(159) LEWES, St. John the Baptist (Southover)
Southover was outside the ancient borough of Lewes; church created out of remains of the hospitium at the ancient Priory gates; arcade old; tower rebuilt 1714-38 - Nairn & Pevsner (552-3); chancel collapsed well before 1724, Ford (148), rebuilt 1885; there were 64 families in the parish in 1724 and a population of 487 in 1801; the black limestone slab marking the burial place of Gundreda, foundress of St. Pancras Priory, Lewes, was used as or was in use as a monument at Isfield in 1550 and in 1774 was brought here and later rehoused in 1884/5 in Latter Parsons' neo-Norman South chapel of 1847 (English Romanesque Art 1066-1200, Arts Council exhibition catalogue 1984 181); in 1724-5 there was a re-ordering of church seating, which might have impacted on siting access and the display of monuments, see W. Hudson 'Extracts from the first book of the Parish of Southover' (SAC 48 32); in the new arrangement Madam Newton for her Mansion House had possession of pews 13 and 32, the Newtons having been prominent in the parish from at least the early 17th century, see T.H. Noyes, 'Some notices of the family of Newton ...' (SAC 9 312-342) and M.A. Lower, 'Newton Tombstones at Southover' (SAC 17 258-60); Horsfield notes many but unspecified 'neat' monuments on the walls, between the hospitium windows.
159A Mural monument for Joseph Arnold WALLINGER, d. 1827
- Nave, North wall, towards West end, high.
- 102(W) x c.130(H)~Fine.
- Composite black baseplate with a pointed top; white urn on a moulded cornice; M.I. (6 + 4 lines, engraved) on trapezoidal panel; base moulding and corbels; signed (centre below): 'PARSONS'.
- Joseph Arnold Wallinger, Esq., 28 Jun 1771 - 8 Dec 1827; his widow, Anna Maria, 8 Oct 1775 - 5 Mar 1861.
159B Mural monument for Rev. George NEWTON, d. 1791
- Nave, North wall, East of 159A, high.
- 66(W) x 55(H)~Good.
- M.I. (11 + 4 lines, engraved, black) fill an unframed panel; cornice, base moulding and scrolled corbels.
- Rev. George Newton, rector of Isfield for 36 years, d. 18 Dec 1791, aet 62; his wife, Elizabeth, d. 7 Feb 1811, aet 82; their issue (unnamed).
159C Mural monument for Adria BARTON, d. 1804
- Nave North wall, East of 159B, high.
- 68(W) x 163(H)~Cracked (left and right).
- Oval tablet of white-veined marble; moulded frame; M.I. in centre (10 lines, engraved); pendant to 159E.
- Adria Barton, d. 2 Jan 1804, buried in her family vault; daughter of Apsley Newton, Esq.; and widow of James Barton, M.D.
159D Ledger for Charles NASH, d. 1777
- Nave floor, near pulpit, part-obscured by furnishings.
- 100(W) x 200(L)~Unknown.
- M.I. (engraved, white) on a black slab (slate?); narrow border; scallop shells in four corners.
159E Mural monument for Tabitha NEWTON, d. 1803
- Chancel, North wall, East end.
- 68(W) x 158(H)~Very good.
- M.I. (6 + 3 lines, engraved, black) on oval tablet in white and grey marbles; moulded frame; below, decorated corbel; above, a complex scrolled console and urn.
- Tabitha Newton; widow of Apsley Newton, Esq., buried near; her son, William Newton; no dates on M.I.
159F Mural monument for Col. William NEWTON, d. 1808, and his wife Ann, d. 1837
- Chancel, North wall.
- 89(W) x 220(H)~Good; faded.
- Black marble obelisk; M.I. (7 + 5 lines, engraved, black) on a rectangular white marble tablet; moulded cornice, curved apron; corbel.
- Colonel William Newton, Prince of Wales own Regiment of Light Dragoons, d. 13 Nov 1808, aet 64; his wife, Ann Elizabeth, d. 22 Dec 1837, aet 81, daughter of Sir Edward Knatchbull, Bart., of Mersham Hatch, Kent.
159G Anonymous ledger, with the date 1717
- Nave floor, far East end.
- 79(W) x 172(L)~Very worn and pitted; brass lost.
- M.I. (engraved) on a grey freestone slab; set East-West; brass indent.
159H Ledger for Mary NEWTON, d. 1753
- South aisle floor, far East end, partly obscured by later step.
- 94(W) x 148(L)~Very worn.
- M.I. towards upper end of a pale freestone slab.
159I Mural monument for Louisa Maria BALDOCK, d. 1819
- South aisle wall, towards East end, at head height.
- 109(W) x 180(H)~Fine; fading.
- In white marble on dark grey baseplate; framed M.I. (23 lines, engraved, black, including rhyming epitaph) set portrait-wise with dropped corners within a frame; corbels with acanthus decorative; in pointed pediment, wreaths flanked by palmettes; signed (below centre): 'HENRY WESTMACOTT, LONDON'.
- Louisa Maria Baldock, d. 18 Feb 1819, aet 26; daughter of Samuel Durrant, Esq., and Eleanor; and wife of William Baldock, Esq., of Malling House; their issue, infant son and daughter.
159J Mural monument for Samuel DURRANT, d. 1821
- South aisle wall, West of 159I, at head height.
- 112(W) x 183(H)~Fine.
- Close to 159I in form; pediment curved not pointed.
159K Ledger for Rev. George NEWTON, d. 1791
- Nave floor, West end.
- 97(W) x 177(L)~Very worn.
- M.I. (engraved) in a pale freestone slab.
159L Ledger for William NEWTON, d. 1775, and his wife Elizabeth, d. 1780
- Nave floor, West end, alongside 159N.
- 99(W) x 199(L)~Worn.
- M.I. (6 + 5 lines, engraved) in upper 60% of a black slab (marble?); head to South; narrow engraved border; fleur-de-lys at corners.
159M Ledger for George Nevill NEWTON, d. 1746/7
- Nave floor, West end, near West door.
- 76(W) x 140(L)~Worn; cracked.
- M.I. (6 lines, engraved) in upper 25% of a grey freestone slab; head to West.
159N Ledger for John HOLMWOOD, d. 1740 and his wife, Sarah, d. 1710, and son, John, d. 1736
- Nave floor, West end, alongside 159M.
- 77(W) x 149(L)~Worn.
- M.I. (engraved) fills surface of pale freestone slab; head to West.
