History
History of the Churches in Treeton
St. Helen's Parish Church
The Parish Church of Treeton is set in beautiful surroundings and enjoys a prominent position. It can be seen whichever way you approach the village
Treeton Church is one of only fifteen South Yorkshire churches mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 which states that there was a church and presbyter at Treeton.
There has been a church on this site since 1175 AD, with much later work, including an early 14th century chancel.
Pevsner describes the church as 'a confusing building' ! It has also been described as 'charmingly odd with a long 14th century chancel,and a short 15th century aisle and a tower at the west end of the other aisle'.
Rare Church Sculpture
The Military Effigy
At the beginning of the thirteenth century, carved representations or effigies began to appear. The earliest effigial monument in the area is here at St. Helen's, it was commonly called Sir Gilbert - referring to the Earl of Shrewsbury.
Sir Christopher Talbot, a younger son of the second Earl of Shrewsbury, is described in various charters as being of Treeton. Hunter thinks that the monumental effigy is more likely to be Christopher Talbot.
When referred to by Charles Hadfield in 1896, while repairing the church. He described it as ...'a stone effigy of a knight in chain mail, placed in a recess in the Western doorway'. There are insufficient remains of the shield to see any coat of arms but it was said by some to represent the House of Talbot, however, it was probably intended for the figure of a Horbery or a Bernak, both these families having held the Manor under the Furnivals.
The Church of St. Helen, is the only one in the Hallamshire wapentake , mentioned in the Domesday survey. It consists of a nave, aisles, chancel, vestry and a square embattled tower containing six bells, three of which were added in 1892. The Norman arches and the coffin of a child were relics of a Norman church which was pulled down and erected again about 1200 AD. The Chancel was restored in 1869 at a cost of £700, and the nave was later restored and reseated - possibly in 1879, under C. Hadfield architects of Sheffield . The remaining portions of the church were fully restored in 1892, the principal part of the work being the embellishment and restoration of the Brampton chapel as a memorial to the Rev. Bernard Watkins, Jnr., who was Rector from 1877 - 1878.
Brampton Quire
The Brampton Chapel , or Quire, is paved with stones inscribed to members of the families of
Vescy,
Bradshaw and
Lord who are buried here.
The left side is devoted to
the Vescys, and apparently consists of two large vaults, constructed
end to end, the further one of which extends under the altar to the
outside wall, though some of the family lie in the chancel and other
parts of the church.
The following inscriptions refer to the above:
- Heare lyeth the Bodye of William Vescy ... day of August Ano : Dni : 1605.
- Here lyeth the bodie of Elizabeth late wife of William Vescy, of Brampton, one of the daughters of Richard
Stevenson, of Ounston ...
- Here lyeth the body of Margerie late wife of William Vesscy, of Brampton, gent , sole daughter of Robert Buntinge,
late of
Rotherham, merchant who has yssue by the said William Fower Sons John Robert William and Matthew was buried
the 26 daye of November An: Do: 1618.
- ... lieth the bodi of M John Vescy of Brampton the son of Mr William ... November 1639. (Hunter puts his death as Nov 1629)
- Heare lieth the Boady of Ales Vesscy widow, the wife of John Vesscy of Brampton Gentleman who departed this life the
18 Day of October 1658.
- Robert Vescy of Brampton Gentleman who died the first of July Anno Dom : 1642.
- Hie Jacet Edwardus Bradshawe Armiger in occiduo sinere expectans eum cui nomen est oriens Qui xxii Die Decemb
MDCLXV occubuit. (Arms: Bradshawe with a crescent for a difference.)
- Here lieth the body of Mrs Anne Adams wife of Mr Michael Adams Rector of Treeton who died 6 days after the delivery
and death of a male child Jan 27 1665. (A cross impaling Bradshawe.)
- On a brass inserted in the centre of the stone covering a vault in which are buried William Routh and his family,
is the following : —
" Here lieth the body of Elizabeth Bradshawe
Relict of George Bradshawe late of Eyam in the County of
Derby Esquire who died on the Ninth day of November
A D 1677. -tatisque suae 64.
- Here lieth the body of John son of Francis Bradshawe, of Brampton Esq Departed this life the 10th of June 1656 In
the first yeare of his age. Here lieth the body of Mary 2nd daughter of John Bolle of Brampton Esq Departed this life
22nd Feb 1673.
- Here lyeth ye body of Mr. Edward Bolle who died 15th of November 1696.
- Here lieth the body of Francis Bradshawe of Brampton in the Co. of York Esquire who departed this life the twenty
ninth day of December Anno Domini 1677.
- Here lieth interred the body of Elizabeth daughter of John Vescy of Brampton Gentleman sometime wife of Francis
Bradshawe of Brampton Esq, and also late wife of John Bolle
Esq who departed this life the fourteenth day of March Anno Domini 1676.
- Here lieth the body of Margaret Daughter of John Bradshawe of Brampton Esq who departed this life the 27 August, 1682.
- Francis Bradshawe of Brampton 21 Dec 1659. (Not discoverable. History of Hallamshire page 496.)
Source: The Yorkshire Archaeological Journal Vol. XVII
