Two hatchments in St Mary's Church, Kersey, Suffolk for the Thorowgood family of Sampson's Hall:

• Left: Hatchment of Katherine Thorowgood (d.1802), who died unmarried, daughter and heiress of Sir Thomas Thorowgood of Sampson's Hall, High Sheriff of Suffolk in 1760. Arms of Thorowgood, in a lozenge-shaped shield appropriate for a female: Azure, on a chief argent three lozenge-shaped buckles tongues fessway of the first (Burke, Sir Bernard, The General Armory, London, 1884, p.1011). "A skull, when it takes the place of the crest is said to indicate the last of the line. Such hatchments are rare, though an example occurs at Kersey, to a lady of the Thorowgood family. Her arms are borne on a Rococo lozenge surmounted by a skull, and surrounded by copious mantling" (Summers, Funeral hatchments in Suffolk, p.211 [1]).

• Right: Arms: Azure, on a chief argent three lozenge-shaped buckles tongues fessway of the first (Thorowgood), impaling: Argent, a cross patoncée gules between four escallops sable (Sampson) (Burke, 1884, p.894). Apparently for Sir John Thorrowgood, "who married Bridget Sampson, the last of the Sampsons of Sampson's Hall", but that marriage was probably too early for this object (his grandson Sir Thomas Thorowgood died in 1724), and the arms of Sampson would have been placed on an inescutcheon, for an heiress, not impaled. Possibly a reconstruction (possibly made in 1802 to match Katherine's ?), which practice was not uncommon according to Summers, p.209: A careful investigation needs to be made of all early hatchments, as a number of apparently early ones on examination have turned out to be fakes, probably of 19th century date. It is evident that the local coach painter was sometimes employed to paint hatchments to complete a series or perhaps to replace those which had fallen into disrepair. In such instances, apart from other reasons, the style of decoration normally gives them away.

Text from: A Supplement to the Suffolk Traveller, by Augustine Page, Ipswich, 1844[2]; "Sampson's Hall, in this parish (Kersey), was formerly the seat of a family of that name; but since, of Sir Thomas Thorrowgood, Knt., High Sheriff for this county in 1760; upon whose decease it passed to his only child, Mrs. Katherine Thorrowgood, who died unmarried, in 1802, and devised this valuable inheritance to the wife of the Rev. Christopher Tennant, perpetual curate of Higham, in this county, grand-daughter of John, the father of Sir Thomas Thorrowgood. Her remains were deposited in the family vault in this parish church. Mr. Tennant died at Sampson's Hall, October 5, 1807, aged 67. The Rev. Thomas Jones, of Enfield, in Middlesex, is now proprietor of this estate; and Kersey Hall manor belongs to the Rev. Thomas Reeve, A.M." . The old Sampson's Hall was pulled down in 1824 (The Sampson family, by Lilla Briggs Sampson, Baltimore, USA, 1914, p.21 [3]) and was replaced by a more modest house, now surviving, the listed building entry for which reads "An early C19 red brick house with a slate roof"[4].

From: https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Tennant-2090 ; Rev. Christopher Tennant (1740-1807) matriculated at Christchurch College Oxford 27 Mar 1760 aged 19 earning a BA in 1763. He married Elizabeth D'Oyly on 24 June 1767 at Layham Church in Suffolk. He was Curate of St. Osyth, Essex, Thorpe le Soken Wivenhoe Essex. He was Rector of Higham near Colchester, Essex from 23 Dec 1774. He held this benefice for 33 years until his death on 5 Oct 1807 at Sampson´s Hall. He is buried in the chapel of Kersey Church with his wife, his son Christopher and his daughter Marianne Mrs. Thomas Jones.

Elizabeth D'Oyly, grand-daughter of John Thorrowgood, the father of Sir Thomas Thorrowgood, and wife of Rev. Christopher Tennant (1740-1807).

From: Suffolk Institute, Volume IX Part 2 (1896) Church plate in Suffolk Deanery of Hadleigh, p.209[5]: In the eighteenth century Sampson's Hall in Kersey was the property and seat of Sir Thomas Thorowgood, Knt., sometime High Sheriff of the county. He died in 1724, and his monument is in Kersey church. He was grandson of Sir John Thorrowgood, who married Bridget Sampson, the last of the Sampsons of Sampson's Hall.

On Feb 9 1761 Sir Thomas Thorowgood, "of Kersey, Sheriff of Suffolk", was knighted at Whitehall (The Knights of England: A Complete Record from the Earliest Time ..., Volume 1 By William Arthur Shaw, p.290[6])

From: Excursions in the County of Suffolk: Comprising a Brief Historical ..., Volume 1, 1818, By Thomas Cromwell [7] Passing a village called Lindsey, we observe KERSEY, on a line with Semere : this place is memorable only for a priory of Benedictine monks, as some say; but rather of Austin canons, dedicated to St. Mary and St. Anthony. It was granted by King Henry VI. to King's College in Cambridge. Here is a fair held yearly on Easter Tuesday. The large mansion called Sampson's Hall took its name from the Sampsons, who resided here, as did also Sir Thomas Thorowgood, knt. high sheriff for the county in 1764. This house has since been the property of the Rev. Chr. Tennant, lately deceased.

Francis Colby (born 1584), gentleman of the Privy Chamber to Prince Henry and sergeant-at-arms, married (1610 in Beccles (1612