Architecture

Richard Cotton's Brasses
In the Parish Registers of Whittington are the following entries: -

"(1555) Richard Cotton, Lord and Patron of the p'ishe of Whittington was buried the 17th day of May. Mrs Margarett Cotton, the wief of Mr. Richard Cotton, Esquire, was buried the 9th day of April, 1559".

King Henry VIII, in the 36th year of his reign, granted the Manor and Advowson of Whittington to Thomas Stroud, who alienated it to Richard Cotton (Patent, 36 Henry VIII). The Carter granting the Manor and Advowson of Whittington to Thomas Stroud is in the possession of Mrs. Evans-Lawrence owner of the Court.

Just outside the sanctury rails lies the monumental brass of Richard Coton, or Cotton, a memorial of considerable local interest, for it was he who built the adjoingin mansion, more or less as we see it now. According to Arthur Mee, the tale is told that the Court was left unfinished beacuse Richard Cotton was killed in a duel. Of the three vacant matrices of this stone, one obviously contained a sheild, and the others represented children, one an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes. The surviving brass depicts a man in civilian attire and his wife, with the inscription:

"Here lyeth the boddyes of Richard Coton Esquire and Margaret Coton he wief. He deceased the nine and twentyth daye of Maye in the thyrd and fowrth yeare of the reyhne of Kinge Phillypp and Queene Marye anno domini 1556, and the sayd Margaret deceased the daye of Maye in the fyrst yeare of the reygne of our severaigne Ladye Queene Elizabeth anno domini 1560".

This mention of King Phillip and Queen Mary is worthy of special note.

On examining the brass it will be seen that the gown depicted reaches to the ankles, not girded, but thrown open in front. The arms pass through openings in the sides of the gown with very short sleeves over the arm, but with long stripes pendant from behind the openings. The top of the gown is not turned down, but stands up round his neck. Of his doublet is seen a portion of the row of buttons down the front, and above it is a neat frill encircling the throat. Low shoes complete the visible portion of his attire.

Margaret Cotton wears a modified form of kennel or pedimental headdress, the outward casing of which is still cumbrous and stiff, but it is relieved by a caul or frill-work over the forehead. The large frontal lappets have vanished, and instead the sides of the headress turn up at the ends, so that this shape was fast merging into a bonnet. The top of her gown stands up round her neck something after the fashion of her husband's gown, and above it a small frill shows itself. The sleeves only reach as far as the elbows, where they hang down. Her forearms are covered with sleeves, generally richly adorned, but here represented plain, and puffed beneath, whilst at the waist are small frills. Her gown is confined at the waist by a sash tied in a bow in front. The tips of her shoes just emerge from beneath her dress, and it may be noticed that both husband and wife wear shoes with thick soles.

The figures are standing erect with hands in a prayerful attitude, the husband has his wife on his left hand, and they are both slightly turned to face each other.

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The Cotton Brasses