Hockwold cum Wilton Church Plate

In 1928 the Venerable H. S. Radcliffe wrote an article for Norfolk Archaeology called "Church Plate in the Old Deanery of Cranwich". The following is the entry for our parish -

  HOCKWOLD, ST. PETER CUM WILTON ST. JAMES

 The Plate belonging to these united parishes is very beautiful throughout. The cups and patens the latter of which are inscribed with the date 1568 underneath, were made out of the old Plate with an addition of a considerable amount of new silver in the year 1681.

 HOCKWOLD.

 Chalice. Height, 8 ins. Diameter, 4¼ ins.

 Marks    (1) Year mark for 1681.

                  (2) Lion passant.

(3) Crowned leopard.

(4)  Maker's mark, F S in plain shield.

 Inscription on base,

 "Hunc calicem vetustate Corruptum propriis suis sumptibus restauravit et auxit Gulielmus Lyng parochiae de Hockwold Rector."(1)

 Also round centre of cup.

     "+ Deus propitius esto mihi peccatori."(2)

 Flagon. Height to top of cover, 8⅞ ins. Diameter at top, 4 ins.; at bottom, 4⅝ ins. Inscribed with arms of donor and the words, " Ex dono Gulielmi Lyng parochiae de Hockewold Rectoris 1681," (3) and on the lid, "Hockewold 1681," in script with a design. Marks as on rest of plate.

Paten. Diameter, 5⅞ ins. Inscription under foot,

 "Hockewold 1568," with a design. Marks as on cup.

 WILTON.

Chalice. Height. 8 ins. Diameter, 4⅜ ins. Marks as on the Hockwold Plate.

Inscribed round base,

 "+ This Chalice was new wrought and enlarged at the cost and charges of William Lyng Vicar of  Wylton 1681." (4)

Also around the centre of cup,

 "+ The Towne of Wylton." (5)

Paten. Diameter, 5⅞  ins. The same marks as on the plate described above.

Inscription under foot, "Wilton 1568," with a design.

 

NOTES

 

 

 

 

 

 (1). This Latin inscription means  that the old damaged chalice was repaired and improved at Lyng's expense,  and William Lyng describes himself as Rector of the parish of Hockwold.

(2). This inscription suggests that the cup is an offering to God for forgiveness of some, unfortunately undescribed, sins

 (3) The gift of William Lyng, Rector of the parish of Hockwold.

 (4) This inscription is in English, of course, and Mr Lyng is here described as Vicar of Wilton.

(5) There have been several references in documents of this time to the 'Town' of Wilton, whether this reflects an extra importance to Wilton remains to be seen.

 In the survey of parish goods taken in 1552, both parishes are recorded as having retained a silver gilt chalice. It is not clear whether these were reworked in 1568; certainly the king's commissioners did not leave any patens behind! Perhaps in 1568 there was new work to celebrate the then 10-year reign of the playing-it-for-safe protestant Elizabeth, after Catholic Mary.

 William Lyng was the first Rector and Vicar of the united parishes. He took office in 1666 and began to organise the parishes into an orthodox Anglican mould, even attempting to regularise the parish registers. According to the Hockwold register, he was buried on 16^th January 1679. The date of 1681 on the silver thus looks a bit suspect until one realises that at that time the year began on 25^th March, Lady Day. We would call the date of his burial 16^th January 1680, but even so, it is possible that he never saw the beautiful objects he had causedto be created.