of tune 1687 in
ye 18th year of her age'
Frame: decorated with skulls and crossbones
Burial register: Mis. My. Screven bur 20 Jun 1687 (P.R.)
11. Sir Francis Samuel Drake (d. 1789)
Description: All black background. Drake, as
15, impaling. Argent a fess gules between six
choughs sable (Onslow)
Crest: A sailing ship or, on a terrestrial globe,
drawn by golden hawsers, from a hand proper
the arm habited gules cuffed argent issuing from
clouds proper
Mottoes: (above crest) Auxilio divino (below
shield) Sic parvis mogna
Mantling: Gules and argent
For Sir Francis Samuel Drake, 1 st and last Bt., who m. 2nd, Miss Onslow, dau. of George Onslow,
M.P. andd.s.p. 19 Nov. 1789. (B.E.B.)
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12. Admiral Sir Edward Harvey (d. 1865)
Description: All black background. Two oval
shields Dexter, within the Order of the Bath and
with star pendent below, Harvey, with a molet
argent on a molet sable for difference
Sinister, within an ornamental wreath, as dexter,
impaling, a blank
Crest: Two bears' gambs erect erased sable
ermined argent holding a crescent or ermined
sable
Mantling: Gules and argent
Motto: Servate fidem cineri
Supporters: Two sailors proper in their exterior hands a staff with a flag argent charged with a cross
gules, in the dexter canton on anchor azure
For Admiral Sir Edward Harvey, G.C.B., who m. Eliza Ann (d. 23 Aug. 1857), only dau. of John
Cannon,and d. 4 May 1865. (Ml)
13. Captain George Pomeroy (d. 1690)
Description: All black background. Or a lion
rampant gules within a bordure engrailed sable
(Pomeroy), impaling. Argent three roundels and
a chief gules (Beesley)
Crest: A demi-lion gules in its dexter paw a
bezant
Mantling: Gules and argent
On brood scroll below shield: 'Here lieth the body
of Capt. George Pomeroy, son of Capt. Wm
Pomeroy of the West late Commander of their
Majesties Ship the Rupert who received his
mortal wound against the French off Beachy and
departed this life the 25th day of July 1690
in ye 39th year of his age leaveing his wife and 3 children
behind him.' Frame: decorated with skull and crossbones
14. Admiral Sir John Harvey (d. 1837)
Description: Dexter background black. Two oval
shields Dexter, within the Order of the Bath,
Argent on a chevron embattled gules between
three bears' gambs erect erased sable ermined
argent three crescents or ermined sable (Harvey)
Sinister, Harvey, impaling. Gules a chevron
between three boors' heads couped or (Bradley)
Crest: Two bears' gambs erect erased sable
ermined argent holding a crescent or ermined
sable
Mantling: Gules and argent
Motto: Servate fidem cineri
For Admiral Sir John Harvey, K.C.B., Admiral of the Blue, who m. 1797, Elizabeth, dau. of William
Wyborn Brodley, of Sandwich, and d. 17 Feb. 1837. (MI)
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15. Captain Matheus Steyn (d. 1695/6)
Description: All brown background. Or a
chevron sable between three geese sable,
beaked and legged gules ()
Crest (on a barred affronte helm); A goose as in
the arms rising
Mantling: Sable and or
A small hatchment in Dutch style, with a wide
frame inscribed Obit XX Martii at top and Anno
MDCLXXXXVI at base, and a narrow eave on
the upper edges of the frame.
For Matheus Steijn of Haarlem, Navy of the United Netherlands, who commanded the Damiaten at
Brest in 1694, was Captain of the (64-gun) Amsterdam in 1696, died 10 Mar 1695/6 (Gregorian 20
Mar 1696) and was buried at Deal 13 Mar 1695/6. (P.R., Rietstap; de Jonge)
16. Lady Sarah Drake (d. 1787)
Description: Sinister background black. Sable a fess wavy
between two estoiles of six points argent a molet or for
difference, the Bodge of Ulster (Drake), impaling, vert a
chevron ermine between three griffins' heads erased or
(?Hayman)
Motto: Sic parvis magna
Two cherubs' heads above shield
Presumably for Sarah Hayman (Elizabeth Hayman in B.E.B.),
who married as his 1st wife, Sir Francis Samuel Drake, 1st and last Bt.,
and died 3 Feb 1786 aged 57; buried as "Lady Sarah Drake" 12 Feb 1786.
(B.E.B.; Drake biography; P.R.; M.I. in churchyard; Bank of England Will Extract Bk 6 No.2984)
The Queen Anne Arms
After the Restoration in 1660 the Royal Arms were ordered to be
placed in all churches. On the wall above the extended arch to the
nave, is a board showing the coat of arms of Queen Anne, this is
best seen from the
Georgian gallery in
the north aisle of the
church.
As you can see from
the picture to the
right, this board is in
great need of cleaning
.
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The Bulstrode board
This Board is possibly unique in its design, certainly none of the
experts we have consulted so far have knowledge of similar.
It is one of the most interesting
paintings in the church and is
extremely unusual, being a trompe
l’oeil imitation of a stone wall
memorial. The central text panel
imitates gilded slate, with a fictive
stone surround in grisaille. The
armorial five shields are fully
polychromed and gilded as one would
expect to find on a real stone
monument.
It commemorates Edward Bulstrode
who died in 1717. It is not known why
a man from a family who were strongly
connected with Gloucestershire and
Warwickshire should end up buried in
Deal (except that he may be related by Marriage to Captain Thomas
Gardner whose Hatchment hangs in the church) but as part of our
project we are investigating the lives of all those commemorated
and so it is hoped that we may soon find out.
Shown to the left is the Shield for
Edwards marriage to Mary Gardner,
which shows her arms to be that of the
same Gardner family as Captain Thomas
Gardner whose hatchment hangs in the
church.
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Text on the memorial
In a vault under the Altar, lieth the Body of
Edward Bulstrode, late of Tewkesbury, in Com. Gloucest. Esq;
Whose wife Mary (Sister to George Gardner, of Evesham, in
Com. Wigorn. Esq.) deceasing before him, is Interr’d in ye Church
there
He died xxvii Decemb. MDCCXVII, aged LXVII Years, and was
The Eldest Son of Sir Richard Bulstrode, Knt. (who serv’d Their
Majesties K. Charles II. and K. James II. Near XX Years, in the
Several Qualities of Agent.Resident and Envoy Extraordinary,
At the Court of Bruxells) by Joice, his Wife (Sister to Sir
Edward Dineley of Charlton, likewise in the said County
Of Worcester, Knight, who died without Issue Male) and
Grandson of Edward Bulstrode, of Soley End, near Astley, in Com.
Warwicks also of The Inner Temple, London Esq; Sometime ChiefJustice of North-Wales, by Margaret his Wife (Daughter to
Richard Chamberlain, of Astley, Aforementioned, Esq; by
Elizabeth, his Wife, Sister to Sir Walter Harcourt, of
Stanton-Harcourt, in Com. Oxon. Kt Ancest.r to ye Lord Harcourt.)
And Great-Grandson of Edward Bulstrode, of Bulstrode, in Com.
Buck. Esq; (by Cecily, his Wife, Sister to Sir John Croke, of
Chilton, in the same County, Kt. Speaker of the Hon.ble House of
Comons, Recorder of London, and One of the Judges of ye Court
Of Kings Bench) Lineal Heir of Robert de Bulstrode, who liv’d
At his Manor of Bulstrode, near Gerrards Cross, XXX Hen.III.
AD MCCXLVI
Detail of the grisaille
Detail showing the
Crest and motto at the
top of the memorial
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Scripture and benefaction boards
As well as the items already pictured, the church’s collection
contains a number of other painted boards bearing scripture
verses, records of various stages of the buildings development and
the churches role in providing alms for the poor of the parish.
These too have historic, social and particularly in the case of the
scripture boards artistic merit and so are included in the project.
One of five scripture boards and a detail of a small cleaning test
carried out on another in much poorer condition.
Dated 1736
Dated 1730
Two benefaction boards which carry details of sums of money to be applied to provide bread for
various inhabitants of the parish on special days of the year and for payment to the Curate of Deal
Chapel, on him preaching a sermon and administering the sacrament on Good Friday – if he refused
to do so, this money was to be used for the provision of bread also.
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History of the people
As part of the project, we aim to confirm the identities of the
people commemorated by the various Hatchments and memorials
and also research into their lives.
We are grateful to those who have started this work before us and
in particular to Dr A C E Gray who has done much to confirm or
correct earlier opinions. It has given us a good starting point to
continue our research from. This work is being led by Sue Buckman
who is a committee member of the Friends who only recently was
able to confirm the identity of the female commemorated by the
second Drake Hatchment (No. 16) as being Lady Sarah Drake.
Results to date:
We now believe we have properly identified all the hatchments,
filling in or correcting the attributions given in Peter Summers
Hatchments in Britain Vol. 5
Currently our efforts to discover more about the lives of those
commemorated are being concentrated on the Drake hatchments
and the Bulstrode Memorial.
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