Maxwell-Gumbleton papers: Hancocke and Maxwell memorials in Twyning church

Notes on the memorials to the Hancocke and Maxwell families in Twyning Church and other notes of possible interest.

1676

A mural group now on the South Wall of the space under the belfry and ringing loft of the Western tower. Probably moved from the Chancel at the times of the late restoration. A very handsome group of three life sized busts, obviously portraits. The central figure wears a small moustache, has straight and close-cut hair, wears a skull cap, and rests his right hand upon a skull, the left hand holding a lace handkerchief. He wears a plain square collar. Below we read:- "To the memory of William Hancocke Senior of Norton in the Parish of Bredon in the County of Worcester Esquire who was born in this Parish and departed this life August 1676 aged 82 years."

1674

On the right hand of the above is the effigy of the eldest son. This has long natural hair, is clean shaven, carried similar handkerchief, and rests right hand on a skull. The inscription reads:- "To the memory of William Hancocke of this Parish Gent. eldest son of the here mentioned William Hancocke Esquire by his first wife who departed this life on the 15th day of December 1647 aged 49 years."

1717

On the left of the central figure is the younger son, clean shaven, with long hair like his brother; he holds a handkerchief, but the right hand clasps a scroll. "To the memory of Charles Hancocke Esquire only son of William Hancocke Senior Esquire by his last wife who departed this life the 29th day of March AD 1717."

The whole monument is under an arch, resting on twisted pillars, and is recessed about one foot. It is surmounted by the hand and three cocks of the Hancocke arms. Below the shield is quartered with a coat bearing a corneal and blue chevron powdered with small roses. It has been thought that each of these personages were Admirals of the Fleet, from the fact of four small sketches of men-of-war, with a dinghy following each, all duly coloured, being inserted along the lower part of the monument. They are very interesting as depicting the ships of the period in full sail.

Note: the information about the Hancockes being admirals is incorrect. William senior was born in Twyning and went to London and made his fortune as a vintner. Vintners imported wine from overseas andit is likely that the ships at the bottom of the memorial represent this trade. Both of William’s sons, William junior and Charles were lawyers who worked in London and also spent time in Twyning and Bredon’s Norton.

Thanks to Judy Smithers for this information. 21 Feb 2025

1779

A mural tablet in white marble, about 2ft 6in by 2ft, surmounted by the Maxwell crest and coat quartered Maxwell and Hancocke. This is on the North side of the Chancel, and reads: "Sacred to the memory of Capt. George Maxwell, of the 35th Regt. of Foot, Second Son of Hugh Maxwell of Dalswinton in the County of Dumfries North Britain Esquire. He died June 15th, 1779."

1809

Below the last monument, forming its base, but of somewhat later workmanship: "Also to his Widow, Mrs Anne Maxwell, eldest daughter and coheiress of the late Peter Hancocke Esquire Lord of the Manor of Twyning. She departed this life May 2nd 1809, aged 67."

1838

On the North wall of the Chancel, a mural tablet in marble surmounted by the Maxwell crest and arms:- "M.S. Guliemi Georgh Maxwell Clerici M.A. Georgh et Anne Maxwell filli et heredis Ac Manorii de Twyning domino. Quam obit (non umquam Maritatus) V Nov. MDCCCXXXVIII AEtis sure LXVI".

1858

Two mural tablets North side of Chancel:- "To Anne Maxwell, wife of William Thomas Younge, the eldest daughter of George and Anne Maxwell of Twyning Manor, died 10th of January 1858, aged 90."
On the second:- "To Helen Frances Maxwell, of Twyning Manor, third daughter of Anne and George Maxwell, died 4th of June, 1858, aged 83 years."

1859

On the North wall of the Chancel, a mural tablet, lozenge shaped:- "In affectionate memory of Jane Charlotte Fowke, widow of the late Henry Fowke, and daughter of George and Anne Maxwell, of this Parish, who fell asleep in Jesus at Bath, March 12th, 1859, in her 90th year. To die is gain."

There does not now appear to be any means of locating the graves of the Hancock and Maxwell families. They are said to have been buried in the chancel, but all trace of them seems to have been lost in the laying of the modern tiled pavement. The large East window was filled with stained glass, chiefly of a geometrical design, in memory of Captain Walter Stocker, by his widow, 1870. Their grave is in the churchyard to the south of the chancel. The marble monument, enclosed in iron railings, is completely hidden by brambles.

On a board, undated, on the north wall of the space under the tower, is recorded the gift by "Charles Hancocke, Esq." (the only name with this suffix among a considerable number) "of two silver flagons to the Church of Twyning, for the use of the Communion for ever." These flagons are extremely handsome, with hinged covers. They stand about 12 inches high, diameter of base 5 3/4, and of inside bowl 3 3/4. They have the Hancocke crest and arms engraved. Although the board shewing the bequest gives no date, the donor would appear to be the same Charles Hancocke as that mentioned as the "only sone of William Hancocke, Esquire, by his last wife", that is, the third of the three Admirals whose joint memorial formed the first subject of these notes. A further light is thrown on the character of this Charles by another memorial tablet also now in the space under the tower to "Elizabeth Porter, who died in 1688: For twenty years the faithful servant of Charles Hancocke Esquire and Edith his wife. She was one of the best servants and one of the best Christians."

1669

A tablet of this date is to Edward Baldwin Esq., of this parish. Twyning Church was restored in 1867. The old church is said to have been in such disrepair as to make a conservative restoration practically impossible. Of the old Norman church, very long, and of characteristic narrowness, nothing remains but the chancel arch, the north doorway, and the high plain exterior buttresses. The tower, at the west end, of Transitional style, remains untouched, and has a handsome west window. The walls of the nave are treated with a covering of flat plaster, in an unpleasing colour scheme, and are pierced by large modern Norman windows. It was at the time of this restoration that the mural tablets were so much altered from their original positions.

In 1888 Mrs Ann Townend, of Puckrup Hall, gave a large two manual organ, the oaken chancel screen, and choir stalls. The organ was placed in a specially built organ chamber on the north side of the chancel, just within the chancel arch. It was to accommodate this that the very fine alabaster tomb with recumbent effigies of a mother and infant was removed and placed on the south side of the chancel, the figure now lying with feet towards the west. This beautifully chaste monument of the Elizabethan period has been much mutilated, and some of its ornaments have been wrenched away, but a large brass plate at the back records that it was in memory of "Mistress Sibella Clare and her infant daughter Anne, the latter aged 8 days, and that Mistress Sybella Clare was the wife of Franes Clare Esquire of this parish, and daughter of Gabriel Blycke. She was married in her 18th year and died within 12 months of her marriage (1577). The monument is surmounted by the crest of the de Clares, a stag's head (much defaced). The handsome coat of arms still shows the gold and crimson of the de Clares three chevrons ermine. The other quarterings show a very interesting shield, three barnacles, placed very much like the Hancockes' cocks, below this a dark blue chevron quartered with [...?] two of the Plantaganet leopards. This would appear to be one of the latest monuments to this (at one time) great family in the neighbourhood. There is no indication what was their place of residence in Twyning.

Mention has already been made of the silver flagons presented by Charles Hancocke. The other communion plate of Twyning is of very plain massive silver, the chalice about 7 inches high, the paten small, forming a cover. On the lower rim of the foot of the chalice in small letters are the initials T.W.W.B., 1746. A larger paten bears the inscription "The gift of Mrs Elizabeth Gilbert to the Parish Church of Twyning for the use of the Communion for ever. 1746".

The registers of the parish now extant only begin with the year 1645. On the first page, Baptisms, we find George Hancocke, son of Richard Hancocke, 1655. From 1656 for some nine years there is always a daughter's name entered, "daughter of William, son of Edward Hancocke and Margaret his wife": Katherine, Pauline, Judith, Mary, Sarah, Elizabeth, etc.

In the demesne near the present modern Mansion of the Manor there are many remnants of extremely ancient walls, notably on the west side of the road to Hillend. This wall appears to have divided the estate from one of the open commons which abound all through the parish. Opposite to and south of the present Manor House are some very ancient fragments of an old dwelling house of very considerable size, now broken up into three detached cottages, and bearing the unusual name of Duddage. It is interesting to note that one of the original founders of Tewkesbury Abbey in the Eighth century bore the name Dudda. The brothers, Dukes Dudda and Odda, are mentioned in the Registrum Therkusbariae, a mediaeval manuscript in the possession of Sir Charles Isham of Langport, Northamptonshire (cited by the Rev John Henry Blunt as "among their other acts of piety founding, in the year 715, a monastery to the glory of God and in honour of the Blessed Virgin, on their own estate near the Severn, where a certain hermit Theocus had had his cell").

Can Duke Dudda have had his castle in Twyning, his name surviving in that of Duddage? Mr Blunt suggests that the name of Tewkesbury came from that of Etocessa, a Roman form of the British word Etociscau, ie the meeting of the waters. Is not this also the meaning of the name Twyning, the twin rivers, the twining of the Avon and the Severn?

NB since writing these few notes I have deciphered another mural tablet fairly high up on the wall of the Tower--under the belfry (evidently moved from another position). "George Neath Esq 1688". I do not know if this name is of any interest.

Maxwell-Gumbleton papers
Undated

Thanks to Lucinda Steege for this document