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

In the church are the following monuments and inscriptions


In the middle chancel

A memorial, part obliterated, for William Glover, gent. obt. 16–. Margaret his wife died in 1654.

Another for Richard Sandys, Esq. grandson of Sir Richard Sandys, bart. of Northbourne, obt. 1763; also Susan Crayford Sandys, relict of the same, obt. 1777.

One for the Rev. and learned John Rigden, B. D. born in this parish, educated in the king's school, vicar of Ryegate, in Surrey, and fellow of St. John's college in Cambridge, obt. 1732.

One for Mary, wife of Laurence Bridger, gent. obt. 1701. On two small tablets, the names, Winifred Bridger, Laurence Bridger.

On a stone, a memorial for John Stanley, clerk, A. M. son of Mr. John Stanley, twice mayor of this city, obt. 1658; arms, Stanley, in chief a mullet, for difference.


In the north chancel

A mural monument, for Thomasine Honywood, widow, late the wife of Anthony Honywood, of this parish, and before the wife of John Adye, gent. of Doddington, obt. 1626; arms, Addye, impaling parted per chevron, or, and azure, three mullets, pierced, counterchanged, Hatchments and memorials for the Bix's; arms, Vaire, argent and azure, on an escutcheon of pretence, gules, a chevron, or.

A mural monument for William Smith, gent. late of this parish, and Dorothy his wife, daughter of Geo. Juxon, gent. late of Chart Sutton. He died 1699; she obt. 1711.


In the north isle

Several memorials for the Bix's.

A memorial for John Wear, gent. of this parish, obt. 1763.

A memorial for Lydia, wife of William Eades, gent. of this parish, ob. 1755.

A memorial for William Aslong, obt. 1780. One for William Brome, son of John Brome, Esq. of Tuppendence, obt. 1749.

Another for Nathaniel Highmore, Esq. obt. 1790.

At the north west corner stands the font. It is of stone and leaded within, in form of an octagon; each side of which is adorned with a niche, in the pedestal part, and above with quaterfoils, each containing a small ornament on a lozenge. In the middle space are the following stones and memorials; for Henry Waddell, alderman and twice mayor of this city, obt. 1705, and others of that name.

For Aphra, the only daughter of Robert Beak, gent. obt. 1716; arms, A cross molines, ermine.

For Katherine Fust, wife of Mr. Richard Birkenhead, obt. 1625. A mural tablet for Robert Gilbert, obt. 1624.

A memorial close within the west door, for alderman John Garlin, twice mayor of this city, obt. 1713.

Another for the Flatmans. A memorial for Robert Beche, presbiter, obt. 1679.

Two memorials for the Beakes.

A mural tablet at the north side of the altar for Thomas Cranmer, Esq. son of Edmund, archdeacon of Canterbury, nephew of the archbishop, by his brother. He was register of the archdeaconry, obt. 1604; arms. Cranmer, argent, on a chevron, azure, between three pelicans, sable, vulnerating themselves, as many cinquesoils, or.


On the south side of the chancel

An altar tomb for Sir Francis Head, bart. who married Margaret, daughter of James Smithsbye, Esq. obt. 1716; arms, Head, with the arms of Ulster, on a canton, impaling ermine, on a fess, gules, three roses, or.

A cenotaph, in memory of Sir, William Cranmer, the second son, of William Cranmer, Esq. descended from Edmond Cranmer, archdeacon, and brother to the archbishop, ob. 1697, unmarried; born in this parish, and buried in the church of St. Leonard, Bromley, in Middlesex.


At the north side of the chancel

A mural monument, designed by the late Capt. Riou, and executed by Moore, for several of the family of Bridger; arms, Bridger in a lozenge, Argent, a chevron engrailed, sable, between three crabs, gules.

Above the tomb of Sir Francis Head is a very beautiful mural monument of marble, in a pyrimidical form, with emblematical, sculptures. On the top is placed a small vase, on which are emblazoned the arms, viz. Argent, on a chevron, sable, three cinquesoils, pierced of the first, between, as many falcons leads erased, azure.

On the tablet an inscription, to the memory of William Jackson, Esq. of this city, obt. 1789. aet. 31, unmarried; (whose death was occasioned by a hurt he received a few days before, in riding an unruly horse). Underneath is a long epitaph, enumerating his excellent good qualities, all which he truly deserved. The elegance of it displays the skill of the sculptor Bacon.


Under the altar

A slat stone, and memorial, telling that in a vault underneath lies Catharina, wife of the Rev. Richard Sandys, of this parish, who died in 1777; arms, Sandys, impaling Hougham.

The south chancel is now closed up from the church, but there is an access to it from the church-yard. It was formerly called the Wood's chancel, from its belonging to a family of that name; and in Somner's time there were in the windows the name of At-wood in several places, in very ancient characters. It is now in a ruinous desolate state, and the pavement sunk into a hollow, towards the vault underneath. Somner says, that a family of this name anciently dwelt in this parish, in Stour-street, where one Thomas At-Wood dwelt in king Henry VIII.'s time, being four several times mayor of this city. He built this chapel or chancel, for a peculiar, place of sepulture for himself and his family, several of whom lie interred in it, under fair grave-stone, formerly inlaid with brass, all long since torn away.

On the south side of it there remains a neat mural monument; arms, Argent, a chevron, between three bulls heads caboshed, sable, horned, or, impaling ermine, on a chevron, gules, three leopards faces jessant, fleurs de lis, or, to the memory of lady Margeret Hales, daughter and heir of Oliver Wood, Esq. by Joane, daughter and heir of Henry, son and heir of Sir William Cantelop. She was married to three knights, viz. first, to Sir Walter Mantel; secondly, to Sir William Hault; and lastly, to Sir James Hales. She died in 1577. At the bottom is a genealogical tree, bearing several shields of arms.

In the register of this parish, which begins anno 1559, are several entries of the burials of the Newmans, Handsields, Cranmers, Nethersoled, Drylands, Swifts, Norwoods, Bix's, Johnsons, the lady Catherine Carter in 1678, Scotts and Firemoults. One John Stulp was a good benefactor to the making of several new pews as appears by his name on them.

George Stanley, Esq. mayor, was buried in 1676, in the chapel in St. Mildred's church, near his father and mother there.


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.