Mountney de Cowley armigeri qui obiit tertio die mensis Augusti, Ao. M°. CCCCC. xix., Cujus animæ propitietur Deus."

"Orate pro anima Johis. Mountney de Cowley armigeri, qui obiit secundo die mensis Augusti, Ao. Dni, Mo. CCCCC°. xxx. vio. Cujus animæ propitietur Deus. Amen."1

Another member of this family erected his own memorial, in the shape of an oratory, or praying-pew, along the upper border of which is carved in relief:-" Orate pro animabus robarti mowntney et anne vxoris eius. ac pro bono statu iohannis mowntney et iohanne broris eius, qui hoc oratorium fieri fecerunt xxiiij die mensis iulii, anno dni M. CCCCC. xxx. bí.”

On a slab in the south aisle is part of an incised cross, the head of which has been cut off to make the slab fit into the pavement; there are also a few other disjointed fragments not calling for particular mention.

The churchyard is crowded with gravestones, exhibiting the usual productions of "the unlettered muse" in great variety; some of them are quaint enough, but they are far too numerous to be given in detail. There are also many railed-off vaults and burial-places belonging to the gentry connected with the parish. The latest of these is one which will add largely to the interest of this churchyard in the eyes of all true antiquarians and topographers. On the 15th of May, 1861, the writer took part with Dr. Gatty in the services at which were committed to their last earthly resting-place the remains of the venerable and highly distinguished antiquarian and genealogist so often mentioned in these pages, JOSEPH HUNTER, who died at his residence in London, on the 9th of May, aged 78 years. He was buried on the north-east side of the churchyard in accordance with a clause in his will to that

1 Hallamshire, p. 260.

effect, which agreed with the following passage in a letter written by him to the Vicar of Ecclesfield, October 4,

1859

"It did not occur to me that the changes now making in the church were being done by public subscription. I trust you will not deny me the pleasure of being a small contributor, . . . claiming as I do some connexion with the parish, where many of my forefathers both in the male and female line have lived, and whose remains are now mouldering in its sacred precincts, or perchance have mingled with the earth out of which they were formed. I have of late sometimes thought that I should like to lie under the shadow of the trees which skirt the north-east corner of the burial ground if it were practicable, and my children did not object. I love the natale solum perhaps not wisely, but too well."

Mr. Hunter was well known as the author of two of the best topographical works that have hitherto been written, "The History of Hallamshire," and "The Deanery of Doncaster." He also wrote and edited numerous other works of great antiquarian interest, and was for more than thirty years engaged as Assistant-Keeper of Her Majesty's Records of the First Class, in sorting and arranging the immense mass of documents collected in the Record Office, Carlton Ride.

The beautiful custom of carrying garlands before the corpses of unmarried females, which garlands were afterwards hung up in the church, was formerly observed here. Two or more of these frail memorials were hanging in the chancel as lately as 1848.1 They were usually composed of slight wooden hoops covered with white paper, forming a kind of conical crown, decorated with paper flowers and rosettes, and from the centre hung a pair of gloves cut out of white paper, generally with verses written on them; there were other details differing in different specimens.

In the chancel are various hatchments, viz. FOLJAMBE,

1 These disappeared during some cleaning or whitewashing operations shortly after the above date, before the writer, then not much interested in such matters, had "made a note of" their specialities. There is a valuable paper on "Funeral Garlands," by Llewellyn Jewitt, Esq. F.S.A. &c. in the Reliquary, No. I.

S

sable, a bend between 6 escallops or, impaling LUMLEYSAUNDERSON, argent, a fess gules between 3 popinjays vert. FOLJAMBE impaling WORSLEY, argent, a chief gules; with supporters, dexter, a tiger couchant argent; sinister, an antelope couchant quarterly or and sable. FOLJAMBE impaling SPENCER, azure, a fess wavy ermine between 6 sea-mews' heads erased argent. SCOTT, vert, 3 roebucks trippant argent, attired or. FREEMAN, azure, 3 lozenges or. FREEMAN impaling[] a fess, or, in chief a goat's head erased azure, in base 3 escallops 2 and 1. Crest, a goat's head erased. This shield occurs twice. SHIRECLIFFE, or, a fess between 3 greyhounds' head erased sable, collars and rings gules. GREEN, azure, 3 demi-lions rampant erased erminois, quartering WOMBWELL, gules, a bend between 6 unicorns' heads argent, a mullet for difference, and SHIRECLIFFE as above. GREAVES, quarterly gules and vert, an eagle displayed holding in the beak a slip of oak, fructed or; on an escutcheon of pretence, quarterly 1 and 4, CLAY, argent, a chevron engrailed between 3 trefoils slipped sable, 2 and 3, ELMSALL. PARKYN, assuming CASTLEFORD, sable, a castle on a ford proper, impaling 1. COPLEY, argent, a cross moline sable, 2. WARDE, azure, a cross patonce or. DIXON of Page Hall, per pale azure and gules, a bend engrailed argent, between two plates, on a chief of the third a rose of the second between two torteaux; crest, on a wreath of the colours a dexter arm embowed vested azure, semée of plates, cuffed argent, the hand grasping a chaplet of roses proper.

Here also were, until lately, sundry swords, trumpets, and banners, formerly belonging to the Ecclesfield Volunteers, and "set up for tokens" when the corps was disbanded.

On the south-west pillar of the tower are the names of two of the churchwardens for the year 1694, William Broadbent and George Holmes, who probably had some repairs done in their year of office of which the above is

the only memorial. On the opposite pillar are the initials of a former mason and carpenter, corresponding to those of the persons still employed in those capacities, John Stringer and Benjamin Coward. There is a musical peal of eight bells, but only two have any pretensions to antiquity. The tenor weighing 18cwt. 3qrs., has on it the date, 1617, and the initials of the churchwardens for that year, viz. Gilbert Dickenson, Richard Sheircliff, John Shaw, Francis Barbar, and Thomas Hanley, with the inscription IESVS BE OVR SPEED. The 7th bell has the initials N. D., (probably Nicholas Denham, Vicar, 1620-8), and in old ecclesiastical characters HEC CAMPANA SACRA FIAT TRINITATE BEATA. Two others state that they were the gift of John Watts, Esquire, 1750. The remaining four were hung in 1845, consisting of two old ones recast, and two new ones added, at a cost, deducting the value of the old metal, of 70%. 11s. 7d., which was raised chiefly by a bazaar. The treble weighs 4cwt. 3qrs. 22lbs. ; the others in proportion. These four bear the names of Mears and Sons, Bellfounders, London; Rev. Alfred Gatty, M.A. Vicar; J. B. Greaves, H. Moorwood, James Machen, and John Ashforth, churchwardens. A tablet in the belfry records some wonderful campanological feat performed on the said bells April 21st 1850.

ANCIENT SLAB, NOW ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE CHURCH-PORCH.

CHAPTER VII.

BENEFACTIONS AND CHARITABLE BEQUESTS.

"These were merciful men, whose righteousness hath not been forgotten. Their bodies are buried in peace, but their name liveth for evermore."-Ecclus. xliv. 10, 14.

THE Parish of Ecclesfield, in common with most other places in which there has been a church from an early date, is largely indebted to the piety and liberality of charitable persons, both in ages long gone by and in more recent times, for a long list of benefactions and bequests of more or less value and importance. The first on the list is, of course, the church itself, as already described; and there can be little doubt that it would not be long in existence before devout persons would, either by gifts during their lifetime, or by bequests at their death, yield of their substance towards beautifying the fabric, or keeping it in repair, the better maintenance of the priest who performed the ordinary services, the providing of additional services, or in some way contributing towards the honour and glory of God, and, by consequence, towards their own soul's health.

One very fruitful source of such gifts in early times was the belief, then universal, that the souls of the departed could be benefited by prayers and masses said for them after death. For it was but natural, and in accord