More Monuments Listed by English Heritage
The Brooks Monument upgraded to Grade II*
Following detailed submissions by Ian Pringle and Kathryn Sather English Heritage has agreed to list more monuments in and around St. Mary’s Parish Churchyard.
The Rectory, Hearse House, thirteen Grave Slabs and two Table Tombs have been Listed as Grade II Monuments. In addition the John Brooks Monument in the Churchyard has been upgraded from Grade II to Grade II* ( Grade II starred).
The Rectory, dating from 1923, was listed because of its Architectural Merit ( “a restrained elegance”), Design Quality, Interior Survivals ( “simple but good quality”) and its Group Value alongside the Church and the Church Inn.
The Hearse House, built in 1801 just inside the gates, was added because of the features built into the interior ( carved crests and tonbstones) and its Group Value ( as a part of the overall picture ).
The Table Tomb of John Horsefield (1854) is among those Listed as Grade II because of its Historial Interest ( the tomb of a significant botanist), its Design Quality ( including the rich carvings of plants and the poem by Swain) and its Group Value ( as part of the full range of historic graves in the Churchyard).
Historical sources can be tied into some of the listed Graves e.g. the grave slab of James Scholefield (1670) is Listed. He was a yeoman farmer from Prestwich Wood and there is an Inventory of his goods and chattels which gives a good picture of a seventeenth century farm in the district. In addition he was the son of Abdie Scholefield ( who was a major player in Prestwich over forty years) and the brother-in-law of Henry Siddall ( who left money for the foundation of Stand Grammar School).
The family grave of the Grimshaws has also been Listed. They served the Parish Church as Sextons and Apparitors for seven generations ( including the famous “Bobber” who was given a new coat in the mid 18th Century ).
Seven gravestones were rejected ( including Novelli’s ) because they were plain without any special design qualities, great age or were damaged in some way. Some were deemed ineligible for Listing because they were not graves of national figures or because the graves were by noted artists but not special examples of their work.
We intend to put up a Web Page containing all the Listed Monuments of Prestwich and Whitefield shortly.
Excellent news to have achieved this recognition for Prestwich and also that the graves range from the more evidently notable through to the artisan botanists.
These latter in particular deserving further attention as a group previously ‘hidden from history’
Trust that a wider audience will appreciate such local gems as appropriate promotion is developed
Very interesting article. I have been researching the history of St Mary’s graveyard and found out some very interesting and slightly creepy facts which I would never have guessed.
Although, I am intrigued to know whether if any of the Egerton family were interred in their private chapel. Or was the chapel only dedicated as a memorial?