St. Peter and St. Paul’s Church, Gosberton.
The grave cover of a gentleman called William Flintham, and his son, is tucked away in the south east corner of the floor of the South Porch. It reads:
“Heere lyeth the body of WILLIAM FLINTHAM, buried June the 9th, 1634.
Heere lyeth WILLIAM FLINTHAM, his sonne, buried November the 28th 1624”
Walter Jenkinson Kaye, in his book, ‘A Brief History of the Church and Parish of Gosberton,’ (1897) informs us that this was not the original site of this stone:
“This inscription would seem to be that which figured on exterior of S. wall of Transept in Morton’s engraving of the church in 1795. Robert Harmstone noted its position there in 1846.”
The engraving referred to is most likely that of Hilliard Burgess, which was published and sold by W.K. Morton, a bookseller and printer. I have examined the engraving and there does indeed to be a square stone set into the south wall wall of the South Transept, though there are no legible details.
The Robert Harmstone referred to wrote a book titled ‘Notices of remarkable events and curious facts … connected with the history and antiquities of Spalding, etc’, published in 1845. I have found this on the internet and found the relevant entry in which he confirms it was ‘in the south wall, on the outside.”
As to who William Flintham was, more research is needed. To be buried in such a prominent place presumes he was someone of great importance or standing in the parish.
