Come Ye Blessed...
STAUNTON IN THE VALE, NOTTINGHAMSHIRE.
CHURCH OF ST MARY
Church Post Code NG13 9PE
Open to visitors
A fine and very interesting church, with five Belvoir Angel stones. Looking at these five stones in conjunction with each other brings home how hard a life the people lived at this time. Death surrounded them and the personal information on these gravestones makes for interesting and very sad reading.
The first stone reads 'Here lies the body of Hannah Musson the wife of John Musson she died March ye 17th 1722 ages 37 years. Part of the inscription at the foot of the stones is not readable but the top line starts of by saying 'Hard pangs of labour gave benoni birth'.
The hard pangs of labour indicates that the lady sadly died in child birth. The phrase benoni birth gave me some problems. What on earth did this mean? It turns out that this is Biblical. In Genesis Chapter 35 verses 17 - 19 tells of Jacob's wife Rachel dying shortly after the birth of her son. She named him Benoni just before she died but her husband changed the name to Benjamin. Benoni is Hebrew, but is translated as 'Son of my sorrow'. This gravestone has 'child of my sorrow' carved on to the second line.
The angel here appears half way down the grave and is accompanied by the hourglass and crossed bones, symbols of the mortality of Man,
'Come Ye Blessed' is carved across the top of the gravestone to William Brown.
'Here lies the body of William Brown deceased Jan the 24th 1725 aged 49 years.
Spacing issues here meant that the mason carving this ran out of space with '49 years' being added in much smaller lettering at the end of the line.
Inscription lower down reads 'All you who do behold my stone pray think how quickly I was gone Death does not always warning give therefore be carefull how you live Repent therefore no time delay I in my prime was snatch'd away'
Death was a part of every day life for the people living at this time. Life expectancy was in the low 40's and infant mortality was very high. 'Be Ye Ready' is carved across the top of the stone here. In other words, be prepared to follow the deceased at some point and be ready when your day comes having lived a good Christian life.
Thomas Musson, husband of Mary, died in May 1722 at the age of 67 years, which was a fair age for those days. His stone reads
'Here lies the body of Thomas Musson who departed this life May ye 10th 1722 in the 67 year of his age'.
'Remember Man that die ye must and like to me return to dust. All flesh is like the withering hay it springs it grows then fades away'.
Close by, a stone to Mary Musson, who passed away on Christmas Eve 1725 reads as follows...
'Here lies the body of Mary Musson wife of Tho Musson she died the 24th of Dec 1725 aged 59
'You readers both old and young your time on earth will not be long. For death will come and die you must and like to me return to dust'.
The fifth Vale Of Belvoir Angel stone here is to Francis Moss who died aged 41 years in February 1720.
The Angel across the top of this gravestone, as with some others, has a downcast expression. The deceased was a family man with a wife and children; taken in the prime of life.
The angel was traditionally used to symbolise the flight of the soul to heaven. 'Come Ye Blessed' it reads across the top of the stone. An invitation to those who had lived a good life and who would spend eternity in heaven.
The angel was there to care for and escort the soul of the deceased to heaven.. An important task. The angel is downcast as the man has died but it could also have been carved with a joyful expression as he was on his way to heaven.
'Here lies the body of Francis Moss He died Fenruary ye 28th Anno Dom 1720 aged 41 years'
'Farewell my wife and children dear which in this world I've left behind Do not lament nor shed a tear eternity be sure you mind'
SOME NOTES FROM MY VISIT.
It was a fine Sunday morning in late June 2020. The country had been badly hit by Covid 19 and the first three month national lockdown had ended. Churches were allowed to be open for private worship but it was to be a little while before they were open for public worship.
We had decided to have a day out in Nottinghamshire looking for some Belvoir Angel gravestones; not really expecting to find any of the churches open to visitors; and we were surprised and delighted to find the church of St Mary at Staunton in the Vale open.
Staunton is a very small village, which recorded a population of 66 at the time of the 2021 census. To put things in to some geographical context Grantham is approximately 11 miles away to the south east with Bottesford five miles off to the south. Newark is 15 miles or so off to the north.
The church of St Mary, in its quiet and secluded church grounds, to the south of the village, has Staunton Hall as its near neighbour; which has been in the hands of the Staunton family since the Norman Conquest in the 11th century.
The church here dates back to the 14th century with much rebuilding here in 1853; with work commissioned by Isabella Staunton and undertaken by Edward James Wilson of Lincoln. During that rebuilding programme the chancel and south porch were each rebuilt, along with the south and west walls of the nave. The roofs were also replaced at that time.
Doing the research for this; it was evident that the rebuilding did not sit well with everyone, being described by one source as ‘a complete restoration on an unhappily destructive scale’. Wilson died before the rebuilding was completed with his son Timothy seeing it through to completion. There was further restoration here in 1936. The only things basically left untouched by the Wilson’s rebuilding are the tower and north aisle.
There was a church here before the 14th century though, with mention of a church as far back as 1190 and there are few items inside the church which date to before the 14th century.
The church that we see today consists of central tower, nave with north aisle, south porch, north vestry and chancel. The two stage 14th century tower rises up from the north east corner of the nave. The lower stage was rendered during some work here in 1936; with a small tiled cap to the tower. Gargoyles in the form of grotesque beasts crouch against the tower; seemingly on the verge of flight with a string course also having grotesque carved heads.
As mentioned, much of the church here is an early Victorian rebuild but there is a fine ogee headed doorway to the north which dates to the 14th century.
It was good to find the church open to visitors; a rarity in those days when the country was starting to find its feet, albeit temporarily, after the ending of the first lockdown. This was one of the first churches that I had been inside since we were able to travel again and it felt good to regain just a tiny little speck of normality!
The 14th century north arcade is of three bays, with octagonal piers and moulded capitals. Looking to the west the church organ sits at the west end of the nave. Nave is separated from chancel by a chancel screen which dates from the 16th century rood screen, which is dated to 1519; donated by Master Symon Yates who was parson here.
It is interesting to think that this would have originally been made with a rood loft, which held the rood itself; this being a carving of the crucifixion. In all probability this rood would not have stood here for very long as we were on the eve of the reformation when things such as this were suddenly seen as being idolatrous. The Act of Supremacy in 1534 established Henry VIII as the head of the Church of England after the break from Rome and legislation for the removal of images and shrines deemed to be superstitious followed.
As mentioned, the chancel was completely rebuilt during the rebuilding of the 1850’s. The ogee headed medieval piscina, which would have been used in the washing of the holy vessel used during the Mass in pre reformation days, survives though, reset in its traditional position against the south wall.
The only stained glass at this church is in the three light east window; which was made by William Wailes in memory of Henry Charlton Staunton who died in 1866 aged 31 years. The central panel shows the crucifixion; this flanked by the Baptism of Jesus and the Last Supper. The latter is worth noting as there are only six disciples. Judas casts a bored and forlorn figure in the foreground, with head in hand and clutching a bag of money in his other hand. It is always interesting to see how Judas is portrayed in these depictions; here he is the only disciple who is shown without a nimbus and the only one who is actively looking away from Jesus.
Against the north wall of the north aisle are a number of medieval effigies. All show signs of damage; and it is said that two of these were deliberately broken by a 17th century puritan vicar who wanted to create more space for his congregation!
We have a cross legged knight, who is missing both hands and feet, which is thought to date from 1300. Close by we see a female figure wearing a wimple, laying alone on a base which was made for two figures. This is thought to be Joan De Staunton who died in 1366. Fascinating to think that this figure is for a lady who would have lived through the Black Death which decimated the country in 1348-49!
The other two figures are very badly damaged, and we see a headless animal, either a lion or a dog, which at one point would have sat at the feet of the deceased; symbolising either strength and courage or faithfulness.
In the north east corner of the north aisle in a grave slab to William de Staunton who died in 1250. He is shown wearing chainmail, with sunken eyes and a neat moustache, with hands at prayer.
There are a few wall monuments and hatchments including one for the wonderfully named Job Staunton Charlton who died in 1778 aged 78 years. His memorial takes the form of a female figure in long flowing gown that holds aloft a cross.
The font is also of great age; my goodness what things this would have stood through over the centuries! Dating from the 12th century this is carved with interlaced arcading. Fascinating to think that some of the Staunton family that we see in the ancient effigies in the north aisle could have been christened in this font!
The church grounds are quiet and peaceful; set well back from the road. To be fair though, given the situation in the country at that time it was quiet everywhere! I was here primarily to see the Belvoir Angel gravestones but apart from those this is an interesting church grounds. A carving of a human skull, lichen encrusted and with cavernous eye sockets has crossed bones beneath; each being a memento mori symbol. Remember that you will go the same way as the deceased.
A finely carved slate gravestone depicts a woman who holds aloft a crown in one hand, whilst holding a banner in the other, on which reads ‘be thou faithful unto death and I will give you a crown of life’. This comes from the Book of Revelation Chapter 2 verse 10.
Also of interest is a very weathered stone which has what looks to be a depiction of the deceased, with angels close by waiting to escort their soul to Heaven. There is some age to this stone with the name, details of their life and epitaph all since weathered illegible.
A beautiful little church in a peaceful setting; just what I needed at that time! Open and welcoming and full of history; well worth taking a look at if you are in the area.