Blanche Parry

piece was professionally embroidered with flowers including sprigs of columbine and vine, daffodils, roses, honeysuckle, oak–leaves, acorns and mistletoe. Blanche herself may have worked the tiny additional motifs of birds, butterflies, caterpillars, fish, dogs, stags, frogs, squirrels, dragonflies and tiny rowing boats with their minuscule occupants. It was framed in late 1909.

The Bequest Board in the porch records her bequest to the local people. Converted to money, it is still paid, as £14 each year to the parishioners of Newton (now Newton Saint Margaret's) and £14 to the parishioners of Bacton Church. Blanche Parry was a fascinating, meticulous, elegant lady and is deservedly remembered. Interestingly, the other four bequests on the Board, dating 1660, 1667, 1716 and 1725, all name residences of the donors.

Other Memorials

The tablet with two kneeling figures facing each other shows Alexander Stantar esq., died 5th July 1620, holding a skull and his widow, Rachel, clasping a book. Traces of colour survive. Alexander Stantar's inscription was evidently arranged by Rachel, daughter of Sir Arthur Hopton who inherited the lordship of Ewyas Lacy. The second inscription to Rachel herself, died aged 83 years, 11th November 1663, was apparently added by her second husband Lewis Thomas esq. She was probably the owner of Bacton Manor and the Hopton family were patrons of the Church.

Stained–glass Windows

West of the Stantar memorial are two stained–glass windows of Joshua and Longinus with inscriptions (respectively Deut. 31:32 and Mark 15:39, noted by Mrs. Angela Goedicke, NADFAS 2012) to members of the Bellers family, later owners of Bacton Manor. Colonel Robert Bridges Bellers(later Lieutenant–Colonel, 1824–1903) inherited the Bacton estate and became patron. He contributed to the erection of the present village hall and the restoration of the Churches of Bacton and Saint Margaret's.

All the four windows in the north wall commemorate relations of the Partridge family of The Green, Bacton, in whose stables Sprig, the winner of the 1927 Grand National steeplechase, was bred. This new house was built on the site of a farmhouse by William Bailey Partridge of Llanddewi Court, Monmouthshire and Mrs Mary Frances Elizabeth Partridge (née Hamp). William Bailey Partridge (High Sheriff of Breconshire in 1904) was from the family of iron masters in South Wales (which included Richard Crawshay of Cyfarthfa and Crawshay Bailey). Mrs. Partridge served for many years as a churchwarden at Bacton and was patron.

The two stained–glass angel windows are in memory of Reginald Gardiner Partridge, third son of Mr. and Mrs. Partridge, who died in 1900, in South Africa, aged 20 years. The shield gives his name and regimental badge and shows the Queen's (Victoria) South African medal of 1900. The stained–glass windows of Saint Anne with the Virgin and Saint Elizabeth with John the Baptist are to the memory of Eliza Ann Hamp of The Grange, Bacton. Opposite, the stained–glass windows depict Saint Lawrence and Saint Stephen.

Rare depictions of Military Decorations

The wall tablets for the eldest and second sons of Mr. and Mrs. Partridge are of particular interest for, almost uniquely, coloured military ribbon decorations are carved on them.

William Hamp Partridge was awarded the Sovereign's South African campaign medal. His younger brother, Captain Richard Crawshay Bailey Partridge, won the Military Cross, the King's South African medal, the British War medal of 1914–1918, the Allied Victory medal of 1918 and the Croix de Guerre, the French decoration for bravery. He was killed in action, during