michaelpipe
14-08-2009, 2:37 PM
I wanted a photo of a plaque and gravestone belonging to Sir Richard Pipe from 1587. So after much searching I thought that I would send an email to the vicar of the church in question, in Derbyshire, thinking that it might be a simple operation. The vicar was helpful, telling me that he wasn’t familiar with the history attached to this, as it hadn’t been seen for years. So he passed my inquiry on to the churchwarden, and to the local heritage society.
From them I gained the information that, as far as anyone knew, the grave slab was inside the church, underneath the altar, and a plaque was hidden behind a screen at the back of the altar. The stone and the plaque had been obscured permanently possibly over 300 years ago, and have never been seen since (although there was a report in a newspaper in the 1930’s that it existed).
So I assumed that neither I, nor any one else, would ever see this stone or the plaque / engraving, which would be an integral part of that part of the Pipe family.
It is amazing how a few enquiries can activate the interest of other people – and interest had been created. The local “archaeologists”, headed by the verger, plan to swing into action shortly, picks and shovels in hand, move the altar and all associated screens, carpets etc, and rediscover their “lost” treasures.
Hopefully a photo or two will be forthcoming, for which I will owe the participants a debt of gratitude.
Had I not enquired, poor old Sir Richard and Lady Jane his wife (and maybe another one) would have been un-noticed perhaps for another 300 years.
Sometimes people surprise you in the strangest ways!
From them I gained the information that, as far as anyone knew, the grave slab was inside the church, underneath the altar, and a plaque was hidden behind a screen at the back of the altar. The stone and the plaque had been obscured permanently possibly over 300 years ago, and have never been seen since (although there was a report in a newspaper in the 1930’s that it existed).
So I assumed that neither I, nor any one else, would ever see this stone or the plaque / engraving, which would be an integral part of that part of the Pipe family.
It is amazing how a few enquiries can activate the interest of other people – and interest had been created. The local “archaeologists”, headed by the verger, plan to swing into action shortly, picks and shovels in hand, move the altar and all associated screens, carpets etc, and rediscover their “lost” treasures.
Hopefully a photo or two will be forthcoming, for which I will owe the participants a debt of gratitude.
Had I not enquired, poor old Sir Richard and Lady Jane his wife (and maybe another one) would have been un-noticed perhaps for another 300 years.
Sometimes people surprise you in the strangest ways!