Relhan Collection : 210, 211, 212 Horningsea church. Medieval stone coffin lids and slabs

Relhan, Richard, 1782-1844

Relhan Collection

<p style='text-align: justify;'><p>All signed TF Lee, 1847</p><p>The date 1847 demonstrates that additions have been made to the collection after acquisition by Cambridge Antiquarian Society in 1844-5. Thomas Faulkner Lee (c.1826–1875) went as Pensioner to Queens’ College in 1844, was awarded MA 1851 and Doctor of Divinity 1866. He was ordained 1849, taught at St Albans Grammar School 1848-50, was headmaster of Lancaster Grammar School 1850-75 and chaplain of Penny's Hospital, Lancaster, 1851-75. Bishop Aethelwold purchased the minster at Horningsea from King Edgar and in 984 granted it to the monks of Ely. From 1109 rights over the church passed to the bishops of Ely, which may explain why these high class coffins were found in the churchyard. They were excavated 1847 just outside the S porch during building works and were moved into the church, where they are set in the floor at the E end of the S aisle. When excavated, (<b>210</b>) and (<b>212</b>) were found to cover wooden coffins, of which fragments with human bones were retrieved (now lost or reinterred), and (<b>211</b>) covered the stone coffin shown in Lee’s drawing, also found with human bones. </p></p>