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REPORT. XXVll 
with the similar vessels of the eighteenth century. There is a good Queen 
Anne paten at Osmaston-by-Derby, 1702-3. 
The most massive and costly village Church Plate in the county is the set of 
two chalices, two patens, alms plate, and flagon, of silver-gilt, at Ravenstone, 
the gift of Rebecca Wilkins in 1715. The handsome chalice and cover of 
Newton Solney, 1757-8, and the Tickenhall paten of 1715-16, with its unique 
leather case, should also be noticed. 
Disastrous as so many of the political and religious movements of our 
nation have been, both to the fabrics of our churches and to the ornaments 
that they sheltered, the history of Church Plate after all confirms the con- 
clusion that I have previously formed, namely, that the period when the 
Church was at its lowest ebb in intelligence and energy, was also the time that 
was most fatal to all that was comely, ancient, or valuable, for it was the 
period of family jobbery and private embezzlement—the century that was ruled 
over by our three first Georges. 
So far as Derbyshire is concernec, I have carefully inspected the church- 
wardens’ accounts and other records of various parishes, and, without exception, 
where I have found such records extant, it appears that some at least of the 
communion plate chronicled in the seventeenth century, some of it Elizabethan, 
some no doubt medieval, has now disappeared, either through criminal care- 
lessness or direct theft. 
At All Saints’, Derby, the old silver chalice and paten, mentioned in 1632, 
and again in 1662, is missing, without any record of its fate. In 1681, Mr. 
Mathews, master of the Free School, presented a silver paten weighing over 
12 ounces. This also is missing. A silver tankard given to Kedleston 
Church in 1715 is missing. The silver plate at Brampton Church was stolen 
30 or 40 yéars ago. 
Lady Frances Kniveton, second wife of Sir Gilbert Kniveton, of Bradley, 
gave a valuable set of Communion plate, consisting of silver-gilt chalice, paten, 
and flagon to the seven Churches of Bradley, Kniveton, Mugginton, Ash- 
burne, Brailsford, Osmaston, and Kirk Langley. Lady Frances was one of 
the co-heirs of Sir Robert Dudley, Duke of the Empire. A patent allowing 
to her the title of Duchess Dudley was granted by Charles I. and confirmed 
by Charles II. after the Restoration. She used much of her great wealth in 
various munificent benefactions. Each of the above gifts of plate cost £50, a 
great sum, considering the then value of money. But of these seven gifts, two 
have been stolen, namely, the sets at Ashburne and Brailsford. 
Occasionally the bad taste of post-Reformation churchwardens led them to 
exchange their old medieval plate for new. Two instances of this occur in 
- the Youlgreave accounts :— 
“1625. For changing ye old communion cupp and cover for ye new chalice 
(in all) £1 19s. 9d.” 
