Monument record 248/4/2 - Wade family vault, Church of St Bartholomew, Church Minshull

Repair work in October 1990 at St Bartholomew's Church revealed evidence of the vault of the Wade family. The vault underlay the angle formed by the tower and the south aisle. Repair work to the brick courses around the top of the vault revealed a narrow cavity at the apex of the vaulting, through which it was possible to discern eleven lead coffins on the floor below. The vault was a simple brick-built barrel vaulted structure, c.3m N-S by c.4m E-W and c.2m high. A doorway c.1m wide in the centre of the east wall had been bricked up. The coffins contained the burials of 9 adults, 1 juvenile and 2 infants. Initials, symbols and dates ranging from 1720 - 1774 were identified on a number of the lids and then checked with the parish registers (1).

<1> Tindall A S, 1990, Wade family vault, St Bartholomew's Parish Church (Book). SCH3664.