Holy Trinity Church, Church Charwelton, was built in the C14th and C15th and had its chancel rebuilt in the C17th and C18th. The church was restored, and the chancel was again rebuilt and extended one bay east in 1901-1904, by G. Christopher Carter. It is of ironstone ashlar and coursed ironstone rubble. It has the typical chancel, nave, north and south aisles, south porch, and west tower but with a north chancel chapel added which is now used a a vestry.
The first memorial takes the form of a free-standing chest tomb and is to be found between the chancel and the north chapel of this fine church. It is thought to be the work of Richard Parker of Burton-on-Trent who had a workshop there between 1530 and 1570.
The Andrewes , also Andrewe, Andrew, or Andrews, family lived and farmed in Church Charwelton for many generations and this is the tomb of the fourth of the family to be commemorated here. It commemorates Sir Thomas Andrewes and his two wives, Katherine Cave and Mary Heneage. Katherine died in 1555 and as the death date of Thomas is not mentioned on the tomb it can be assumed that it was constructed between 1555 and 1564 when it is known that Thomas died. There are three effigies on the tomb, Thomas in the centre is dressed in armour with his head resting on his helmet and a lion at his feet. The helmet has a moor's head crest which may signify that he took part in a crusade. To his right is Katherine and to his left is Mary. Each of the figures is carved from a single block of alabaster with the ladies figures hollowed at the back to save weight, both are in similar dress with only minor variations of detail.
The chest is made of alabaster side panels on plinths, an inscribed moulding placed on top, then the figures on that. The side panels are all decorated, traces of colour can be seen but especially at the west end where the tomb has been butted to the church wall and has had no wear. Each of the four sides carries the Andrewes blazon, gu., a saltire or, surmounted by another, vert., whilst the outer ends of the long side panels carries the arms of Sir Thomas impaled with those of his wives. The west end shows the Andrewes family, a kneeling Sir Thomas and his seven sons, opposite one of his wives and three daughters.
The inscription round the chamfered moulding is in carved raised letters and reads:
'Sub ista tum'la jacet Katerina Andrewes prima uxor Thome Andrewes militis una filiar' et heredum Edwardi Cave Armige' que quidem Katerina obiit decimo octavo die Augusti an'o mill'imo quinquagesimo quinto, of howse solle God have mercy. Amen.'
Translation: 'Beneath this tomb lies Katherine Andrewes,first wife of Thomas Andrewes Knight, daughter and heir of Edward Cave Esquire the which Katherine died the eighteenth day of August 1555, on whose soul God have mercy. Amen.'
In 2001 the tomb was found to be constructed over a medieval brick-built vault when it was dismantled prior to being exhibited at Tate Britain as part of 'Medieval Sculpture: Image and Idol'. The tomb contained human bones and two skulls heaped up haphazardly and seemed to be smaller than expected. The fact that the west end of the chest tomb has finely carved and painted detail shows that the chest was moved to allow passage round the east end, this accounts for the shorter than expected vault which was altered and the bones stacked up as found. There was a potentially disastrous fault with the tomb, the iron cramps had corroded and split and stained the alabaster allowing the panels to spread and bow outwards to such a point where there was very little for the effigies to rest on. This was exacerbated by the core of the tomb being sand, instead of the expected brick, which had settled and allowed the effigies to sink and to be resting on the side panels. This has all now been corrected with the use of stainless steel staples and resin for fixing the side panels, and a stainless steel frame, which is itself supported on the walls of the vault, to support a lightweight core to carry the weight of the effigies. This was completed in 2002 when the tomb was returned from the exhibition.
The second Memorial is a wall tablet, one of very few in Northamptonshire (I know of one other at Nether Heyford), which is a memorial to Thomas, the son of Sir Thomas (above), and is the fifth generation to be commemorated. It is to be found on the west wall of the north aisle, probably moved here from the north chapel.
It shows the complete family kneeling, Thomas, his two wives and 12 children. Thomas is in armour, kneeling before a covered altar on which are his helmet and gloves. Behind him are his two wives, Frances Cotton (d.1567) and Mary Isham (d.1589). The 12 children, including two sets of twins, and two empty cots for the two infants who died very young. Below the family is a very complicated coat of arms consisting of nine distinct coats-of-arms. The Andrewes' blazon is at the top left of the coa, gu., a saltire or, surmounted by another, vert.
The inscription is wholly in English and reads:
Tho[mas] Andrve Esqvier His Twoe Wives
Francis davghter of S[r] John Cotto[n] in
The Covnte of Cambridge Knight Who Died
12 Ianvary 1567 and Mari Davg[h]ter of Gre
gory Isham M[er]chavnt of London by who
m he had 12 childre[n] who died 4 April 1589
Dvst to the Earth as it Was and the
Spirite Retvrneth to God Th[a]t Gave It
Eccee.12.7 Ano:D[omi]ni 1590
Above the family is another quotation: 'The Memorial of the Ivst Shall Be Blessed Bvt The Name of The Wicked Shall Rotte Pro 10.7.' (Proverbs ch10.vv7)
Still further above this is the Andrewes crest: 'A blackamoor's head in profile couped at the shoulders and wreathed about the temples all ppr.' and their motto: 'LE IOVR VEINDRE (Le jour veindre). Tr. 'Cometh the day.' Either side of this coa are the coas of Thomas and his wives impaled. To the left is Andrewes impaling Cotton and to the right is Andrewes impaling Isham.
Cotton coa: Sa. a chev. betw. three griffin's heads erased or.
Isham coa: Gu. three piles meeting in the fess point and a fess wavy ar.
It is said that Mary was present at the execution of Mary Queen of Scots at Fotheringhay in 1587.