Object Details

Martyrs Memorial

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Location
Makers
General Information
Classification
Object Parts
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History
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Author: Anthony McIntosh
Copyright for Photograph:

Creative Commons

Location

Street:Station Road
Town:Mayfield
Parish:Mayfield
Council:Wealden District Council
County:East Sussex
Postcode:TN20
Location on Google Map
Object setting:Religious
and in:Road or Wayside
Access is:Public
Location note:Just inside the gate of Coggins Mill Church
In the AZ book:East Sussex
Page:38
Grid reference:D8
The A-Z books used are A-Z East Sussex and A-Z West Sussex (Editions 1A 2005). Geographers' A-Z Map Company Ltd. Sevenoaks.
OS Reference:TQ582269

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Makers


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General Information

Commissioned by: Deacons and Members of Colkins Mill Congregational Church
Construction period:1950
Installation date:1950
Unveiling date:10/1950
Work is:Extant
Object listing:Not listed
Description:Square stepped base surmounted by sculptural depiction of wooden staves issuing flames lapping around a central column. On top of the column is a square inscribed block on which rests an upright open book. The memorial faces south.
Inscription:On the open book:

THY WORD
IS TRUTH

South face, base of memorial:

erected 1950

South face:

IN GRATEFUL MEMORY
OF THE PROTESTANT
MARTYRS OF MAYFIELD
& ROTHERFIELD 1556-7

West face:

???????????????????????
JOHN HART. THOMAS
RAVENSDALE AND TWO
MEN NAMES UNKNOWN

North face:

Burnt at Lewes 1557
ALEXANDER
HOSMAN
of Rotherfield

East face:

Burnt at Lewes 1557
WILLIAM MAYNARD
THOMASINA WOOD
both of Mayfield

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Classification

Categories:Religious, Free Standing, Commemorative, Sculptural
Object type1:Sculpture
Subject type1:Figurative

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Object Parts

Part 1:Stepped base
     Material:None
     Height (cm):30
     Width (cm):170
     Depth (cm):170
Part 2:Memorial
     Material:None
     Height (cm):130
     Width (cm):50
     Depth (cm):50

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Object Condition

Overall condition:Good
Risk assessment:No known risk
Condition 1 of type:Surface
     Condition 1: Corrosion, deterioration
     Condition 2: Bird guano
     More details:The inscriptions are severely weather worn and difficult to read.
Date of on-site inspection:06/07/2007

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History

History:The memorial is dedicated to the six martyrs of Mayfield and one of Rotherfield. It is situated on what is supposed to be, according to E.M. Bell-Irving, the nearest possible spot to the original site of the burnings, actually on the other side of Station Road. Four people were burnt to death in Mayfield on 23 September 1556. Their names were John Hart, Thomas Ravensdale and two others, a shoemaker and a leather worker whose names were not recorded. More burnings took place in Lewes on 23 June 1557 including William Maynard and Thomasina Wood of Mayfield and Alexander Hosman of Rotherfield.
The memorial was unveiled by G.W.J. Cole, Esq. M.C. and was dedicated by the Rev. Canon Fergusun.

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References

Source 1 :
     Title:'Martyrs of Jesus: The Story of the Sussex Martyrs of the Reformation'.
     Type:Book
     Author:Stoneham, Edward T.
     Edition:2nd.
     Page:46
     Publisher:Sussex Martyrs Commemoration Council. Burgess Hill

Source 2 :
     Title:'Mayfield: Ancient Wealden Village'
     Type:Book
     Author:Mayfield Local History Society
     Page:6-7
     Publisher:Mayfield Local History Society.


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Photographs





Author: Anthony McIntosh
Copyright: Creative Commons




Author: Anthony McIntosh
Copyright: Creative Commons




Author: Anthony McIntosh
Copyright: Creative Commons




Author: Anthony McIntosh
Copyright: Creative Commons

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