THORNTON.' 321 



floor of the chancel, on a curious old stone, an in* 

 scription to the memory of Mr. John Porter, late of 

 London, nier hunt, who died 16S6, 



Jn the middle aisle, near the reading desk, is a 

 monument raised to the memory of Thomas Mason, 

 B. D. who was interred, Nov. 10, 1774, aged 70 

 years ; also of Marthi his wife, who was buried the 

 19th of the same month, aged 68. They lived to- 

 gether 40 years, and were seldom separated ; and 

 what is still more remarkable, they died within 

 ten days of each other. 



From the following list of the rectors of this 

 parish, it appears that the Rev. Dr. Comber, the 

 celebrated dean of Durham, was rector of this church 

 1 1 years ; to which he was presented by the no less 

 celebrated Sir Hugh Chomley, in a manner which 

 reflected equal honour upon them both. Life of 

 Dean Comber, p. 89 and 105. His other prefer- 

 ments prevented him from residing here for any 

 considerable time together ; though he laid out 

 considerable sums in the repairs and decoration of 

 the church, and rebuilt the parsonage-house from 

 the ground.* 



* " There is a note or memorandum in his pocket 

 book, that on the 2 day of April, 1681, he completed the 

 repairs of the roof, floor, and windows, of Thornton, 

 church ; and he also placed a new set of rails round the 

 communion table. His generous conduct in laying out 

 of his own pocket considerable sums of money in repair- 

 ing and beautifying Thornton church, cannot be too 

 greatly commended : he certainly was not obliged to do 

 it; and if he had omitted doing it, no one would have 

 imputed it to him as a fault. 



Comber's Life of Dean Comber, p. 134. 



In the month of July, 1695, he finished the parsonage 

 8 s 



