Churchyard Monumental Inscriptions from St Michael, Horton

The following description of the churchyard and memorials therein, are quoted from the book, published in 1862, entitled "History of the Parish of Wraysbury, Ankerwycke Priory, and Magna Charta Island; with the History of Horton, and the town of Colnbrook, Bucks" by Gordon Willoughby James Gyll.

The description reads as follows:

The Churchyard is about an acre in area, and cleanly kept. In it northwards are two very picturesque and antique yews, coevals, male and female, probably 6 or 700 years old. Under the male tree, which bears fruit, there is a large commodious bench. These trees are common to most churchyards. At Bedfont, on the London Road, there are two cut in topiary, or clipped work, exhibiting figures of 1704, while the tops of the trees are formed into the shape of peacocks.

This cemetery is not very full of monuments, and it is alleged that head-stones have been removed in large quantities. Part of the cemetery towards the north, abutting on the road, is unconsecrated ground. A large dense brick wall surrounds it on three sides, which divides it from Horton Park. It is of great thickness, bricks 12 inches long and 3 broad, overtopped with ivy, and strengthened with several large round buttresses, whose use is not clearly defined. A door leads into the Park near the site of the old mansion.

The exterior of the church walls, in which are no monuments, have some inscriptions on them. On a white stone, affixed to the outside of the north wall of the aisle -

Near this place lies ye bodie of William Goade, ye father, and William his son, both late of Colebroke, Physitians. Also Joseph and Sarah Fellowes, son and daughter of George Fellowes, Surgeon, and Priscilla his wife, and kinsman of the late William Goade.

On a small stone :- Elizabeth Thompson died 10th October, 1777.

On another slab :- Here lyeth the body of Lazarus Holderness, who departed this life the 2nd day of June, 1756, in the 75th year of his age. Some citations follow.
Also the body of Mr. Henry Holderness, son of the above, who departed this life 1st June, 1800, aged 82 years. Some verses.

On an altar tomb in the churchyard, near the east end of the chancel -
William Child, Citizen and Haberdasher of London, died 16th December, 1715, aged 50 years.
Also, Henry Child, twin with the abovementioned, died 31st August, 1718.
Also, Elizabeth Child, daughter of the above William Child, died 22nd July, 1727, aged 37 years.
Also, Judith Child, wife of the above William Child, died 21st June, 1730, aged 65 years.
Also, Mr. Joseph Child, Gent. of Richmond, Surrey, son of the above William Child. He died 16th May, 1749, aged 61 years.

On a grave-stone near :- John Virgo, of Brompton, in the parish of Kensington, died 25th March, 1810, aged 49.

On the north side :-
Sacred to the memory of Mr. Francis Virgo, Citizen of London, who departed this life 30th March, 1810, aged 58 years.

On another altar tomb :- Sacred to the memory of William Virgo, Esq. of Wraysbury, Bucks, son of Thomas Virgo, late of Mildridge, in this parish, who departed this life 14th May, 1819, in the 70th year of his age.

On the north-west side of the Churchyard is a stone to -
John Dowse, died 26th September 1850, aged 73. Mrs. Lucy Dowse died 27th December, 1857, aged 82. Also, John Curtis, died 10th February, 1851, aged 75. Also, Richard John Frear died 8th November, 1845, aged 61. John Broughton, died 4th September, 1841, aged 80.

On an altar tomb :- Mary Webster, widow, daughter of Henry Holderness, died 8th June, 1853, aged 88.
John Plumridge, 33 years Clerk of this Church, died 1st June, 1843, aged 70. Mrs. Martha Plumridge, widow, died 4th September, 1855, aged 78. Mr. Thomas Plumridge, died 27th April, 1846, aged 33.
Mr. Richard Fonnereau, died 7th February, 1814, aged 28.

On an altar tomb :- Mr. William Howard, Citizen and Grocer of London, died 11th October 1723, aged 63. Ann his wife, died 7th April, 1721, aged 63.

Altar tomb :- Mr. Thomas Biddle, late of Colebroke. Figures erased. Mrs. Elizabeth Biddle his wife.
Also, Susanna Smith, widow, daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth Biddle, died October, aged 49. Mr. Robert Biddle, died December 1743, aged 60.

An altar tomb :- To the memory of Thomas Wynch.

There are two stones united, north side, to -
John Burcombe, late of Colebroke, Mercer, died 6th December, 1714, aged 56. Ann, wife of ditto, died 11th September, 1708, aged 49.

A stone - To Edward Perkins, and one to Mary Godden, died 8th January, 1860, aged 70. Edward Godden, husband of ditto, died 23rd April, 1837, aged 52. James, their son, died 21st February, 1842, aged 15. William Atkins, brother of Mary Godden, died 12th March, 1859, aged 76.

A slab close to the wall :- Elizabeth Yeates, daughter of Wilson Yeates, Esq. died 2nd November, 1834, aged 4. Frances Mary Yeates, sister, aged 15 years.

Several altar tombs in the Churchyard, whose inscriptions are quite illegible. One to the family of Lisle.
Susan, daughter of James House, died 10th December, 1722, aged 32.
Susanna, wife of Henry Bullock, of Poyle, 1840. Ditto, Mr. James Holderness, died 23rd April, 1853, aged 70.
Rebecca Burcombe, died 22nd April, 1765, aged 40. William Burcombe, husband of the above, died 25th March, 1779, aged 54. William Burcombe, son of the above, died 9th July, 1799, aged 34. Ditto, Rebecca Burcombe, late of Kingston, Surrey, died 5th January, 1830, aged 67.

Altar tomb :- William Derby, Esq. died 23rd November, 1837, aged 74. John Derby, Esq. late of the Bank of Englands, died 5th January, 1843, aged 82. Also, Mrs. Frances Holderness, widow of James Holderness, died 10th October 1848, aged 80.

A large monument to the memory of Alexander Wicherly, Esq. died 8th February, 1766, aged 80, servant of the removing Wardrobe to King George I. II. and III. with a good character.

Upright stone :- Mr. Leamer, died 1801.
Flat stone :- Mr. Henry Ford, 1819.
One to a family of Jennings.

Large handsome iron railing containing a monument -
To the memory of Adelaide Gardiner Laing, died young.
Ditto of Lydia Whiteford Laing, born 3rd January, 1808, died 26th April, 1836.

Several upright stones to the memory of the Hayne's family

Large stone :- To the memory of Thomas, son of Edward and Mary Biddle, died 3rd August, 1717, aged 29. Ditto of Edward Biddle, of Richmond, Gent. and Mary his wife, died 13th March, 1743, aged 73. She died 12th December, 1747, aged 69.
John Ashton, of Woolwich, died 20th May, 1792, aged 56. Frances his wife, died 3rd August, 1791, aged 50. Also, John Ashton, died 4th July, 1804, aged 74.
Fanny, wife of John Fulkes, of Colnbroke, daughter of the above, died 24th November, 1813, aged 43.

There are six stones to the family of Maish, of Colnbroke; also to Stevenson, Hibbard and Thurley, Oak, Stretton.

A stone horizontal slab, in the shape of a coffin, on the north-west side, near the church door -
The Rev. T. Tracey Coxwell, Rector of Horton, died 8th December, 1852, aged 76.
William Rogers, poulterer and citizen of London, son of William and Ann Rogers, of Stratfieldsay, Hants, died 11th December, 1816, aged 42.

A very handsome stone column, surmounted with a sarcophagus -
Sacred to the memory of Mary, wife of Mr. William Stevens, died 15th January, 1852, aged 69. William Stevens died in 1852, aged 72.

On an elevated piece of ground at the back of the female yew tree, within a tall iron rail, is another tomb, on the top of which -
Sacred to the memory of Mary, beloved wife of Henry Stevens, died 2nd February, 1848, aged 60. Sacred to the memory of Henry, husband of the said Mary Stevens, died 21st October, 1851, aged 60.

On the north side of the same tomb -
Ann, wife of Edward Hall, Esq., who died 28th July 1829, æt. 45. Also Ann, wife of John Littlewood, Esq., died 22nd August, 1833, æt. 36.

On the south side -
William Littlewood Stevens, son of Henry Stevens of this parish and Mary his wife, died 24th September, 1835, æt. 9.
Mary Ann Fowles of Stanwell, daughter of the above Henry and Mary Stevens of Wyrardisbury, died 16th June, 1847 æt. 30.
Also John Hutton Steven, son of the above, died 24th September, 1850, æt. 32.

Tombstone :- Jane Louisa, wife of Thomas Stevens, of Dock Street, Whitechapel, London, died 19th October, 1851, æt. 67.
Ditto. Mr. Thomas Stevens of ditto, died 16th March, 1853, æt. 68.
Elizabeth Jane, daughter of Thomas Stevens, died 28th July, 1847, æt 25.
Mr. James Stevens, son of Thomas and Jane Stevens, died 11th October, 1831, æt. 21. Do. Thomas, son of Thomas and Jane Stevens, died 10th April, 1836, æt. 23.
Frances, daughter of William and Mary Stevens, died 1824, æt. 6; and Harriet Ann, daughter of ditto, died 1832, æt. 21.
Mr. James Stevens, died 29th February, 1828, æt 60. Do. Elizabeth, wife of Mr. Joseph Stevens, died 7th September, 1821, æt. 68.
Jane, wife of Thomas Northcroft, died 31st March, 1808, æt. 21. Ann, daughter of --- Stevens. Some children of James and Elizabeth Stevens, 1784.
Mrs. Elizabeth Brook, of Tottenham Court Road, died 7th February, 1847, æt. 89.
Mr. Thomas Bennett, died 2nd February, 1815, æt. 56. Other records of Bennett.

Sundry monuments to the families of May, Stretton, Shurley, Hibbard &c.

Spencer Percival Enoe, son of Spencer and Ann Enoe, died 1816, æt 21. Some verses.
Mrs. Agnes Peters, wife of Henry Peters of New Windsor, died 30th September, 1847, aged 25 years.
Mr. Joseph Reffell of the Manor Farm, in this parish, died 13th September, 1848, aged 59.
Alfred, son of Joseph and Elizabeth Reffell, died 20th January, 1844, aged 22.

On a horizontal slab, surrounded with iron rails, north-west side of the cemetery -
In this vault lieth the remains of Mrs. Ann Pullin, wife of Mr. Stephin Pullin of Mildridge Farm in this parish, died 4th July, 1818, aged 38. Jane, daughter of the above, died 20th December, 1811.
Also, Mrs. Elizabeth, 2nd wife of Mr. Stephen Pullin, died 19th April, 1833, aged 62. Also, Mr. Stephen Pullin of Mildridge, died 19th March, 1853, aged 80. A son, Nelson Edward Pullin, died 1854.

Footnote: This form of cutting hedges and clipping beards is noticed in a distich among the fragmentary pieces by the author of Hudibras,

No topiary hedge of quickset
Was e'er so neatly cut or thickset.