Houghton-le-Spring, Tomb of Bernard Gilpin

HER Number:
15968

District:
Sunderland

Site Name:
Houghton-le-Spring, Tomb of Bernard Gilpin

Place:
Houghton-le-Spring

Map Sheet:
NZ34NW

Class:
Religious Ritual and Funerary

Site Type: Broad:
Tomb

Site Type: Specific:
Altar Tomb

General Period:
Post Medieval

Specific Period:
C16

Form of Evidence:
Structure

Description:
The tomb is located in the south transept of St. Michael and All Angels Church. It is a freestone altar tomb with ornamental circular and square chainwork on the long sides, the Gilpin arms of a boar and oak tree on the west face. The inscription reads 'BERNARD GILPIN RECTOR HVIVS ECCLIOE OBIIT QVARTO DIE MARTII AN DOM 1583' {Bernard Gilpin, Rector of this Church, died on the 4th day of March in the year of Our Lord 1583}. The epitaph reads 'SEE HERE HIS DUST SHUT UP WHOSE GENEROUS MIND NO STOP BEFORE IN HONOUR'S PATH COULD FINDE. TRUTH, FAITH AND JUSTICE, AND A LOYALL HEART IN HIM SHOW'D NATURE, WHICH IN MOST IS ART'. Bernard Gilpin known as 'the Apostle of the North' was Houghton rector from 1558 to his death in 1583. He was knocked over by an ox in Durham Market Place. He became sick in February 1583 and died on 4 March. In 1884 (should actually have been 1883) a 300th anniversary clock was installed on the church.

Easting:
34175

Northing:
49848

Grid Reference:
NZ3417549848

Lats/Lons:

Sources:
Paul Lanagan, 2011, Bernard Gilpin's Tomb, www.houghtonlespring.org.uk/articles/bernardgilpintomb.htm; Eva Carter, 1947, Tales of the North Country; Paul Brown, 1938, The Third Friday Book of North Country Sketches; Robert Surtees, 1908, History and Antiquities of the County of Durham; Georgina Battiscombe, 1947, Bernard Gilpin