Tomb of William Goodlad in St Clement's Church

Summary

Chest tomb dedicated to William Goodlad in 1639.

Reasons for Designation

The tomb of William Goodlad, a chest tomb erected in 1639, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

Historic interest:

* it commemorates William Goodlad, a nationally significant figure in the development of British maritime routes and industries.

Architectural interest:

* as an exceptionally early example of a churchyard memorial;
* for the craftsmanship evident in the carved panels, posts, and tomb slab.

Group value:

* the tomb has functional and historic group value with the Grade II* listed church of St Clement, and with the Grade II listed tombs of Mary Haddock and Mary Ellis which are both immediately adjacent.

History

Churchyards have been used for burial for many centuries. Medieval churchyard memorials and early post-Reformation outdoor tombs are extremely rare. People of the monument-raising ranks usually opted to be laid to rest inside the church, a situation which only began to change in the later C17. Early Modern outdoor survivals show how the middling orders were beginning to erect quite ambitious tombs which drew on the tradition of internal church monuments.

William Goodlad (around 1576 – 1639) was a C17 English whaler. He was admiral of the Muscovy Company’s London whaling fleet from 1620. The company had a monopoly on trade between England and Muscovy (the principality of Moscow) and continued trading until the Russian Revolution in 1917. The first English whaling expedition is believed to have been in 1610 to Spitsbergen, Norway, and it was this route that Goodlad pioneered in the Muscovy Company.

Goodlad fought numerous skirmishes against foreign and even other English fleets that were competing against the Company’s monopoly. He was not always successful. In 1624 his brother, Peter, was killed when he was pulled overboard by the line of a harpooned whale. In 1634 Goodlad was briefly held under arrest.

In 1638 Goodlad became Master of Trinity House, the organisation responsible for coastal and river traffic around England. He died on 13 January 1639, survived by his daughter, Mary Haddock. Goodlad’s tomb, erected that year, stands in the medieval churchyard of St Clement in Leigh-on-Sea, close to a later tomb of a similar design dedicated to his daughter.

Details

A chest tomb dedicated to William Goodlad in 1639.

MATERIALS

Limestone.

PLAN

Orientated on an east to west axis. It lies in line with the east end of the south aisle.

DESCRIPTION

A stone chest tomb, with scrolling plaques on the north and south sides bearing inscriptions. The shorter east and west ends have classical architectural motifs. There are panelled corner posts. The top has a chamfered edge but is not otherwise decorated.

On the north side the inscription reads:

"Here lyeth expecting ye second coming of his Saviour, Capt. WILLIAM GOODLAD, Chiefe Commander of the Greenland Fleet XX yeares, and Maister of the Trinity House in anno 1638. He departed this life the 13 day of January 1639, in the LXII yeare of his age."

On the south side the inscription continues:

"Good faith good zeale did guide his pilgrimage/ Good charity good hope in youth and age/ In him were gifted full of all true prayse/ A good age hee did live and full of days/ A worthye able seaman well approved/ Just unto all and of all well beloved/ With gifts of grace he was repleat so ample/ He lived and died a patterne and example"

Sources

Websites
Findagrave.com, accessed 26/07/2022 from https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/39451693/william-goodlad

Other
Applicant supplied sources

End of official list entry

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