Alabaster at Holme Pierrepont

The church of St. Edmunds at Home Pierrepont contains many monuments to the Pierrepont family, and two are of alabaster.  Both are positioned against the south wall.

The tombs are well described by George Fellows in his Arms, Armour & Alabaster Round Nottingham (Nottingham: H.B. Saxton, 1907) from which the following details are principally drawn.

Tomb 1:  The alabaster altar tomb under a window in the south aisle has no inscription, but is identified a being to Sir Henry Pierrepont who fought in the Wars of the Roses.  In his will (dated 18the December 1499) he decreed that he should "be buried in the Church among his worshipful ancestors, and a tomb of alabaster to be made and sett upon his sepulchre, and graven by the discretion of his executors".

On the tomb Sir Henry's face is finely depicted with long hair (but no beard or moustache).  He is clad in a suit of plate armour wearing a chain of suns and roses round his shoulders (Yorkist) from which a cross is suspended.  His head rests on his helmet which carries the original family crest of a fox passant.

Tomb 2:  Close by is another alabaster tomb, this time to Sir Henry Pierrepont (d.1615) who married Frances Cavendish, daughter of 'Bess of Hardwick'.

From an inscription we learn that Sir Henry died on 19th March 1615 aged 69 1/2 years.  He is shown with a moustache, pointed beard, and cropped hair, and wearing a suit of elaborate plate armour.  He wears a ruff at his neck, with head resting on a crested helmet.  His heels rest on his gauntlets.  On the panels are depicted his children in miniature - Robert, 1st Earl of Kingston, five daughters, and an infant.

Tomb 3:  There is also on the floor, between the two altar tombs described above, the alabaster trunk of a knight wearing camail and horizontal sword belt - identity unknown.