his time. None of these remain, but in the small western window of the aisle are still a few fragments of the old glazing, representing architectural details, &c. When the church was restored, about thirty-five years ago, many ancient and interesting features were destroyed. Mr. Wood, schoolmaster and parish clerk at Bickenhill for forty-five years, told me the walls were found to be nearly covered with paintings in distemper, under the whitewash; no record of these was kept. Among the Chantry certificates for Warwickshire there is the following entry : "The Countie of Warr. Knightloe Hundred Stock of Cattall & Moneye in Bickenhull al. Bicknell, vz. a e "Twoo kien Gyven to the churche of byckenhull afforesaid thone to ye maintennce of an annivsarie and thother of A lighte to be hadd and done. yerelie ffor ever in the same churche, wch kyen were Praysed thone at xs and thother at xiij iiijd xxiijs iiijd." = MONUMENTS. These are but very few, and are of no particular interest. The oldest is a horizontal slab of alabaster, forming a part of the floor of the gangway in the aisle. It is of large dimensions, and has a double line of old English characters round the margin, but they are so worn that I have been unable to decipher more than a word or two; I think it is of the sixteenth century, but I cannot find out whose death it recorded. Near it is another alabaster slab, the surface of which has been rubbed down smooth. Next in date, as I suppose, is a rather singular looking mural tablet on the north wall of the chapel, with a shield of arms :— "IN MEMORY OF | FETTIPLACE NOTT ESQ. SERGEANT AT LAW | WHO DIED 22ND APRIL 1726 AGED 55 | years “AND SARAH HIS WIFE WHO DIED 4T TH MARCH 1754 AGED 75 | "THIS INSCRIPTION WAS ORDERED TO BE PLACED BY THEIR ONLY SON | FETTIPLACE NOTT | OF THE CITY OF LICHFIELD ESQR. | WHO ALSO DIED 31ST MAY 1775 | AGED 73." Fixed to the south wall of the nave, near the west end, is a slab of blue lias stone, with the following inscription: "Near to this place lieth | interred the Bodys of | George Smith Cooper | of Great Packington and | Elizabeth his wife He died | June the 15th Ano 1731 | He gave to the poor of this | parish the sum of ten pounds | the interest of which is to buy Bread the one half to | be give on St. Thomas's Day | and the other half on Good | Friday for ever." Forming a part of the chancel floor is a slab of blue stone, with incised letters, filled with a white cement : "To the Memory of Martha wife of Richard Osborn | who died. September 24th 1761 | Aged 40 Years | Also of Richard Osborn | who died the 26th of July 1794 | Aged 87 | "We'v passed the gates of Life and Death, And now for Judgement wait, Hoping in God Mercy to find, Because his Mercy's great." On the north wall of the chancel are three small tablets to the children of a former vicar. In the churchyard there are a few old gravestones of the beginning of the eighteenth century, apparently the work of the same mason, the inscriptions on which are quaint, and the mixture of characters curious. The Registers date from 1558, and are well preserved. The two oldest volumes are bound in vellum, and extend to 1783. On the inside of the cover of the first are these notes:-"Baptisms from 1558 to 1657; Weddings from 1558 to 1593; Burials from 1582 to 1679." (Signed) "John Ritson." "Several leaves missing containing Registers of Marriages and Burials.” The first page is headed " Byknoll," "a trew copy of ye Register. Christeninges, Weddings, and Burials from ye sixt year of her Maties. Raigne until ye yeare 1599. "Collected by Robt Osbourne, Ministr, and approved by George Butler and Will Smith, Churchwardens of ye said parish." I may perhaps be allowed to remind you that the first order for the registration of baptisms, marriages, and deaths was made in the reign of Henry VIII., A.D. 1538, but registers of this early date are rare. In the year 1558, the order was re-issued in a more peremptory form; the first order having been much neglected. In 1597 it was ordained that every parish should provide a book of parchment, and that all the names in the older books, which were generally of paper, should be copied therein, hence the note I have just read. Then follows a list of Donations and Legacies to the church and parish. There are, of course, among the last, frequent references to burials in woollen. On the last pages of this volume there are crowded together a great many notes of "Briefs." Among them I noticed:-"The collection for Edgbaston Church was paid to Mr. Wolley, the 18th February, 1685." In the subsequent Registers, the births, deaths, and marriages are entered in separate volumes. That for Marriages, with printed forms to fill up, is from 1758 to 1810; for Baptisms, from 1783 to 1812; for Burials, from 1783 to 1812. There are fewer marginal notes in the volumes than I have generally found. CHURCHWARDENS' ACCOUNTS.-These have not been well preserved. What parts remain of them are in such a dilapidated and mixed-up condition that I have not had time enough to give more than a cursory glance at their contents. I did not see any earlier than the last century, but they contain some items relating to alterations of the church, of which, as they have reference to the subject of my paper, I have jotted down a few :— £ s. d. 1777. For glassing the church windows O 18 9 1786. For a new window, 14s. 6d. ; and Carpenter's work, case, 4s. 6d. 1790. Feb. 13.-Paid for tiles and lime and hare for the 1798. Sep. 25.-Paid for Bosses for the church A journey to Fatch the same In 1807 and the year following a good deal of work was done to the church, and I think that in that year the churchyard was extended. 4 O 0 0 4 March 8th.-Thomas Tranter, for laying the church floor 21 6 2 165 13 9 Thomas Glover, for pewing the church The Clerk remembers these high pews, removed about thirty-five years ago; they were of deal, and with doors. 1809. Feb. 15.-Thomas Glover for gates and rails for the 1829. July 6.-Paid for gallery steps and timber from Hampton Mr. Wood told me the gallery was but a very small one for singers. OVERSEERS' ACCOUNTS.-The earliest volume of Overseers' accounts which I saw was from 1704, the items are of the usual kind :-Small sums given to necessitous travellers, for the keep of paupers, apprenticing and clothing orphan children, sparrows' heads, &c. The Excursions. EXCURSION TO WENLOCK AND BUILDWAS. June 15th, 1887. HIS Excursion was attended by twenty-one members and ladies, who left Snow Hill Station at 9-25 a.m., and arrived at Wenlock at 12 o'clock. The remains of the Priory and Priory House, the Town Hall, and ancient houses of the place were inspected; and, after lunch at the "Gaskell Arms," the party proceeded by train to Buildwas. The remains of the Cistercian Abbey were examined with great care and interest, and after tea the party returned to Birmingham at 10-15. An account of the Excursion to Wenlock and Buildwas, which took place in 1872, and a short description of the places visited, may be found on p. 109 of the "Transactions" for that year. As the same order of proceedings was followed, any detailed account on the present occasion would be superfluous. |