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Memorials inside Canterbury St. Margaret's Church, Kent, England

In the church are the following monuments and inscriptions


Mr. Somner mentions several ancient memorials on brasses in this church, all which are long since destroyed; one of them was for Leonard Cotton, gent. mayor of this city in 1579, obt. 1605, of whom mention has been made before, in the account of his charitable benefaction to Maynard's spital.

And perhaps among those obliterated was one for John Broker, of this parish, an alderman, and twice mayor of this city, who by his Will in 1521, appointed to be buried before St. John's altar, in this church, the south chancel being dedicated to that saint, and the other to our Lady, each of which had its proper altar, the official's court, standing in the place of the latter. This John Broker was a good benefactor to this city and left a sum of money to be bestowed on the reparation of the way between the castle gate and the Yren cross, in the ward of Worgate.

In the windows of this church were formerly these arms, Clifford, impaling Savage; Browne, impaling Glover; and a coat; Argent, a bend, sable, on a canton, azure, a fleur de lis, argent, impaling or, on a fess, vert, a hind passant of the field.

Among others, there are in this church the following monuments and gravestones.


On the north side of the altar

A handsome monument, for Sir George Newman, LL. D. commissary to the archbishops Whitgift, Bancrost, and Abbott, and judge of the cinque ports almost for thirty years; he was thrice married, first to Elizabeth Wycliff; secondly to Mary Gough; and thirdly, to Sybilla Wenland, who survived him. He died in 1627, and his eldest son the same year; arms, Or, a fess dancette, gules, between three eagles, displayed, sable.

A mural monument for George Barrett, Esq. eldest son of Sir Paul Barrett, obt. 1709; and also for Susan, his wife, daughter of Thomas Green, gent. obt. 1711; arms, Or, on a chevron, between three mullets, sable three lions rampant of the field, impaling azure, three stags tripping, or.

An ancient mural monument, with the half-length effigies of a man, and inscription for John Watson, who had been mayor, chamberlain, and sheriff of this city, and was a good benefactor to the poor of it, obt. 1633.

Also for Leonard Cotton, once mayor, and sheriff of it, a benefactor likewise to it. (See their gifts to this city before, among the benefactions given to it).


In the middle aisle

A mural tablet for Mary Burnby, the daughter of Thomas Woolley Pickering, by Mary his wife; she died in 1786; also for Thomas Woolley Pickering, obt. 1792.

Flat stones, and memorials for Jane, wife of the Rev. Tho. Leigh, rector of this parish, obt. 1767; and for the said Rev. Thomas Leigh, obt. 1774, rector of this church and of Murston forty years.

For the Jekens's, Biggs's, Pilchers, Lane, Read, Beaumonts, Obrien, Broxup, Wilson, Carters, White, and Watmer.

For Paul Lukin, and Grace his wife; Thomas their son, and Anne their daughter, both in 1715.


In the north aisle

A mural monument for Paul Lukin, gent. proctor in the two ecclesiastical courts of the archbishop and archdeacon, and twenty years auditor to the dean and chapter of Canterbury, and for his wife, daughter of Martin Hirst, gent. He died in 1716; arms, Sable, three mullets, argent, on a chief of the last, a demi lion rampant, vert, impaling azure, a sun in its glory, or.

A mural monument near the last, for Anthony Oughton, gent. descended from an ancient family of that name at Fillongley, in Warwickshire; and for Anne his wife, daughter of Sir James Bunce, of Kemsing. He died 1750; she died 1732; arms, Paly gules aud azure, a lion rampant, or, impaling azure, on a fess, argent, three eagles displayed of the shield, between three bears of the second.

Near the pulpit is a mural tablet, in a frame carved and gilt, for Francis Aldrich, S. T. P. principal of Sidney college, Cambridge, obt. 1609; arms, Argent, on a bend engrailed, on a canton, or, a pheon azure, impaling or, on a fess, azure, an ass proper.

A brass plate, with effigies, and inscription for John Wynter, mayor of Canterbury, obt. 1520; who by his Will founded a lamp to burn before the high altar of this church, in perpetual memory of the most holy body of our Lord Jesus Christ, for which purpose he gave two tenements at the Yrencrosse, in this parish, and to free the church-yard of this church from the yearly rent of 3s. to the prior and convent of Christchurch, arising from the same.

A mural monument for Wm. Somner, that industrious antiquary, author of the History of Canterbury, and several other learned books and curious tracts of antiquity. He was born March 30, 1606, obt. 1669; arms at the top, Ermine, two chevrons, gules.

For the Railtons, Hatchers, and Bottings.

For John Darken, M. D. obt. 1784.

For Anne Brandon, widow of William Brandon, Esq. of Portsmouth, obt. 1762.

For Lancelot Lovelace, recorder of this city; and Marcy, 1640.

Leonard Browne, gent. and alderman of Canterbury, was buried in 1671 in the north aisle.

Frances Newman, widow, of Canterbury, in 1686, in this church, near her husband George Newman, Esq.

Barbara Hennington, widow, of the Archbishop's palace, in 1706, in the grave of Mr. Somner, her husband.

Judith Lovelace, widow, of this parish, in 1712, in the chancel near her sons.

John Somner, gent. of the Archbishop's palace, in 1679, in this church.

Besides these there are in the register, frequent burials of the Somners, Lovelaces, Lukins, Barretts, and Primroses.


Edward Hasted, Canterbury: The churches within the city and suburbs, in The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent: Volume 11 (Canterbury, 1800), pp. 209-288 https://www.british-history.ac.uk/survey-kent/vol11/pp. 209-288.