The Crispe Memorial © PE Blanche 2001 The Quex Chapel from the Chancel. © PE Blanche 2001

The so-called North Chapel actually stands on the North East corner of the Church and is dedicated to St. Mary the Virgin. It is also know as the Quex Chapel as it has been a private Chapel belonging to the owners of nearby Quex Park. There are many members of the Crispe family represented here and recent improvements to the Chapel have been funded by the present owners of the Park, the Powell Cottons. In this Chapel is a unique mural memorial tablet to the Crispe family (pictured top left). There is none other like it in England because of the fact that it includes a total of six busts. It was completed by Joshie Marshall who was the Master Mason to King Charles II. The top row of busts depict Sir Henry Crispe (1576 - 1647) and his two wives and the second row are of Sir John Crispe(1551 - 1583) and his two wives. I suppose it rather convenient that they both married twice otherwise it would have ruined the layout! The altar tomb in the North West corner of the Chapel is for Sir Henry Crispe who was Sheriff of Kent in 1546. Beside him is a likeness of his first wife, Lady Catherine Scott who could well be one of the Scotts from Brabourne although I do not know that for sure. I'll see if I can find more detail on that at a later date. In the centre of the North wall and next to the six-busted Crispe memorial is another memorial to a member of the Crispe family, Anna Gertruy Crispe by the sculptor, William Palmer. The dedication reads as follows: "ANNA GERTRUY CRISPE, fourth Daughter and one of the Co-heirs of Thomas Crispe Esqr. She liv'd an example of Piety & Charity. Dyed March ye 23d 1708 much Lamented By Will dated February ye 13th 1707, Devised to Overseers of the Poor of Birchington and Vill. of Acole &their Successors for ever, 47 acres of Land in Birchington &Monkton then in Lease at 18L Pr Anñ:in Trust to pay to Ellen Window for Life and to the Clerk of the Parish yearly 20s to keep clean the Isle & Monuments Belonging to Quex to 3 Widows of Birchington 3L to 2 Widows of Acole 2L for wearing Apparel for to appear at Church to keep at School wth Dame or Master 12 Boys &Girls, and to give to each at leaving the School a Bible the Overseers to take yearly 10s to Dispose the remaining Mony for binding a School Boy Apprentice, that the Overseers fix up a yearly account of Receipts and Payments, and pass the Same before a Justice of the Peace. This MONUMENT Persuant to the Will Erected by FRANCES WIAT ( Wife of EDWIN WIAT of Boxley. SERJT. at LAW ) her Sister & Excecutrix" Interesting social commentary about the times. Don't write to me about spelling mistakes as I have copied the tablet word for word! In reading this inscription I rather wonder how much interest Frances Wiat had at the time in promoting her husbands law practice? The other interesting point for genealogists and the reason for including these details is the fact that other sundry information can be gleaned from a memorial that many might consider as being totally unimportant unless they were related to this locally influential family. Of course, most of us have to look very hard to find a relative with money, let alone being landed gentry. However, among all the important names on this tablet and in this Chapel is the name of Ellen WINDOW. Here it says that Ellen was the cleaning lady and for the princely sum of £1.00 or 20s. a year (assuming that the Clerk of the Parish didn't keep a portion for his own pocket!), she cleaned and dusted this part of the Church for the rest of her working life. Isn't it strange that on an obviously very expensive monument, the name of your cleaning lady would be included! See also: The exterior of All Saints Church   The interior of All Saints Church