THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB.
37
still in use there, which is of Norman character That building, or re-
building, was in progress in or about 1460 we know from the will of
Benet Harlewyn, made in that year, wherein he bequeaths 3s. 4d. to the
building of the new chancel and choir of the parish church of Chingford:—
"Lego v'rsus fabricam novi cancelli sive chori ecclae p'ochialis de
Shingleford IIIs IIIJd."
There were brasses here to Robert Rampston, yeoman of the Guard
successively to King Edward VI., Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth, and
his wife, Margaret, but as I have fully described these in the Essex Naturalist
recently, in connection with our visit to Pimp Hall, I need not now repeat
the particulars.
All the brasses were stolen in 1857 but the particulars are known from
extant rubbings. The indents I believe still remain in the chancel and on
the South wall.
Robert Rampston, in his will dated 1 Aug., 1585, directs that his body
should be buried in Chingford Church "neere to the place there where the
breade is given." His wife in her will made 25 Oct., 1590, directs that she
be buried in Chingford Church as near as possible to her husband.
Three mural monuments to members of the Leigh family were removed
to the new church, where we shall see them later.
The oldest Register remaining is that containing Marriages from 1785-
1812 in which is written, "This register was stolen in Novr. 1862 and with
"the iron chest and other books was found at the bottom of the Regent's
"Canal, near the Docks, where they had been about 10 days."
"R. B. Heathcote, rector."
Three bells were removed to the new church, but are now happily
returned to their original home. These are inscribed:—
1. W. C, J. D. Churchwardens, 1657. Anthony Bartlet made me.
2. God Save the King, 1626.
3. Thomas Mears of London, founder, 1835.
From its isolated position this churchyard was particularly liable to
the ghastly practice of body-snatching, so much so that a wooden watch-
box was erected immediately opposite to the entrance, in the grounds of a
house called "Heriots," afterwards "Mount Caroline," where the cemetery
now is. In this box the relatives of a person newly interred kept watch
for some time to prevent the grave being rifled and the corpse carried away
to be sold to hospitals or surgeons for dissection purposes. A story is told
that a man returning home late through the churchyard during a storm
of rain sought shelter in the church porch, but his appearance having dis-
turbed some body snatchers at work they hurriedly placed the body there
before his arrival. Thinking it to be alive the man spoke to it, but upon
investigation ascertaining the real facts of the case he was so terrified that
he dropped down dead. In 1916, Mr. William Edward Boothby Heathcote
died and by his will directed that a surgeon should certify that he was in
fact really dead and that his heart should be transfixed with a proper sur-
gical knife and his body buried in the family vault in Chingford churchyard
with the knife still in his heart. This desire was duly carried out.
The Gentleman's Magazine in 1794 published a print of the church and
the accompanying description says that "the whole appears to have been