During the pandemic, we did some very successful virtual tours of churches. Now that we are back to in-person events, we are increasingly aware that events organisers put a great deal of effort into researching churches and their monuments. We would like to make some of their tour notes available here. They contain a lot of information and expert commentary which we would like to share. For those who attended these events, these notes will be a reminder. for those who missed them, they may encourage you to explore on your own, to come on an event yourself – or even to organise one.

Here. to start, are Robin Draper’s notes for a tour of some Worcestershire churches earlier this year.

Welcome to our tour to view monuments in Worcestershire, thought to be the work of Samuel Baldwin of Gloucester.

Our visit this year takes us to churches in the east of Worcestershire.

There will be one or two monuments at each church that have historically been attributed as the work of Samuel Baldwin, but as with monuments in our original Baldwin based tour, there may be dispute as to the validity of the attributions, leading to the likes of Pevsner to list them as “perhaps”, “possibly” or “probably” by him.

Spetchley, All Saints

The Spetchley estate took its name from the family that inhabited it until 1454. It was sold to the Lyttelton family, and they sold it on to the Sheldons in 1544-5. In 1606 it Sheldons sold the estate to Sir Rowland Berkeley, who was a wool merchant and clothier. His family still abides in the current house of 1811 to c.1818.

The mainly 14^th century church stands to the north of the house, and is redundant and vested in the Churches Conservation Trust. From the south we see a church who’s size does little to prepare us for what lies within – save perhaps for the view of the battlemented south-west chapel (of 1614 – see monument to Sir Roland Berkeley below) dedicated to the Berkeley family. We enter through the small west porch, and via an inserted 18^th century tower.

This building is listed as Grade II*.

Most monuments are within the Berkeley Chapel, but there are a few to mention in the chancel.

Chancel

A tomb chest.

In a bay in the chancel wall, and quite severe in appearance. Its eroded detail includes heraldry with split-cusped quatrefoils flanking, and more heraldry on the bay side walls.

It was probably intended for John Slade (Philip Sheldon’s father-in-law), who was buried at Hindlip in 1597.

In the SW corner of the chancel is a tablet with black composite columns to Anne Smythe d. 1638.

There are two brass plates in the chancel floor, and inscription to William Smyth d. 1658 and a coat of arms dated 1611-29.

Between chancel and Berkeley Chapel

Sir Rowland Berkeley d. 1611 and wife Katherine erected 1614.

Recumbent effigies on a tomb chest with strapwork inscription panels. Diagonally projecting corner plynths carry tall obelisks. A canopy is formed of a coffered arch on two groups of three Ionic columns. His effigy has a bear at its feet, hers a pet dog. Alabaster, and fine in quality.

Pevsner says “perhaps by Samuel Baldwin”. We know that Rowland Berkeley was a distant cousin of Henry, Lord Berkeley who’s monument is at the church next to Berkeley Castle, and for which the Castle holds a receipt for £80 (dated 5^th July 1615) from Samuel Baldwin of Stroud to Lord Berkeley’s executors. (Baldwin later moved to Gloucester)

 Berkeley Chapel

 Sir Robert Berkeley (Sergeant-at-Law) d. 1656.

 Black and white marble. The recumbent effigy has full judicial robes with notable detailing of the fur. There is a panelled tomb-chest and the back plate includes an array of shields around the inscription panel.

Thomas Berkeley and wife Anne, erected 1694.

Grey and white marble standing wall monument (quite slender). Excellent carving, including a broken pediment and a gadrooned plinth.

Attributed to James Hardy by Geoffrey Fisher.

Robert Berkeley d. 1694 and wife Elizabeth d. 1708

 A marble “reredos” type monument (though still quite slender) including a gadrooned sarcophagus with flanking standing putti. Inscription to his wife Elizabeth added later to the wall panel.

Attributed to Grinling Gibbons by Geoffrey Fisher.

Robert Berkeley d. 1804.

Coloured marbles here used to create a sarcophagus-shaped tablet, by W. Stephens and Co. Above and to the left is his hatchment.

There are two other hatchments to Robert Berkeley d.1874 and his wife Henrietta d. 1857

There are also two brass plates by Hardman (on the chapel w wall) to Robert Berkeley d. 1845, and Robert Berkeley d. 1874 erected 1858.

Elmley Castle, St. Mary.

St. Mary’s church is Grade I listed, and it sits to the south of a Grade II listed public house that has been run as a community project since 2014 (and wholeheartedly recommended by your scribe for a future visit!). The pub is called the “Queen Elizabeth” and it commemorates a visit by Queen Elizabeth I in August 1575, where she was received by the Lord of the manor, William Savage (see monument below).

As we walk to the north porch, there is a Grade II listed pillar sundial of the mid to late 16^th century (per- Pevsner, though some suggest it to be 17^th century). Pevsner also records a second sundial of the same time period (further east in the churchyard), and suggests that both of them must have come from the garden of the 16^th to 18^th century mansion that sat to the west (where the housing estate is now). The mansion was demolished in 1960.

The church itself has a 13^th century tower, a 16^th century north transept and most of the rest is of the 13^th to 15^th century. The chancel however has some 11^th century herringbone masonry. There are also carvings of a pig and a rabbit in the porch walls.

And so to the monuments.

North Transept

William Savage d. 1616, his son Giles d. 1631 and his wife Katherine (nee Daston) d. 1674

Probably erected c.1631. A large tomb chest with three recumbent effigies in alabaster. The two male effigies have lions at their feet, and at Katherines there is a stags head, its neck pierced by an arrow. She holds a baby in her arms, which appears to grip a purse in its fist. At the east end of the tomb kneel four medium-sized children, all male, two depicted as men and two as boys. Back plates with heraldry are attached to the walls to the north and west of the monument.

Pevsner reports this as “probably of c. 1631, by Samuel Baldwin”.

Thomas, first Earl of Coventry d. 1699.

This monument should have been installed in the church at Croome D’abitot. The second Earl refused admission there, due to the “dubious ancestry of his stepmother” who later married Thomas Savage of Elmley Castle.

The monument is signed by William Stanton, and is a classical composition incorporating ionic columns and depressed round arch with a vestigial pediment. There are two small allegorical figures on the arch, and two large standing angels with gilded wings outside of the columns. The effigy is bewigged and reclines.

There is also a coffin slab with a stepped relief cross on the floor.

Chancel

On the north wall is a Tablet of 1668, with the initials EG on it to an unknown lady.

Thomas Vale d. 1769.

A stone pedimented wall monument by William Laughton of Cleeve Prior.

There is also a notable floor slab in the centre of the chancel floor.

When you have finished inside, have a look at the herringbone masonry flanking the windows on the outside of the chancel.

Norton and Lenchwick, St Egwin

The church lies a couple of miles north of Evesham, and is listed Grade II*.

It has a 15^th century tower and chancel, a 14^th century north transept. The nave was rebuilt in 1842-3, but includes some 13^th century masonry. St Egwin was a 7^th century Bishop of Worcester, and founder of Evesham Abbey, which historically, the church was a possession of.

One unusual fitment in this church is a Wenlock Marble reading desk which was dug up from the churchyard of Evesham Abbey in 1813. The shaft supporting it was made by William Forsyth in 1865.

Monuments

North Transept

Thomas Bigg d. 1581 and wife Maudlen (nee Hoby) east end of north wall.

Recumbent stone effigies on a tomb chest. The tomb chest has gadrooning around the edge of the top, and heavy strapwork pillars at the corners and mid-way along the front face. The panels between the strapwork contain weepers, depicting four kneeling daughters to the west (shown frontally) and two sons to the east (shown three-quarter but facing towards the east).

No known workshop attribution.

Sir Thomas Bigg d.1613 and wife Ursula (nee Throckmorton) against east wall.

A large standing wall monument with full-sized kneeling effigies facing one another over a prayer desk. The effigies kneel on the base and are backed by a panelled arch flanked by black composite columns. The base has nine kneeling children against it, three of them (at the ends) are depicted about half the size of the others.

Pevsner states “Probably by Samuel Baldwin”.

Sir Thomas Bigg d. 1621 west end of north wall.

Single male effigy on tomb chest, which supports four black composite columns, which in turn support a flat canopy. Here Pevsner suggests “probably also by Baldwin”

There are two sets of funerary armour,  four banners  and a 16^th century monument above the four-poster, which serve as 17^th century memorials to the Craven family, who bought the estate from the Biggs in 1625.

There are also two other references to the Craven family, a Hatchment to Sir William Craven d. 1655, and a cartouche to Elizabeth Craven d. 1687.

Cropthorne, St Michael

This church is picturesquely set in its churchyard, and is listed Grade I.

The building we see has a 12^th century tower, and the chancel is of 1200, extended east in the 14^th century. The north and south aisles were added in the 14^th century.

Monuments

Directly in front of you as you face the altar! To the left of the chancel arch.

Edward Dingley d.1646 and wife Joyce (nee Sandys)

A standing monument, including base with small weepers, two large kneeling effigies facing one another across a prayer desk, these flanked by composite columns supporting a flat canopy with achievements on top. The weepers include seven children, one who died young is shown raised on a pedestal.

Pevsner says “perhaps also by Baldwin but much more accomplished” (than the monument stated below)

North aisle

Francis Dingley d. 1624 and wife Elizabeth (nee Bigg) eastern section of north wall

A recumbent couple on a tomb chest with kneeling weepers on two sides.  The weepers include 19 kneeling children, and three who died in infancy shown in their cradles. There is also a wall panel behind the main effigies with inscriptions, and topped with achievements.

In a 14^th century tomb recess with flattened arch and ballflower decoration, lies a slightly coped, coffin-shaped slab to a priest. Detailed with an incised cross, the shaft of which is flanked by a incisions of a hand raised in blessing, and a chalice.

Other things to see include:

A  Saxon Cross Head with birds on the front in a cable-mould border, a griffon at the base, Greek Key on the sides and Lion-like creatures on the arms at the back.

There is also some wall painting above the north arcade (three layers of paint, including some 14^th century work overpainted by a 15^th century St Christopher – now indecipherable.

In the churchyard is a 14-15^th century cross with a complete base, converted to a war memorial in c. 1920.