Relhan Collection : 226 Impington Church. Brass of John Burgoyn Esq and family 1505

Relhan, Richard, 1782-1844

Relhan Collection

<p style='text-align: justify;'><p>The Burgoynes by 1428 held land in Linton, Hildersham, Impington, Dry Drayton where they lived, and Caxton. John Burgoyne, grandfather of the John commemorated here, was a successful lawyer, acting for major landowners in the County and for the Crown, serving as MP and retained as ‘counsel at law’ by the borough of Cambridge. His estate at Impington passed to his son, Thomas (d.1470), MP for Cambs in 1442, London 1445 and Bridgwater 1447, then to his son John, subject of this brass, who was a JP for Cambridge, the University and the County. John’s widow Margaret held Impington until her death in 1528, when it was left to their daughters, Margaret, wife of George Heveningham, and Elizabeth, wife of Thomas Thursby, who are shown as 2 small girls on the brass. It is not known what happened to the 7 boys. The divided estate became known as Manor Place Part and Ferme Part. Manor Place Part, which reverted to the name Burgoynes Manor, and was divided between 3 daughters. However, the ruthless Sir Ambrose Jermyn, a courtier and JP based in Suffolk, prosecutor of Protestants under Mary I, married one daughter, Mary Burgoyne, gained ownership of all 3 parts and sold them. The estate was acquired by Christ's College 1569 and was eventually sold to WA Macfarlane-Grieve of Impington Hall, 1899. The present Burgoyne’s Manor house was rebuilt in the mid C19. The brass was removed to the tower from the chancel in 1879 and is now splendidly displayed there (2020). Cole describes ‘<i>a most handsome marble slab’</i> with a man in armour and a woman <i>'dressed in a very elegant fashion'</i>, and 9 children (7 sons and 2 daughters), for John (d. 1505) and Margaret (d. 1528, although this year is not recorded in the brass). John wears a tabard over his armour, embroidered with his Burgoyne arms of 3 dogs, and his armoured feet with rowelled spurs rest on a spaniel. His head and hands, joined in prayer, are bare. As a powerful landowner and JP Burgoyne had the status to be shown in armour although he was never involved in military matters (‘The conventions of funerary decorum overrode social reality’ Saul N). She is draped in a long mantle and full gown, has a crucifix round her neck, and a long divided chain which reaches to near her knees. There are signs of the 4 evangelists on the corners. Seven boys wear long gowns, the 2 eldest with purses attached to belts. The indents for 4 small shields are worn and some of the lettering around the edge is lost, but otherwise the memorial is remarkably complete. It is likely to have been commissioned by Margaret after John’s death. Style; London G.</p><p>Palmer 1932; Heseltine 1981; Roskell, Clark and Rawcliffe eds 1993; Lack 1995; Rogers in Hicks 1997; VCH 1989 </p></p>