The Rev. Godfrey Everth was vicar at Chrishall from 1839 (see all the vicars of Chrishall here). We hope it was the inspiration of his surroundings that ten years later allowed him to publish a book of poetry he had written.
The Rev. Godfrey Everth MA, whose memorial tablet in the church you can see in the picture at the top of this post, wrote a book of poems: “The Wedding Bells, with other poems”. Amazingly a copy of this book is in the University of California Library and perhaps even more amazing it has been digitised and we can read it.
It was published in 1849 and on the title page it states the book is by The Rev. Godfrey Everth, MA, Vicar of Chrishall, Essex. The book is dedicated to Mrs Benyon of Culford Hall in Suffolk. Now in the same period there was a Rev. Edward Richard Benyon living at Culford Hall so it seems likely this was his wife. We can see a picture of the Rev. Benyon here (but not Mrs Benyon sadly!)
So if you would like to indulge in some Victorian Poetry you can see the full book below – and think of him composing poems in Chrishall Vicarage!
(Unfortunately this page does not play nicely with mobile devices.)
Memorial Stone
The memorial stone reads as follows:
Sacred to the Memory
of
The Rev. Godfrey Everth M.A.,
who departed this life
2nd June 1858
Aged 68 years.
His mortal remains are interred in the family burial place
Wigan Cemetery, Lancashire
For 16 years he was vicar of Carristown
in the county of Dublin, Ireland
And for 18 years vicar of this parish
Chrishall, Essex.
“And I heard a voice from heaven saying
unto me, write (this): blessed are the dead who die
in the Lord, from henceforth: Yea, saith
the Spirit, that they may rest from their
labours, and their works do follow them”
XIV REV XIII
This tablet is erected by his affectionate
wife Maria Everth.
(What a very appropriate quotation...and it seems his legacy does go on)
“Listen! it is the chime of wedding bells,
That comes through th’intervening woods at ev’n
Scarce heard; and, with alternate falls and swells,
Vibrates and floats amid the azure Heav’n.
How musical! and what a tale it tells
Of nuptial promises received and giv’n;
Glad hearts, and glowing smiles, and dancing eyes,
Ecstatic hopes, and airy gaieties.”
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