St Mary’s Rivenhall

The Raphe Wyseman (Wiseman) Tomb in St Mary’s Church Rivenhall


Monument to Ralph Wiseman (died 1608) and his wife Elizabeth (died 1594) in St Mary and All Saints’ Church, Rivenhall. The monument was erected by Ralph following his wife’s death, in about 1598, and is thought to be the work of Garat Johnson the Elder. On the front of the chest are kneeling figures of their children, three boys and three girls.

The earliest of these is the Wiseman family, who appear only briefly on the shrieval stage between 1591 and 1660. They came to prominence in the reign of Henry VIII: John Wiseman was knighted at the Battle of the Spurs in 1513 and was one of Henry’s Auditors. His son John bought an estate at Great Canfield, which the family held until 1733; this branch of the family supplied William Wiseman, appointed sheriff in 1638, who had been created baronet in 1628 and died in 1643. Another branch lived at Rivenhall, the first sheriff being Ralph, appointed 1590, whose fine monument is in the church there. His son Sir Thomas was sheriff in 1611, and his son, also Sir Thomas, was appointed in 1658. He died during his term of office, which was completed by his son William, who at the Restoration in 1660 was able to buy himself a baronetcy at the special bargain price of £500. He was elected MP for Maldon four times, before his death in 1688. His widow sold Rivenhall Place, which had been built by Ralph, to the Western family, one of whom, Thomas Burch Western of Felix Hall, was High Sheriff in 1850–1 (and Lord-Lieutenant 1869–73).