A HISTORY OF HERTFORDSHIRE 



Lying loose in the church is a fragment of an oak 

 screen ; it is about 3 ft. 6 in. long and 1 3 in. high, 

 and consists of portions of traceried heads of three 

 panels of late 15 th or early i6th-centur7 date. In 

 the centre of each is a carved shield with nondescript 

 animals as supporters. The arms belong to the 

 Newport family. The first bears a fesse between three 

 crescents ; the second, party a lion ; the third, on a 

 cross five leopards' heads. All these appear on John 

 Newport's brass. 



In the east window of the north aisle are some 



FuRNEUx Pelham Church ; Roof of the South Chapel 



fragments of 1 5th-century glass. On a modern screen 

 inclosing the vestry at the west end of the south aisle 

 are the royal arms, carved in wood, bearing the dates 

 1634, 1660 and 1831. 



At the west end of the south aisle is an altar tomb 

 of Purbeck marble. The front and east end are 

 panelled and traceried ; each panel contains a shield 

 with the indents of a brass. On the top are brasses 

 of a man and his widow under a canopy, parts of 

 which remain. There are indents of one daughter, 

 four shields and inscription, probably of 15th-century 

 date, and they possibly refer to William Newport 



(ob. 1434) and Cecilia his wife, the latter of whom 

 died in 1477 and desired to be buried beside her 

 husband in the chantry aisle of the church." In the 

 south chapel is an altar tomb of white stone with 

 a black marble slab on the top ; on the north side 

 and west end are three shields of arms. On the 

 wall above is a brass inscription to Edward Cason, 

 1624. On the floor of the chapel is a slab with 

 indent of a knight in armour, and part of a marginal 

 inscription to John Newport (1523) and a shield of 

 arms. On the north wall of the north aisle are a 

 Purbeck marble tablet with small 

 brasses of a man in armour, his 

 wife, two sons and three daugh- 

 ters, all kneeling ; a shield of 

 arms : Party gules and azure a 

 lion argent (Newport) impaling 

 a bend engrailed between six 

 billets (Alington) ; traces of 

 colouring remain. There are 

 also indents of the Virgin and 

 Child, two shields and a scroll. 

 The inscription is given by 

 Weever'*: 'Here lyeth Robert 

 Newport Esquy', founder of this 

 chapel, and Mary his wyfF, 

 whych Robert dyed xvii of 

 November, mcccccxviii.' On 

 the floor of the south chapel 

 are three slabs with indents. 

 On a bracket on the wall of 

 the chapel is a helmet of late 

 15th-century date. 



There are six bells : the first 

 b^ J. Warner & Sons, 1875; 

 the second by T. Newman, 

 1 723 ; the third by John Hods, 

 1662 ; the fourth a 16th-cen- 

 tury bell inscribed ' Sancta 

 Katerina Ora pro Nobis ' ; the 

 fifth by Miles Graye, 161 8; 

 the sixth by J. Briant, 1792. 



The communion plate con- 

 sists of a cup and paten, 1835, 

 and a flagon, 1876. 



The registers previous to 

 1812 are as follows : (i) bap- 

 tisms, burials and marriages 

 1560 to 1738; (ii) baptisms 

 and burials 1739 to 1 81 2, mar- 

 riages 1739 to 1753 5 ('") ™^'' 

 riages 1 754 to 1812. 



The advow- 

 ADVOJVSON son of Fumeux 

 Pelham Church 

 belonged to the Treasurer of 

 St. Paul's from the date of the endowment of his 

 office with the church (see above). The church was 

 visited among others belonging to the cathedral in 

 1252. The ministering chaplain was then in receipt 

 of all the altarage and the small tithes and rendered 

 20/. a year to the treasurer. The church was found 

 to be well thatched, but the graveyard was very ill- 

 inclosed with old thorn bushes. Glass was wanting 

 in two windows in the chancel. Within there were 

 a high altar, four altars outside the quire and an altar 

 of St. Nicholas. A stone font was sufficiently lined 

 '" P.C.C. Wills, 28 Wattys. *^ Funeral Monum. 548. 



106 



