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Notes on the History of Littleham

By

William Henry Rogers

 

Annotated and transcribed by

Elizabeth Howard

 

William Henry Rogers FSA JP lived at Orleigh Court in Littleham and left to his granddaughter, who lent it to me, a hard backed note book with G crown R supplied for the public service on the front probably circa 1930, in which he had made referenced notes on this history of Littleham.

He says:

"The parish includes Littleham Court on the west, the village of Littleham and the barton of Hele, groups of farmsteads at Boundstone, Larydon and Shutta besides scattered tenements at Furlong, Nethercleave and Yeo. Bownston. Knightsdown and East Furlong were, in 1600, the estate of John Pincombe, of Soathmolton, who died in 1604, and was succeeded by his son John (Ch Inq p.m.3 Jas1) ... Henry I gave it together with other estates belonging to the honour of Gloucester to his natural son Robert and in 1129 it was held of Earl Robert by Sir Richard de Grenville, Robert fitzHamon`s nephew (the relationship is denied by Round) ... Risdon and Lysons state that the Stapledons were early tenants ... in 1269 Straungia the widow of Philip de Meylurs conveyed it by fine to Peter de la Bere and Juliana his wife and they granted the manor in 1270 to Richard le Butiler ... In 1310 David de la Bere was lord, another David in 1317 and John de la Bere in 1399 and 1402 ... In 1409 William Beaumont died siesed of it; in 1420 John St John and Isabel his wife had succeeded to it, and granted the manor to John Flory and Phillippa his wife with the remainder to Edward son of John and Isabel. In 1427 John St John and Thomas Bassett settled the manor by fine and in the same year Sir Oliver St John granted the reversion on the deaths of the Florys to William Whitfield ... Richard Hankford acquired it from Whitfield and died seised of it in 1430 and his daughter Elizabeth in 1433,; she passed it to her half sister Anne wife of Thomas Boteler Earl of Ormond and so to Anne`s daughter wife of Sir James St Leger of Annery who died seised of it in 1532. The manor was for a time in the possession of the Tremaynes apparently by grant of Sir John St Leger to Edmund Tremayne with his daughter Eulalia; Edmund died in 1582 and was succeeded by his son Francis of whom they (the manor and advowson) were held by Sir Richard Grenville, and he settled it on himself and his wife Mary in 1586 for life with the reversion to his son Bernard with Bideford and Landcross and Lundy Island. Sir Richard died in 1591 and in the same year Sir John St Leger conveyed it by fine to Tristram Arscot his son in law. Arscot sold it to Balthasar Boteler of Stone in Parkham, one of whose five daughters and co heirs Joan brought it to Sir William Leigh of Borough in Northam. His daughter Agnes brought it to Arthur Bassett his grandson who in 1682. In 1770 Francis Bassett sold them to George Anthony, and it stayed in the Anthony family until 1872 when the manor was sold to Sir W L Stucley and the advowson was acquired by the Rev J Limebeer Harding.

The church dedicated to St Swithin, has registers starting in 1538 which continue without a break to the "present day" (WHR transcribed these for the D&C RS) The register was begun in the time of Robert Morecombe presented by Anne St Leger of Annery in 1531 possibly a Littleham man the name occurring freely in the register. His predecessor Philip Nicholl was presented by the Earl of Ormond in 1505 was buried at Littleham 20 July 1546, Morecombe himself being buried 17 Apr 1550. Next John Wether patron James Coffyn inst 1550 buried at Littleham 1560. Followed by Henry Redinge inst 1562 patron Ludovic Pollard; followed by Giles Boteler of the family of Boteler or Butler of Stone in Parkham, who succeeded in 1573 patron Walter Berell; his marriage to Phillipe Prist is recorded 18 May 1577 his wife being a Littleham girl bapt 14 Sept 1556. A dau Mary bapt 1582 and another Pascho in 1584.

Notes:

1627 The X of Sept; John Bate clerk, was at the tender of fortye pounds which Anthonie Hearding was to pay to Agnes Smalle. John Bate`s marriage in 1624. James Bate succeeded Boteler and was instituted in 1588, and remained Rector until 1628 when Samuel Perrin succeeded. He had no less than 10 children baptised at Littleham. In 1644 died John Hill Clerke of Littleham. Richard Tucker, clerke signs in 1648, and adds to John son of William Snow born 1651 Laus Deo sempiterna. John Perin`s burial 1657 and the Rector of 1813 finds this faulty and comments that this register starts 1538 and ends 1653 so the burial is out of place.

Memoranda:

That on the 25th day of January 1668 Elias Lovering a youth 14 years of age, of Northmolton was whipt as a vagrant at the church howse and sent home with a pass according to the statute in that case provided his misdemeanour was the stealing of a dogg from Mr William Bruton the elder of Yeo in Alwington.

Follows a signature of Willam Denis dated 1693.

Perin was buried at Great Torrington 14 March 1654 and was succeeded by Jonathan Bowden who remained in possession during the Commonwealth and even after the Restoration, being deprived in 1662/3 when he became co pastor with William Baylett of the Congregationalists meeting house in Bideford. His marriage and the baptisms of 3 of his children are recorded in the registers.

George Nash was instituted 1 April 1663 Patron William Leigh, and was buried at Littleham 28 Oct 1675. To whom succeeded Henry Tayler - Patron John Bassett buried at Littleham 27 Aprl 1682. To whom succeeded John Ackland, instituted 15 June 1682 - Patron the same. His daughter Mary was buried 25 Feby 1689 and he himself 7 May 1690. To whom succeeded William Pleydell, instituted 20 May 1690 - Patron Francis Bassett. There is no record of his name in the register. He was succeeded by James Cooke, instituted 1691/2 by the same Patron.

On the verso of fol 6 is the following:

"By vertue of an order from ye court at Exeter, signed by Mr Oliver Register, bearing date ye 1st of October 1691, John Crealock was restored into ye pish church of Littleham ye 10 July 1692 by me James Cooke Rector"

He enters and signs his register in 1692. He had one son and 3 daughters baptised at Littleham, and was himself interred there 23 April 1717. His widow was buried 7 Oct 1728.

His successor Anthony Welsh was instituted 11 Oct 1717 - Patron pro hac vice Judith Cooke widow and executrix of the late Rector. He married Judith the daughter of his patroness 1 Nov 1717 and was buried at Littleham 8 Oct 1744.

On the verso of folio 21 is

An Account of the several sums of money that were given by the parishioners of Littleham towards the Redemption of ye Xtian Slaves in Turky, Feb 19th 1670;

Imprimis:

Mr George Nash Rector5s 0
Mary Nash, widow5s 0
John Nash1s 0
Elizabeth Boteler1s 0
Josias Johns1s 0
John Headen junior6d
Johan Simons1s 0
Elizabeth Short6d
Thomas Dennis6d
Mr John Bruton2s 6d
Mrs John Bruton1s 6d
Richard Bruton6d
John Bruton6d
Mary Avery4d
Mr William Atkyn4s 0
Johan Austyn widdow1s 6d
Anthony Austyn1s 0
Elizabeth Austyn1s 0
Nathaniell Austyn6d
Andrea Boyen6d
Barbar Ace2d
John Gregory1s 0
Alice his wife6d
Martha Cogteing wid1s 0
John Landman6d
John Morcomb sen2s 0
Jane his wife1s 0
John Morcomb jun1s 0
Philip Morcomb1s 0
Charles Robins6d
Mary Marchant wid6d
John Marchant1s 0
Samuell Marchant1s 0
Wilmott Grigg6d
Johan Marchant6d
Anthony Neithawey1s 0
Johan Neithawey6d
George Dennis sen2s 6d
Johan Dennis6d
Degory Fulford6d
William Snow sen1s 0
William Snow jun1s 0
Mary Snow6d
Anne Snowe6d
John Short sen1s 0
Nathaniell Short6d
Richard Preist6d
Mr Francis Coffyn1s 0
Mrs Dorothy his wife1s 0
Mrs Dorothy their daughter6d
Sarah Short1d
George Strange5s 0
William Pawling6d
William Coleman sen1s 0
Mary his wife1s 0
Baltasar Boteler6d
Paul Hill1s 0
Edith his wife6d
Mary Berriman6d
John Crealock6d
Mary his wife6d
George Shurt6d
Grace his wife6d
Giles Shurt1s 0
Elizabeth Shurt6d
Thomas Reymour1s 6d
Wilmot Gill6d
Samuell Cary1s 0
Dorothy his wife6d
Jonathan Cary6d
Hannah Cary6d
Rowland Veal1s 0
Mary his wife3d
William Coleman jun3d
John Talamy4d
Johan Webb widd6d
Samuell Morcomb3d
Alise Morcomb3d
William Whitfield4d
Margaret his wife3d
John Fulfard3d
William Web1s 0d
Thomas Fry and Alise1s 0d
Grace Bowman and Roger6d
Jane Bateman6d
John Short jun1s 0d
Elizabeth Stoat6d
John Venson4d
Nathaniell Wise4d
Margaret Andrea4d
Mary Short4d
Robert Lukis1s 0d
William Rogers6d
Mary Lamprey3d
Chesson Brown1d
Daniel Davis and his wife2½d
George Dennis and his wife6d
William Dennis6d
Maiery Pincomb3d
Alice Stoyl3d
Margaret Stanbury1½d
Thomas Gloyn- -
Ebbett his wife1d
Thomas Tythacott4d
John Headon sen2d
Peter Trenchard4d
Robert Short2d
John Adams6d
Mary Heward½d
Thomas Macke3d
Anne his wife3d
  
Total4 6 10½d

On the recto of folio 22, is:

An accompt of ye severrall sumes of money that were given by ye parishioners of Littleham towards the relief of the Irish Protestants Aug 26 1689.

This is only a short list of 26 names, the total amount collected being 11s and 3d. The list is headed by Mr Chamon Granville Cler, presumably the Revd Chamond Granville afterwards (1711-26) Rector of Kilkhampton.

On the verso of the same:

The collections of Littleham:

House fired at Holsworthy Feb 175s 3d
For the town of Watchet in Somerset Feb 24 16605s 0d
A fire at Milton Abbas in Dorset Mch 3 16603s 7d
Fire at Fremington March 10 16603s 7½d
Rippon churche in Yorke Apl 43s 4d
John Moyse of Holsworthy May 51l 1s 3d
Ilminster in Somerset May 125s 1d
Fire at Fakenham in Norfolk May 263s 5d
Fire at St Dunstan in the West in London Sept 92s 9d
Fire at Norrington in Wilts Oct 62s 0d
For a fire at Great Drayton in Salop Nov 102s 10d
the persecuted Protestants in Lithuania Nov 1712s 8d
Fire at Elmle Castle in Worcester Jan 263s 5d
Henry Harrison his losse of a ship at London Feb 24s 4d
Anne Watrers losse by sea of Surry Feb 92s 4d
the repayring of the key of Great Grimsby in Lincoln Apr 17 16641s 10d
the rebuilding of the chapple of Burrough Somerset Apl 242s 10d
Grantham in Lincoln May 12s 6d
St Michaell in Somerset May 81s 10d
Withelham in Sussex Oct 22s 1d
Basing Church Oct 302s 4d
Cromer als Shipden in the county of Norfolk2s 6d
Matthew V of Broughyn in the county of Hertford2s 0d
Towards the Reparacion of the Church of Clun in the county of Salop2s 6d
Towards the Reparacon of a peir in Hartlepoole in the county of Durham1s 6d
Fire at East dean in Sussex 16672s 0d
Richard Wood and ... inhabitants of Rippon in Surrey yt suffered by fyer Sept 4 16702s 3d
For St Helen in London6s 0d

On the last leaf of this vol. is written: "This Booke made my mee William Denis 1692."

An entry in the Baptisms of 1703 states that: "John and Phillip ye sons of Roger and Mary Squire were borne, ye first on ye 14th, and the second on ye 15th of November, and were baptised on ye 15th of ye same month".

Also "Roger son of Marke and Hester Dart was baptised on ye 20th of Jan 1712/13. He was borne Munday about 9 of ye clock in ye morning being ye 19th of January. Richard ye son of Marke and Hester Dart was baptised ye 21st of Jan, borne about eight a clock in ye morning ye same day."

One marriage in 1770 is noteworthy "Willliam Mardin and Rebecca Jenkins both of Buckland Brewer married while the Parish church of Buckland Brewer was rebuilding."

Unfortunately the Buckland Brewer churchwardens accounts from 1765 - 1768 are missing, so there is no knowing what was spent on this "rebuilding"; but 100 years later the church was again in a most ruinous state and was entirely re-constructed in 1880 at a cost of over £1,500.

On folio 27 A D 1878: The Rectory house partly re roofed and otherwise put into repair; new lead pipe laid from the reservoir to the house to bring the water. The old sewer under the cellar disconnected and fresh drains laid. New entrance hall built and door made at eastern end of the house, the old front door at the western end being left as a garden entrance. A new entrance from Yeo Vale Road made to the carriage drive by cutting through a disused quarry, the old entrance not being within the bounds of the glebe.

AD 1880: The carriage drive to the village made below the pond, the old drive close to the window being dug up and a lawn with paths of flower beds laid out round the house.

AD 1883: The old "Poor House" now known as the Rectory cottage with garden and plantation adjoining incorporated with the Glebe by an award of exchange made by the land commissioners of England 21 March.

AD 1887: Various lands adjoining the Glebe incorporated wioth it in exhange for a detached portion. The carriage drive below the pond extended and carried up through some of the newly acquired land, a new plantation being made on either side of this drive and on the land lower down.

AD 1888. A new well made in the field above the church to supply the Rectory House, the water being brought down to the reservoir in a galvanised iron pipe working on the principle of a syphon.

AD 1892. The church re opened after a thorough restoration, the walls underpinned, the roof entirely new, heating apparatus put in, an oak screen built across the Nave and Aisle, and coloured glass fixed in the east window of the Chancel. A full account of the work was written by the Rector from week to week as it was being carried on in a book subsequently placed in the iron box with this and other parish books.

AD 1894: A large altar tomb was erected in the side aisle adjoining the western side of the oak screen, to the memory of Lt Gen H H Crealock whose family also put up a window of coloured glass at the side of the tomb and another at the western end of the south wall. The four light window in the south wall between the two last named was put in by Alfred Herbert Morse of Copdock house in the county of Suffolk and Diana Ann his wife the said A H Morse being brother of the Rector and Patron of the living.

AD 1896: The chancel screen painted and gilded western side; on the eastern side it and all the carved oak and eastward of it stained dark and waxed. The eastern wall of the chancel above the tapestry hangings, the lower part of the wall at the back of the north stalls, and the two easternmost bays of the chancel roof, were painted, as was also the western side of the partition wall between the chancel and the Nave above the rood loft, and one bay of the Nave roof over the Rood. In the night of the 24th September 1896 several large boughs, forming quite half of the old yew tree in the churchyard were broken off by a storm of wind. On 31st Dec 1896 the statuette of St Swithin was set up in the niche over the porch.

AD 1898: On Sunday 18 Dec Horace Grey BA of Jesus College Cambridge was ordained deacon at Exeter Cathedral by Edward, Bp of Exeter and then licensed as Assistant Curate of Littleham on the nomination of Rev H G Morse, Rector thereof.

AD 1899: On 21st Sept being the feast of St Thomas, Horace Grey was ordained priest at Exeter Cathedral.

AD 1900: On 1st July Rev H G Morse applied to the Bishop for permission to resign the Rectory which was granted. Between the 17th and 29th Sept the Rector made on his turning lathe a pair of candlesticks for use at the American Organ in the church. The candlesticks were made out of the wood of a bough blown down from the old yew tree in the eastern part of the chruchyard. An oaken case was made for the old silver communion cup and cover.

Fol 28 verso: Mem'm on the 19th day of November in the year 1804 the Revd Nicholas Mill Rector of Littleham redeem`d the Land Tax (charged on the Glebe and Tithes in the annual payment of £8 11s 10d) in part by the sale of the Timber in the Parsonage wood (by the decree of the Lord Chancellor Eldon according to an Act of Parliament passed for the Redemption and Sale of Land TAx) and the remainder discharged by the Rector and the sum of £315 0s 6d in 3% Consoles was paid for the purchase thereof.

1805 July: The old Parsonage house was taken down and the foundation stone of the new building laid by the Revd Nicholas Mill, and completely built and finished in Sept 1806 consisting of the following rooms; 2 parlours - I study - front, back and staircase passage. I store room - 1 Brewhouse and room over - 4 bedrooms - stairs and Plat and Roof over all - 2 necessary houses the court with wall enclosing the same all new- A Cellar Dairy and Room over and roof partly new and old. The old kitchen and room over and the stairs altered and enlarged and the roof new. The water that runs into the court was also conveyed there by Elm Pipes from the well in the road at the same period, the pipes afterwards removed to the spring above and carried to the Poor house garden. The whole expense and building of the New House and premises before described and also the stable, and conveyance of the water, was defrayed by the Rector at his sole cost, without encumbring the Tithes or Glebe.

Ash trees planted in the churchyard by the Revd Nicholas Mill Rector 1812.

The church seats and pews removed and new ones erected at the expense of the parishioners in 18--, also the baptismal font and rails and a Vestry enclosed in the North Ayle One of the bells broken.

At the time the Union houses were built the old Poor house and land in this parish was sold to the Revd J Limebear Harding - the stones sunk in the grass, and the (B) in the wall, mark the line between it and the Glebe Land. We the undersigned having been residents in this parish for more than 40 years and well knowing the Lands alluded to, do hereby with our signatures testify the correctness of the boundary stones - on this 21st day of April 1851. John Morrish, Thomas Davey.

An ancient chalice and Paten of silver gilt, weighing respectively 6 oz 17 dwts and 2oz 5 dwts, were presented to the church by the Rector in 1889 together with a pair of silver mounted glass cruets and silver mounted corks all fitted into a leather case with handle after the fashion of a travelling bag.

Pasted on inside of back cover:

Littleham church was restored in 1847 mainly at the cost of the Rector J Lymebear Harding and his family."

All the fine old oak seats were collected together from different parts of the parish, the old Font was rescued from a farm yard, the high pews were reduced and the Tower arch thrown open - in fact every thing was put in perfect order - some new windows were put in and all the old ones restored. Books for the Altar and cushions were presented by Mrs Charlotte Harding. Mr Edgar Williams most kindly painted a Picture for the Rector, the proceeds of which were devoted to the purchase of the Cross suspended over the Screen, which Screen was designed and constructed by the Rector and his village carpenter, who also did all the painting and gilding with his own hands. (This Screen was of deal with ornaments made of plaster). Mr Reynolds, Mr Carwithen and many others assisted the Rector in the large outlay he then made in procuring the various ornaments for the Service of God`s House.

J Lymebear Harding, Rector Novr 1877.

When the Revd E F Kerrich vacated the Rectory the book containing Mr Morse`s account of the restoration of 1892 was accidentally sold among other books and papers belonging to the Rector. Fortunately Mr R Harper of Bideford the purchaser, shewed it to me, and on realising what it was, very kindly gave it back to the churchwardens of Littleham.

The following is an abstract.

The work was begun on Michaelmas day starting with the removal of the pulpit, which was made of plaster, "enriched" with plaster casts taken from the old bench ends. It was mounted on a sort of platform, of which some of the struts proved to be part of the old rood screen, but too decayed and mutilated to be used again.

A door way was discovered in the north wall, nearly opposite the porch, the upper part of which had been destroyed to insert a window.

In the eastern wall of the north transept appeared an arched recess, ornamented with a roughly painted figure of a Bishop vested in dark red chasuble with a Y cross. The chasuble was of great size, the point in front coming down almost to his feet. He wears red gloves, a pastoral staff in his left hand, the right hand raised in the act of blessing with the two fingers and thumb extended. From the pastoral staff hangs a yellow coloured sudarium, while round the head of the figure is a pale green nimbus. It probably represents St Swithin the patron saint.

On the north wall was a painting of St Laurence, lying on his back on the gridiron through which tongues of flame are shooting. The arms are extended down the body with the hands crossed and tied. The head is tonsured, leaving a narrow ring of curly hair. He is held down by two bars pushed at him by figures now obliterated. The whole is roughly outlined in a dark dull red with a few black lines.

On the same wall, just west of the north transept was a standing figure of Our Lord, full face, and naked with the exception of a loin cloth. The hair is short with a small pointed beard. The elbows are close to the sides with the palms of the hands turned outwards, and in each hand a mark which may be meant for the print of the nails. The left foot has a very distinct stigma, black, with yellow rays of glory round it. On the left side is an immense elongated diamond shaped patch which presumably intended to represent the wound in the side. In the upper left hand corner above the head are a pair of scales and something else; while down the left side are a pair of pincers, something which might be a blacksmiths anvil, an old fashioned curved saw, a hammer, a pair of large long handled tongs, and two or three odd shaped things which might be anything.

On the same wall further west was a large picture of S Christopher. The palm wood staff is yellow. The head and face of the child on the giant`s shoulder, with nimbus round the head is very distinct, though the rest of the body is gone. There are also two fish in black outline.

Between the north transept and the lancet window in the chancel was a painting of St Margaret and the dragon. On the north and south walls of the chancel was a kind of dado semi circular arches intersecting one another. Above the arches a band seven inches broad with a row of diamond ornaments. Above the band, the wall was diapered in a pattern of regular parallelograms with a five lobed leaf in the centre of each. At the west end of the north wall, close to the tower, was a large oval medallion, on which were painted the first two verses of the 15th psalm. The painting and part of the lettering had been obliterated by the subsequent erection of an oval shaped mural tablet to members of the Crealock family. Traces of earlier painting appeared underneath the medallion.

The single light window in the transept was too badly decayed to be built in again, but was exactly copied, and the original dripstone over the head, replaced.

The walls were found to be built of stone set in cob, which crumbled into dust with a touch. Great stems of ivy all dead and dry, some more than 3 inches in diameter were taken out. Possibly they had been cut when the south-west corner of the aisle fell down and was rebuilt about 1835 - 40. The wall under the east window was of different stone from the rest of the wall, and there were signs that the window had been extended down several feet lower than the present level of the sill. It possibly replaced the original 13th C 3 lancet windows. This supposition is supported by the discovery of a small sill, 2ft 9 ins below the present window, though connected therewith by the splays of the arch.

In the north wall was a small aumbry, which had been filled in with stones and mortar.

In the eastern wall of the transept, there was a straight joint of masonry about 6 inches north of the rood loft staircase. A similar break was observed in the outside of the west wall (Morse writes "south "but this is an obvious error). Evidently the transept and the north wall of the chancel were not built at the same time, and the head of the splay of the window in the transept is round and Norman in character. The arch of the splay is formed of very thin stones, not more than about an inch thick, quite unlike the splay and the arch of the windows in the chancel. Further the walls of the transept were found to contain a considerable number of very large long stones laid in all sorts of directions which tied the wall together. No work of this kind and no very large stones have been found in the chancel walls. On the whole it seems highly probable that the transept is a portion of the older church which existed before 1319.

The transept roof had apparently been remodelled in comparatively modern times. Only small portions were of oak, and even these had been strengthened and pieced with fir. The arch over the porch doorway is an exact copy of the former one, two or three stones at the botton of the jambs were used again but the greater part were entirely rotten, the stone ( a poor kind of local stone) had been worked the "wrong" way of the bed, consequently it had perished and broke into flakes when struck with quite slight blows.

A small piece of alabaster, found in the east wall, at the side and slightly higher than the bottom of the window, were placed at the back of the niche over the porch immediately over the crown of the arch. It looked as if it had formed part of a bracket on which probably had been a statue. The date 1893 has been cut upon it.

Several tombstones were laid flat in the angle formed by the tower and west end of the side aisle out of doors. The four large stones To the memory of Boteler, Taylor, Austin and another were formerly inside the church, but did not cover any interments. On the west wall of the north transept was a tablet in memory of Thomas Crelock. A grave was found below this tablet, and the memorial now covers the grave.

A new slab of mahogany was provided for the top of the altar, the Rector inserting a small circular piece of rosewood in the centre of the underside. On the rosewood he drilled with his lathe a simple cross.

The monument to Lt Gen Crealock was set up in 1894. The small statues round the monument represent 1. Justice, hold a sword upwards, 2. Faith with a cross. 3 Fortitude, holding a club. 4. Wisdom with a book and a serpent, and a man`s face at the back of the head, 5. Hope, with an anchor, and 6. Truth with a looking glass. The east window is by Mr Victor Milner,. It represents our Lord in glory with an angel on either side, the one on the dexter side offering incese, the one on the sinister side carrying the Cross. Above are the letters Alpha and Omega, and higher up two small angels in dalmatics holding scrolls on which are the words "Tu Rex Gloriae".

The window at the eastern end of the south aisle, is by Charles E Kempe. Nearest the east is St Margeret; next St David of Wales (the Crealock family, by whom the window was given, being connected with the Welsh family of Stradling); next St Anne, in memory of Gen Crealock`s mother; then St Laurence and lastly St George, the patron saint of soldiers; in the lower part of the window, in the easternmost light, the crest of Crealock with badges of C.B. and C.M.G. appearing beneath. Under St David the Stradling coat of arms; paly of six arg.and az., on a bend gules 3 cinque foils or. Under St Anne, the shield of Swain; Azure a chevron between 3 pheons or, or a chief gules as many maidens heads couped ppr., crined of the the second. Under St Laurence, the shield of Spiller; Per fesse arg. and sa. a horse salient countercharged. Under St George, the shield of Crealock; Azure. a chevron chequey arg. and sa. bet. 3 garbs or, a bordure embattled of the second.

The window in the centre of the south wall was given by Alfred Herbert Morse, of Copdock. The saints are St Clement, St Paul, St Andrew and St Swithin, representing the four churches at which the Rector served viz; St Clements Cambridge; St Paul`s Lorrimore Square Walworth; St Andrew Foston on the Wolds and St Swithin s, Littleham. In one corner are the arms of Morse, in the other Morse impaling Gooch.

Lt Gen Henry Hope Crealock, C.B., C.M.G., was buried 3 June 1891 in the lower compartment on the south side of a brick vault near the north east corner of the chancel; the vault being constructed to take four coffins. He was a good hand with his pencil, and illustrated Whyte Melville`s Kaderfetro. The effigy on the cenotaph in Littleham church is an exact likeness of the General as I remember him. His brother, Major General John North Crealock, C.B. was buried 22 Nov 1895. He died at Rawal Pindi where he was in command of the British troops, on 25 April 1895, and was buried there; but subsequently disinterred and reburied at Littleham.

Brian Randell, 30 Aug 1999