Memorial unveiled to a ‘famous father’
A MEMORIAL has been unveiled at St Catherine’s Church, Burbage, to an early 18th-century clergyman.
The Rev Robert Cotes was rector of St Catherine’s from 1679 to 1717.
One of the main, early benefactors of the Burbage Land Charities, Robert is less a famous son of the village than a famous father. He has only a brief mention in history as the father of renowned mathematician Roger Cotes.
In 1717, Robert was buried at St Catherine’s and a memorial was placed above his tomb. However, during rebuilding in subsequent centuries, this was lost, although a transcript of the Latin inscription is still in existence.
Recent work by St Catherine’s volunteers to restore the churchyard, as well as Burbage Heritage Group’s documenting the gravestones, uncovered the remains of a memorial stone to Robert’s second wife and his niece, but nothing to Robert himself. Part of this memorial stone is missing and it may have contained a reference to Robert.
Feeling that Rector Cotes merited a memorial in his own right, the heritage group and trustees of the Land Charities financed a permanent monument. The engraving was carried out by stonemason Kurt Russell.
The memorial, at the east side of St Catherine’s, was unveiled last month.
Father Andrew Hall, rector of St Catherine’s, officiated, accompanied by St Catherine’s volunteers, Rob Mayne, of Burbage Parish Lands’ Charity, and members of the heritage group.
After Heritage group chairwoman Sylvia Whitworth gave a tribute to Robert Cotes, Mr Mayne thanked everyone for their involvement and unveiled the slate plaque, which Fr Hall blessed.
In 1680, Robert married Grace Farmer, of Leicester, whose grandfather, Anthony Grey, 9th Earl of Kent had been a rector of the parish.
After Robert’s ordination in Peterborough he was, by the age of 30, rector of the parishes of Aston Flamville, Burbage and Croft.
The couple had three children with the future mathematician being the only one to survive to adulthood.
Unlike many of his predecessors, Robert lived and worked in the parish. His will states that he was “a generous soul and cared for his parish and parishioners”.
As there was no suitable rectory at that time, Robert bought a house to be used as a rectory. This may have been a situated where the Constitutional Club now stands in Church Street, Burbage.
After faithfully serving the parish for 38 years and having been predeceased by his children and first wife, Grace, the majority of his estate was bequeathed to his second wife, Mary, whose memorial stone remains at St Catherine’s.
In his will, Robert bequests that the rectory be left as a suitable dwelling for future rectors, on the condition that the incumbent pays £5, annually, at Whitsuntide, to the “overseers of the poor’”.
This bequest, along with other lands and property in Burbage, was to pay for a boy of the parish to be apprenticed outside the village in a manual trade.
Many boys benefitted from this bequest over the years including, it is believed, George Archer, who some hundred years later became parish clerk and registrar to Burbage.
The children of the parish also benefitted from the “paying of 40 shillings annually to a dame, to school the poor of the village to read English and the Church of England Catechism”.
The present-day income is combined, with later bequests, to form the Burbage Land Charities, which annually supports deserving causes around the village.
A blue plaque in honour of mathematician Roger Cotes, is placed on the south gatepost to St Catherine’s churchyard.
Burbage Heritage Group meets at 7pm on the first Thursday of each month at Burbage Congregational Church to hear speakers on local history.