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Memorials inside Canterbury St. Mary Bredin's Church, Kent, England

In the church are the following monuments and inscriptions


A mural tablet over the altar for James Ley, an accomplished youth, who after having studied the law for five years at Lincoln's Inn, intending to travel, and waiting at Dover for a fair wind, was taken ill of a fever, and returning to Canterbury in hopes of recovery, died here in 1618. Sir James Ley, (afterwards earl of Marlborough) master of the court of wards, the father, erected this monument to his second son; arms below, Ley, argent, a chevron between three seals heads couped, sable, a crescent for difference.

A mural tablet and inscription, shewing, that in a vault near it, lies Thomas Francis, obt. 1785.

Another, on the west side of the last, for William Slodden, ob. 1788.

Another adjoining, for Mrs. Sarah Graydon, ob. 1795; Gregory Graydon, Esq. obt. 1790.

Also Mrs. H. R. Hougham, Mrs. S. Shrubsole, and Henry Hougham, Esq. of Barton-court.

A plain altar tomb on the south side of the altar rails, and round the verge an inscription for Humphry Hales, Esq. son of Sir James Hales, deceased 1555. The same father Sir James Hales.

A mural tablet over the above, for George Sheldon, third son of William Sheldon, Esq. of Beoly, in Wotcestershire, who first married Frances, daughter of Thomas More, Esq. of Gobbins, in Hertfordshire, and afterwards Elizabeth, only daughter and heir of Sir James Hales, of the Dungeon, the widow of Sir Stephen Hales, K. B. of Sniterfield, in Warwickshire, which George died without issue in 1679, and lies buried here, as does Elizabeth his second wife, who died afterwards that same year; arms, Sheldon, a fess, between three martlets.

About the middle of the north side is a handsome mural monument, on which are the figures of a man and woman kneeling before a desk, and inscription for William Mann, Esq. erected by Frances Blenerhasset, his latter wife. He died in 1615; arms, Mann, or a chemon ermines, between three lions rampant, sable.

A mural tablet near the above, for Sir Christopher Man, buried near to his brother here, obt. 1638.

A mural tablet for lady Elizabeth Man, daughter of Richard Willys, Esq. of Baals, in Hertfordshire, late wife of Sir William Man, of this city. She died in 1642.

A brass plate near the step, close to the altar rails, for Christopher Bachelor, late of this parish, and Katherine, his wife, daughter of Harbert Finch, gent. they both died in 1604; arms, On a bend, three fleurs de lis, between three wings. A brass plate, with the arms of Finch; the figure and inscription lost.


In the north isle

A flat stone, under the belfry, a memorial for Capt. James Harris, of Major-General Willis's regiment of marines, obt. 1705; arms, Three crescents, two and one.

A flat stone and memorial for Mrs. Abigail, widow of Mr. Robert Dannald, and grand-daughter of Sir Thomas Hayes, sometime lord-mayor, and daughter of Edward Colimore, Esq. of Brandford, in Suffolk, obt. 1707; arms, In a lozenge, ermine, a canton crmines, impaling a chevron, between three bugle horns.

In the chancel are memorials for Nathaniel Denew, who married Dorothy, daughter of Abraham Jacob, of Dover, obt. 1720. No doubt, the patron of this church, which he had built, and most probably gave it to the neighbouring nunnery of St. Sepulchre, where it staid till the dissolution of that house in king Henry VIII.'s reign, when the patronage of it was granted anno 29th of it, when the nunnery and the rest of the possessions of it, to the archbishop of Canterbury, subject nevertheless to the payment of 3s. to the vicar of this church; all which were again reconveyed by the archbishop to the king in his 37th year, in exchange for other premises, and he granted them the following year to the Hales's, lords of the manor of the Dungeon, whose burial place was within this church; since which the patronage of it has continued in the possession of the owners of that manor, Dorothy, wife of the above Nathaniel Denew, obt. 1743; arms, Denew, or. five chevronels, azure, impaling or, on a canton, gules, an eagle displayed of the field.

A memorial for Edward Master, obt. 1638. Another for George Master, obt. 1652.


The south isle

At the west end of a memorial for Titus Rufford. obt. 1696.

Another for Sir Christopher Man, &c. and for Sir Wm. Man, only son of the same, by his second wife Frances, daughter of Sir Edward Master.

A memorial for Katherine, eldest daughter of John Shirley, of Lewes, in Sussex; first married to Whittingham Wood, Esq. of Bromley, but died the widow of Sir Christopher Man, obt. 1641.

Another for Joshua Webster, sometime a merchant in London, but at his death an inhabitant of this parish, obt. 1696. He was by his Will a good benefactor to the school founded and endowed by his father, at Whittington, in Derbyshire.

Somner says, that several of the Hales's lie buried in this church, and that the effigies and coat armour of John Chiche, who lived in king Henry III.'s reign, and was owner of the Dungeon manor adjoining, whose coat was, Argent, three lions rampant, azure, were painted in the west window of it; and that the latter was carved on stone in one corner of the chancel.

Besides the above, there are frequent entries in the register, which begins in 1552, of the burials of the Berrys; of Silas Johnson, gent. in 1635; of the Mans, Spencers, the lady Coventry, in 1710, the Denews, Houghams, and Lees. James Dunkin, alderman, was buried in this church in 1624.


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.