Preparations are made within Donington’s St Mary and the Holy Rood Church for the return of explorer Matthew Flinders who helped to circumnavigate Australia
For the first time in hundreds of years, a special grave is being prepared within Donington Church but this will be the final resting place of a remarkable man who helped to shape the modern world.
Explorer Matthew Flinders lived an extraordinary life as the firstperson to circumnavigate Australia - and was also held as a spy.
Now he will be returning to Donington, the place of his birth.
Next July, dignitaries from across the globe will be descending on St Mary and the Holy Rood Church to watch as the remains of the one of the finest navigators of the 18th century are buried within a corner of the north aisle – several years after being discovered during the HS2 works.
Flinders will be among a small number of villagers to have the honour of spending eternity within this stunning 13th century church – and it is hoped that his return will help boost tourism to the area by attracting Australians, to whom he is much revered.
And he will be among fine company as Thomas Cowley – who did much for the area but little is known about – along with others who have had an impact on the village.
Jane Pearson is one of the people who compiled the case to bring Flinders back to Donington – fighting off bids from Australia – as well as the successful grant application for £35,000 given by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
Jane, who is working with a new committee on this project, said: “He will be the first person to be buried in the church for 300 years.
“This sort of thing doesn’t happen now.
“We are hoping that it will bring more people to the church. One of the qualifying factors for the grant was the aim to increase visitors and the number of tourists to the area so we have to prove that.”
Ledger stones commemorating the lives of notable villagers are now laid in a neat line along the aisles following the introduction of the wooden pews to the church by the Victorians.
One of the well-known names which lie in the central aisle is Thomas Cowley – the man who helped to start several schools in the area.
Considering the difference made by this man, he has a very short inscription on the black marble stone: “Here lieth the body of Thomas Cowley, gentleman, interred on 17th day of July 1721, aged 96.”
Cowley remains something of an enigma, reportedly arriving in the village as an old man with no wife or family .
Jane said: “Thomas Cowley started the primary school, secondary school along with those in Horbling, Quadring and Swineshead. But very little is known about him.”
Thomas Pools, who died in 1716, is another notable resident who was granted a burial in church and is commemorated with a Latin inscription.
A 29-year-old woman called Jane Wetherill, who was honoured for her steady and sincere friendship, easy conversation and charity work on her ledger stone is also interred. She died in October 1753.
John Ward’s ledger stone can also be found within the central aisle to provide a lasting tribute to an eminent lawyer.
The inscription states: “Scared to the memory of John Ward Gen. Attorney at Law of this town many years, who departed this life, December 31, 1773, in the 62nd year of his life, Eminently conspicuous in his profession.”
There are also stones to commemorate John Holland and his family, with the first death recorded in 1791 and the last in 1864, along with John Cole (1735) and Mary Cole in 1736.
The good work undertaken by John Bamford is also recorded on his memorial stone following his death in 1827, aged 73.
As you can see from these dates, nobody has been laid to rest within the church for many years so the return of Matthew Flinders is a big deal.
Work has already to create the grave for Flinders – whose family are also buried in the churchyard – after years of gaining the church version of planning permission, a faculty.
Stonemason Alan Micklethwaite, who undertakes work for Lincoln Cathedral, has taken up a number of stones within Flinders’ Corner to check that the new ledger stone will lay flat once installed.
As the black marble stone is no longer quarried in Nottinghamshire, where the original stones were taken from, Mr Micklethwaite has had to look further afield over to Ireland for a new one.
Jane said: “While Alan was here taking up two or three of the stones to check the dimensions, we had an Australian couple visiting the church. He handed her the trowel and a picture of her was taken as though she was digging the grave. She was so excited and over the moon.”
The next step for the project is to find a specialist with experience of groundwork in church to create the grave and an archaeologist will have to present when the stones start to be removed.
And in a way it is quite fitting that an archaeologist will be involved as Flinders grandson was William Flinders Petrie – an prominent Egyptologist who invented sequence dating for archaeology.
Science is also still playing a part in the Flinders story as his bones are currently with a team who are looking at the tropical diseases which may have contributed to his death.
While sailing home from his final mission to Australia, Flinders was captured by the French and held as a spy in December 1803, a time when the Napoleonic Wars were raging.
Flinders was held in modern day Mauritius for seven years following an issue with his paperwork.
On his return to England, Flinders was not in the best of health and could not resume his duties with the Royal Navy. He died in 1814.
Jane said: “He died when he was just 40. He was really poorly and kidney failure is ultimate reason for his death.”
In July next year, the new committee is arranging a three day celebration to honour the difference Flinders has made.
On Friday, July 12, school children will be invited to the church for a service to celebrate the life and times of Flinders.
While the following day, Flinders will be laid to rest in a special service which will be attended by dignitaries.
As Flinders had served in the Royal Navy, the committee is hoping that he will be given full naval honours during this service plus members are also aiming for a parade through the village.
The following day, a service will also be held for the people of the village to also welcome home their most famous son.
