EARWAKER-L Archives

Archiver > EARWAKER > 2000-08 > 0965784626


From: "Alan Earwaker" <>
Subject: [EARWAKER] 'The Parish Church of Saint John the Evangelist, West Meon, Hampshire'
Date: Tue, 8 Aug 2000 21:30:26 -0400


For those of you who are interested, the following are extracts from a leaflet entitled
'The Parish Church of Saint John the Evangelist, West Meon, Hampshire'

The Churchyard

In the churchyard are the graves of some famous people and at least one who was notorious. Just below the steps into the lower churchyard, on the left, is the table tomb of THOMAS LORD, ( I have a digital photo for those interested), still maintained by his Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC). The new Inn in the village was named after him in 1955, following a game of cricket between the village team and the MCC to mark the 200th. anniversary of his birth (1755). On the right, near the wall, is the grave of the parents of the social reformer, William Cobbett, who wrote the famous book "Rural Rides".

The Tower Chamber - Interior

...... Here is a remarkable display of heraldic glass, contemporary with the building. In the centre light are the arms of the sovereign, of WILLIAM HOWLEY, Archbishop of Canterbury, and the Duke of Wellington, Lord Lieutenant of Hampshire when the Church was built. The Bishop of Winchester, CHARLES SUMNER, who consecrated the Church, is commemorated in the arms at the top of the left hand light, along with Bishops and others with whom the Rector was connected. More arms in the window are of his companions at Eton and Cambridge.
On the walls of the Tower chamber are five unusually fine memorial tablets of former rectors, STEPHEN UNWIN (1772) and JOHN DAMPIER (1826), both of whom served the Parish for over 50 years each. Another is CHARLES DIGNUM (1827) of the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane who married into the RENNET family of Hall Place.
Above the screen at the entrance to the Tower Chamber is an exceptionally fine Royal Arms of Queen Anne, carved in three dimensions, coloured and gilt. At the foot are painted the names of the Churchwardens of 1712, JOHN SHAFT and THOMAS ANDREWS.......

A tour of the Interior - The Nave

...... The memorial inscription is to ALICE McHARDY, a much loved district nurse and her sister. Nearby are the two War Memorial plaques. 30 men were lost from West Meon in the 1914-18 war, and another 9 in 1939-45......

When I visited the Church, I was shown an 'offering plate' with an EARWAKER name inscribed on the plate.

More tomorrow, if you're interested.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------
EARWAKER - A mailing list for the discussion and sharing of information regarding the Earwaker surname and variations (e.g.,Earwicker, Erricker) in any place and at any time. You must be a subscriber to post to the list. To subscribe send the word "subscribe" (without the quotes) as the only text in the body of a message to
(mail mode) or
(digest mode)
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------
Alan (Allen) Earwaker,
Redhill, Surrey, England with ancestors in London and Hampshire

www.earwaker.co.uk

This thread: