Chapel of St. Nicholas in Outwell

In about 1485 John Fincham, the junior of two brothers of this name, went to Outwell as result of marrying an heiress. She was Elizabeth, the daughter of Thomas Deerham of Crimplesham, and granddaughter of Gilbert Haultoft of Outwell, a Baron of the Exchequer (i.e government official) under Henry VI. This branch of the Fincham family remained in Outwell for 7 generations, and then died out.

[The name Deerham probably derives from the village of West Dereham, which is close to Crimplesham and not far from Fincham. Not to be confused with East Dereham, usually called Dereham, which is in Norfolk but much further East. ]

Associated with the inheritance was the chapel of St. Nicholas in the parish church of St. Clement, Outwell. Now used as a vestry, the Fincham arms, quartering Haultoft, are carved on several of the pillars, and also appear in a stained glass window.

In the floor of the chapel is a large dark grey tombstone, carrying the Fincham Arms. It is the tomb of John Fincham (1629-1709), the last of the line to be still living in Outwell at the time of his death. He married, first, his cousin Mary Fincham, and then Susan Nixon. The tombstone has the following enscription.

Within this chancel lieth the body of
John Fincham Esq: who departed this life
March 24th, 1709, in the 80th year of his age.
Here also lie his wives, Mary and Susan,
By whom he had two sons and seven daughters,
Most of them buried in or near this place,
Viz: Mary, Frances, John, Jane,
Catherine, Christian, the last Elizabeth,
The wife of Matthew Hardy, Gent,
Who departed this life august 2nd, 1731,
Aged 61 years, and lieth under this stone.

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