Military Rank:

Ship's Master

First Name:

William

Last Name:

Crispin

Memorial Type:

Memorial - Funerary

Does the monument still exist?

Yes

Installation Date:

9 April 1645

Inscription:

WILLIAM CRISPIN WAS BURIED IN THIS CHURCH ON WEDNESDAY 9th APRIL
1645
BY
WILLIAM PENN
FATHER OF WILLIAM PENN FOUNDER OF PENNSYLVANIA

Allegiance:

Parliamentarian

Condition:

Very Good

Condition Description:

Stone was in a very good condition with good clear text when visited on 14 September 2023.

Memorial Notes:

William Crispin was a native of Kingston-upon-Hull born around 1602. He followed a maritime career progressing to the rank of captain of a merchant vessel. After the outbreak of the Civil War in 1642 he joined Parliament's Navy with the rank of Master. He was assigned to the 'Fellowship' a ship of 28 guns captained by Sir William Penn. The 'Fellowship' was part of the Irish Sea Squadron under the overall command of Captain Richard Swaley. The squadron protected parliamentarian merchant vessels in the Irish Sea from royalist privateers and played a part in disrupting the King's plans to bring troops from Ireland to England.

Sir William Penn's journal records the following '1645, April 8, about 3 o'clock in the morning, our Master, William Crispin, departed out of this world'. He goes on to record '1645, April 9, about 2 o'clock in the afternoon, we carried our Master ashore and gave him ten pieces of ordinance (a ten gun salute), and we buried him in the chancel of the church of Carrickfergus [Ireland]'.

Local folklore suggests that William Crispin died of wounds suffered during a sea battle. This is highly unlikely as there were no major engagements that could be described as a sea battle at this time. Its possible there had been some sort of skirmish with a royalist privateer but there is no mention of any such action in William Penn's journal. Its more likely that William Crispin succumbed to disease.

William Crispin was clearly well respected by William Penn. He was afforded a ten gun salute and a prestigious burial.