Aspects of Kentish Local History

Some Kentish Gravestones & other notes

Strood Church M.I.s & other information with Index of names

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Monumental Inscriptions of St Nicholas Church, Strood - recorded by D. E. Williams 2014

Introduction

Taken at the start of the 20th century, this photograph will include some of the headstones now in the south west corner and some of the ledger stones which still remain in this general area, and also, some, now destroyed, will be found in the "Typed Manuscript". But many others have also been destroyed, probably about 1960, when the, then, local authority, (which took over maintenance of churchyards), gave grass cutting priority ahead of heritage, not to mention this appropriate and attractive setting of the church, surrounded by 
memorials to it's former parishioners.

ST. NICHOLAS CHURCH FROM THE SOUTH
THE TOWER IS 15th CENTURY, EXCEPT THE TOP STAGE,
WHICH IS LATE 19th CENTURY, (REBUILT FOLLOWING A FIRE).

SECTION A  Interior of Church
Part one: Monuments in the present church. These are all mural monuments, some from the old church which was demolished in 1812.
Part two: Monuments in the old church which were recorded by John Thorpe in the first half of the 18th century. These are probably under the present floor in what was said to be a "crypt", buried under rubble from the old church. I am inclined to think that the "crypt" is simply the space between the medieval floor and the raised floor of the 1814 church. It is significant the Thorpe does not mention a "crypt". Part two includes incomplete inscriptions recorded by Henry Smetham in his History of Strood, (1899), under the present floor. Rubble had been cleared at the entrance so Smetham could get partly into the space.
My thanks to the Vicar, Reverend David Green, Churchwarden, Elaine Ford and Len Feist for their co-operation and friendly welcome.
Appendix - Inscriptions found by Henry Smetham under the floor and published in his "History of Strood",

SECTION B  "TYPED MANUSCRIPT"
This typed manuscript, date unknown, consists, with three exceptions, of monuments which can no longer be found. The three still extant are, the May headstone, which I am including under South West Corner; the Stevens chest tomb, see Churchyard Existing Monuments, and the Fry monument, the latter inside the church, see Interior.
This record seems to be accurate, although not all the ages can be guaranteed to be accurate.
It is also not clear whether some of the monuments are headstones or ledgers.

SECTION C  CHURCHYARD  All Extant Monuments - (South West Corner Group in Separate Section)

SECTION D  CHURCHYARD SOUTH WEST CORNER  18th Century headstones
These headstones, decorated with carved motifs,e.g. Putti, Urns, St. Michael, etc., have been saved from the destruction which took place, at some unknown date, in the last century, and re-sited in their present position. They were originally probably in the south part of the churchyard. They are mostly quite worn, one is completely eroded.

Index of Names - from gravestones only

Section  A  1-45     Section  B  46-59     Section  C 60-121    Section  D  122-139

Names Index ACWORTH 160 ALEXANDER 61 ANDERSON 62 ATTERSOLL 63 BAKER 122 BARNES 46 BARROW 1, 41 BARTHOLOMEW 47, 48 BATCHELLER 123 BENNETT 113 BENTHAM 61 BERESFORD 2 BIGGAR 42 BLADEN 64, 65 BLAKE94 BOGHURST 3, 42 BOOTH 34 BOUCHER 66 BOWMER 67, 68 BRADLEY 136 BRIDGE 123 BROMLEY 49, 50 BROWN 69 BRYANT 70, 71 BUCK 72 BULL 63 BULLARD 73 BULMER 74 BURR 124 BUTTLER 75 CAESAR 23, 38 CASTLE 76 CHAPLIN 78, 79 CHARLTON 77 CLARK 80 CLIVE 24 COBB 81 COLE 92 COLES 82 COLLINGS 51 COWELL 83 CRESSWELL 84 CREYE 25 CURLING 4 CURTIS 26

DAVISON 125 DAWES 85 DAY 5, 6 DAY 52 DEACON 86 DIBLEY 87 EATON 53 EDWARDS 54 EVANS 27 FALSHAW 7 FAUNCE 8 FORD 101 FRY 88 FRY 9 FURNER 28 GANDEE 89 GIBBS 10, 90 GIBSON 11 GLOVER 29 GOLDSTON 55, 113 GOODCHILD 65 GOTHER 30 GOUGE 91 GOWER 90 GREGORY 124 GUNSTON 4 GURR 78 HARCOURT 92 HAWKINS 93 HAYES 31 HENMARSH 126 HERMITAGE 5 HILL 94 HIND 32 HODGES 127 HOLLINGDALE 95 HOLWILL 33 HOOD 128, 129 HOOPER 70, 130 HOWES 96 HULKES 7, 12, 13, 14, 15, 97 HURLEY 98

JEFFERY 16 JELFE 34 KILLICK 99 KING 91 KNIGHT 100 LAWRENCE 101 LEWIS 35 LINK 102 LOFT 52, 56, 131 MACAULAY 103 MACNAUGHT 78 MARTIN 57 MAY 131 MILLER 104 MILLS 132 MINTER 104 MUNRO 81 NASH 105 PHILLIPS 45 PICNOT 106 PLAY 36 POCOCK 17 PORTER 133 PUCKLE 58 PUNNETT 37 RAYSON 107 RING 108 ROBERTS 20 ROBINSON 18, 59 ROFFWAY 109 ROOK 110 ROOTS 134 RYNOLDS 134

SAKER 46 SHEAFE 19 SHREWBURY 112 SIMCOE 103 SIMMONDS 38, 111 SIMSON 73 SINCLAIR 71 SKILLER? 135 SLAUGHTER 20 STACE 21, 112 STEVENS 22, 96, 105, 113 STROUGHILL 88 STRUTFIELD 136 STURLA 18 SUKEY 99 SUTTON 132 TAPLEY 8 TAYLOR 19, 58 TELFER 61 THOMPSON 101 TURNER 114, 137 VENMAN 39, 44, 45 WALKER 61 WANSTALL 121 WARD 115 WATERMAN 78 WATKIN 123 WATSON 116 WELCH 138 WELLARD 139 WEST 117, 118 WICKHAM 119 WILLIAMS 101 WINCH 120 WOOD 40, 41, 121 WRIGHT 95

Section  A  1-45     Section  B  46-59     Section  C 60-121    Section  D  122-139