Acknowledgement: The following information on Rev Spencer Madan, Rev Charles Mordaunt and Rev Peter Sandiford was provided by Peter Trent of Great Ryburgh in Norfolk who, while researching the history of Charles Mordaunt of Massingham long term Rector of St Andrews, came across the connection with Ashbury and was kind enough to share it.

Shield of the Massinghams in Great Ryburgh Church

It is undoubtedly there because of one time Rector, the Reverend Charles Mordaunt. He is perhaps one of the lesser known Rectors of St Andrew’s in spite of having been the longest serving Incumbent, with a tenure that lasted 60 years. Apart from his family crest, he has left little other evidence of his presence to be seen in the fabric or indeed, in the Registers of the church.

His career can nevertheless be traced in a C of E database which tells us that:

He gained a B.A. from Christchurch Oxford where he was made Deacon in 1760 at the age of 23. On February 26th1761 and now M.A., he was appointed Chaplain to Charles, the Earl of Northampton. The following month he was first ordained as Priest on 25th March and the following day March 26th, he was instituted as Rector of Egmere. Two days later on March 28th he was instituted as both Rector of Little Massingham and Great Ryburgh with Little Ryburgh. In 1779 on June 22nd he was Instituted to the Rectory of West Lexham. Curiously the date July 5th 1779 records his “Cession” (Relinquishing) of the Little Massingham Rectory and also his (re)Institution to the same! This same “blip is recorded on the Vestry screen at St Andrew’s. The following year on 20 July 1780 “Cession” is recorded with regard to the Egmere Rectory but he seems not to have been re-instituted to that living.

We later find him Instituted to the Sinecure Rectory of Ashbury in Berkshire on July 25th 1792. This was to replace Dr Spencer Madden* who had been consecrated as a Bishop that year, first at Bristol and then Peterborough. Like properties on a Monopoly Board these four livings remained with him until his death in 1820.

* From the Dictionary of National Biography: SPENCER MADAN – In 1776 he was appointed to the sinecure rectory of Ashley (sic) in Berkshire, and in 1792 was promoted to the see of Bristol, where he was consecrated bishop on 3 June. Early in 1794, on the death of John Hinchliffe he was translated to Peterborough, where he remained till his death, at the age of eighty-four, on 8 Nov. 1813. He was buried in Peterborough Cathedral, and his tomb bears the well-known lines:

In sacred sleep the pious Bishop lies:
Say not, in death – a good man never dies.

Another tie up with Great Ryburgh is Peter Sandiford, the next name on your list after Mordaunt and whose name appears as clerk and officiating minister in Ryburgh for occasional marriages 1805 and 1807 when Charles has probably retired to Marylebone. Sandiford and others were additional to a succession of full time curates during those 60 years. Mordaunt’s signature appears only about 20 times in the registers during his tenure. He is a little more present in Massingham and being 83 when he died he was due some retirement status! I find it very interesting to have a textbook younger son of the aristocracy, with little chance of inheritance kept afloat by the patronage of family connection. I attach an N.P.Gallery file of one of the versions of Mrs Charlotte Mordaunt’s engraved portrait for your interest. She died in 1816 and they were both buried at St Mary’s Sunbury on Thames possibly in the Musgrave family vault?

They had two children…and his will was quite simple:

By this my last, Will I leave to my daughter Charlotte Mordaunt, all the stock in the 3% Consol which may stand my name at my death I leave to her likewise, all the furniture, plate, books, China et cetera in the house in which I die. I leave the money charged upon Lady Mordaunt’s estate to my son, the Reverend Charles Morduant, whom I appoint my executor and residuary legatee.

Son Charles was presented to the Badgeworth Rectory by his grandparental Musgrave Patrons