In the chancel is a wall monument to the family of Thomas Rossell Potter, schoolmaster of Wymeswold House, local antiquarian and editor who wrote extensively on the local history of the villages around Loughborough. Potter died in 1873.
In the south aisle next to the memorial window are two Rolls of Honour for servicemen lost in the two world wars. The oak frame for the Roll recording the men lost in the First World War, was given in 1934 by Sergeant Major Amos Clarke, late of the Coldstream Guards. There is also a display of the medals, a photograph and record of service of John ‘Jack’ Harrison, who served in Africa, Italy and other theatres of the Second World War. The Roll of Honour naming the fallen of the Second World War was set up in 1949.
Caption
Also, on the wall of the south aisle, near to the Baptismal chapel, is a Charity board for Wymeswold Trusts which lists the endowed charities created for Wymeswold. These are as follows:
A mid-17th century trust created by William Leake/Leeke elder and younger (the younger is the same Leake/Leeke in the large wall memorial, see below) and Thomas Barrett, left 66 acres and some property in Wymeswold and Burton, to create an annual income for the benefit of the poor of Wymeswold.
In 1733, Joseph Thompson left £100 for investment to create an annual income to educate ten boys of Wymeswold.
Daniel Balland left £50 to help five widows, the money being used to purchase land to create the income for this trust.
In 1803, the Rev Chamberlain of Long Clawson gave a legacy of £1 a year to provide religious books for children.
At the base of the tower is a monument to William Leeke (or Leake) esquire, sergeant at arms and lord of Wymeswold manor, who died in 1687, aged 57. Originally in the chancel, this monument was moved to the base of the tower in 1844-46. It is a large, baroque memorial with large black limestone columns carrying a scrolly open pediment framing an urn. In a central oval is a large inscription in Latin. A dark marble background contrasting with a white or very lightly coloured marble foreground was used for visual effect. The inscription reads in translation:
Here is laid William Leeke Esquire, Serjeant at Law;
Who, content with having deserved higher honours, not only refrained from seeking them, but firmly put them aside when freely offered to him; being already by ancient lineage, by tried loyalty, by untarnished honour, by unrivalled knowledge of jurisprudence and devotion to study, Sufficiently Illustrious.
None knew better than he how to unlock the recesses of all English law; and he had a skill quite his own in drawing forth from the statutes of realm, from the roll of judicial decisions, and from long-established usage, their very innermost meanings.
To clients both high and low he ever brought a most welcome aid as counsel, through his clear-sighted judgement and his faithful zeal;
Wherein he made it is chief aim to draw together rival suitors to a peaceable agreement, and to earn the gratitude of all men.
So, endearing himself to Prince and people, he carved for himself a way to a higher degree of dignity, yet all unwillingly on his part; since, having been raised by King Charles the Second to the exalted Bench of Ermined Judges (1679) he immediately resigned that splendid office, setting the rare example of the most singular moderation, as one who so little depending on Fortune, having never at any time hoped her favours, so he had no need of dread the want of them.
Died the 9th day of October 1687, in the 57th year of his age.
The monument was erected by his widow and daughter, both called Catherine.
Image gallery: the monument to William Leeke (click to enlarge).
The Churchyard
The church appears to have been constructed on a mound or raised ground in the centre of Wymeswold. The churchyard ground level has also risen significantly over the years because of the many burials there. It was closed to burials at the end of 1881 and responsibility for its maintenance passed to the parish council. A new burial ground was opened in 1882 on Rempstone Road.
The churchyard has numerous Swithland slate headstones. An important local mason was William Charles of Wymeswold, who worked between 1700 and 1730 and used an hourglass ringed with an ouroboros (a snake swallowing its tail, a symbol of eternity) as his trademark. Some of the gravestones are engraved with cherub-like ‘Wymeswold angels’, a local variant on ‘Belvoir Angels’. Outside of the south porch, to the west, there is an example of a ‘Wymeswold angel’ carved onto a headstone next to the path.
To the rear of the chancel wall is a fine slate slab to the Bainbrigg family, displaying their coat of arms. This was originally in the chancel floor but removed in the 1840s restoration.
On the west face of the tower, almost halfway up, there is a sculpture of a boy holding up the wall. The costume is from around 1500, but it is unknown as to whether it is original, or a later addition.
Lychgate: the entry to the churchyard on the north side was designed by Pugin and built using some of the timbers from the medieval church. The lychgate was accidentally damaged by an army lorry in July 1996 and subsequently rebuilt.
Image gallery: Churchyard monuments and lychgate (click to enlarge).
