“These days should be
remembered and observed in every generation by every family, and in every province and in every city.”

 

Esther 9:28

 

The Dawnay Chapel

Chapel and Crypt of the Dawnay Family

The tomb of Sir John Dawnay d.1493. The west end of
the tomb bears the arms of Dawnay impaling Rocliffe
The Easter Sepulchre in the South wall of the chapel.
This was used in pre-Reformation days during Easter
The entrance to the Dawnay Crypt is now closed
and sealed by the new floor in the chancel

The tomb of Radulphus Aclome and his wife, Margaret,
sadly damaged during the Victorian restoration

This chapel was built by the Dawnay family, who also contributed a great deal to building the rest of this church, including the Consistory Court.

Underneath the floor of the chapel is the Dawnay family crypt, the burial place of many notables from the family, including Lords and Knights.

The large raised tomb belongs to the Knight, Sir John Dawnay, who died on 20th October 1493 and bears his arms. His great uncle was Sir John Dawnay (who died in 1346/7), and was made a Knight Bannered after the Battle of Crécy in 1346.

At this time the family were probably known by the name Dauney. This is derived from D’Auney, as their origin dates back to Sir Paine D’Auney of Auney Castle in Normandy who came to England at the time of William the Conqueror, probably in 1066.

John Dawnay was an ancestor of the Viscounts Downe.

The low-level tomb in the Dawnay Chapel is in memory of Radulphus Aclome and his wife, Margaret, who was the daughter of John Dawnay. Margaret died on 9th May 1436. This tomb was formerly raised by about three feet above the ground, but the stones supporting it were removed.

Prior to the restoration of the church in 1856, the floor of this chapel was covered with inscriptions relating to the family but, sadly, these were destroyed and replaced with tiles.

The altar in this chapel would have been underneath the East Window, but no record remains.

The position of the tomb of Sir John Dawney is important as it is usually reserved for founders of the church. It further underlines the importance of the Dawnay family to this church.

Cowick Hall, traditionally the home of the Viscounts Downe,
in about 1900. It is now owned by Croda

     (Arms top left by Wikimandia – from this: Bend cotised demo.svg (by Ipankonin)., CC BY-SA 4.0)

Did You Know?

With Laurie the Church Mouse