| Where: | Sutton, London at St Nicholas'Church |
| When: | 12th August |
| Time: | 1 pm (ish)/2pm |
Every 12th August (or thereabouts) for over 200 years, Mary Gibson’s Mausoleum has been inspected in the churchyard of St Nicholas’ in Sutton (formerly in Surrey but now in London). She left a bequest in her will to pay for the annual visit by the Rector and for him to check for necessary repairs; legend suggests that this was connected to a fear of body-snatchers or burial alive but these both seem doubtful theories. The inspection ceased for some years due to health and safety concerns and a lack of enthusiasm on the part of the vicar (thanks to Paula Gerrard for finding this out!) BUT from 2015 it was revived with a new incumbent (and thanks to Ross Parish for this news!) and is once again a feature on the calendar of unusual events. Let’s hope the revival gathers momentum to keep this curious ritual alive for future visitors to experience – it certainly seems secure once again. A small procession makes its way across the churchyard including the Rector and a key-bearer with the mausoleum keys on a red cushion, before a short service explaining the origins of the custom and a few prayers. The mausoleum door remains open for a short while for visitors to peep inside, and an exhibition on the custom is displayed inside the church, while tea and biscuits are offered to all.
Helpful Hints
In 2024 the inspection was carried out on the 11th at 11 am ( a day early this year!)- 2025 details are yet to be confirmed.
If you walk seven times around the mausoleum, a ghost comes out of the urn on the roof… don’t say I didn’t warn you..but I have it on excellent authority from the Churchwardens, no less, that the myth that a giant toad inhabits the mausoleum is totally unfounded.
Click here for the church website: http://stnicholas.suttonteam.org.uk
and here for the Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/StNicholasSutton/
Click here for a first hand account: https://traditionalcustomsandceremonies.wordpress.com/2015/08/31/custom-demised-the-inspection-of-the-gibson-mausoleum-sutton/
I telephoned the vicar, to see when this was taking place. She told me it had been stopped about 8 years ago, due to Health and Safety considerations.
This meant I couldn’t go and see Mary Gibson’s Mausoleum Inspection; so we went into London, stood on the Embankment, and watched the Olympic men’s Marathon, which was brilliant! (But very hot.)
Thanks for finding this out, Paula! I thought it was odd that it’s so tricky to find any modern references to it happening – I’ve made a short list of events to find out more about so you’ve saved me contacting the church about this one!
Averil
Hi
It’s been revived…one for the list https://traditionalcustomsandceremonies.wordpress.com/2015/08/31/custom-demised-the-inspection-of-the-gibson-mausoleum-sutton/
Excellent news – I spotted your blog post about it and it put a smile on my face first thing this morning before we set off for a day out at the Gravy Wrestling!
I was so pleased that this has been revived. I went to see this today.
The churchyard manages to retain the feel of a country parish despite being overshadowed by a multi storey car park, and the church is lovely – so are the congregation, who were very welcoming, and refreshed us with peanuts and Buck’s Fizz after the ceremony.
There is a procession out to the mausoleum, and then there is a short service, which takes about half an hour, as the tradition of having a sermon has also been retained. During the service the clergy inspect the tomb, but later they allowed people to look inside, although they couldn’t go in – and really there isn’t room for visitors anyway.
Various tales have been attached to the custom – apparently in the 1970s the big belief was of a massive toad, who was in residence in the mausoleum.
Yes it’s good that it got revived – and that it seems to be keeping going. I look forward to getting there sometime…
I was pleased to see the revival of the inspection of the mausoleum.
I had the privilege of going inside just before the annual inspection in the late 60s to clean it as I used to clean the church around that time, it was just as described here with the key on the cushion and the choir boy etc.
I have moved away from the area now but my son pointed it out he used to be a choir boy at that time and he saw it on Facebook.
Dear Patricia,
Thanks for your message – if you have another look at the article you’ll see that I’ve just attended the Inspection and there are some photos of today’s ceremony. It might tempt you to revisit!
Best wishes,
Averil