Memorial Details
What type of memorial is it?
How would you describe the memorial and its ornamentation?
Two-light stained glass window, whose tracery window depicts the Repton School crest and motto.

The left light depicts the monogram and image of Sir Philip Sidney in armour, holding a sword in his left hand, and a Bible in his right hand.

The right light depicts the monogram and image of Sir Sir Richard Grenvil, holding a sword and with an anchor at his feet.

Spanning the foot of both lights is an inscription re General George Hutchinson R.E., C.B., C.S.I.

[N.B. The General George Hutchinson R.E., C.B., C.S.I. (inscribed as having died on 30/12/1899) was not a war casualty. He was the maternal uncle of Algernon George Grenfell, the Headmaster of Mostyn School, who designed its Chapel, and had this window installed. A biography (titled 'Major-General George Hutchinson. A brief memorial of a holy and useful life', printed in 1900) records that General Hutchinson was aged 73 when he died of influenza in 1899; the son of a Bengal Army officer, he had been born at sea on 18/3/1826, during his parents' voyage to England].
A history of Mostyn School's Chapel and its memorials states that General Hutchinson (a maternal uncle of Mostyn School's Headmaster, Algernon George Grenfell) 'was hit in the head by a bullet in 1857 during the siege of Lucknow in Bengal', and that 'It is recorded that George Grenfell and Wilfred Grenfell would wobble the bullet under their uncle's head, as it had never been fully removed'].
Location
Has this memorial been lost?
No
Location
Location
Is this the memorial's current location?
Yes
Building Name
Former Mostyn House School Chapel (now private property)
Street
Mostyn Place
Town
Parkgate, Neston
District
County
Country
Postcode
CH64 6SA
OS map ref
SJ 28045 77958
Other Details
N.B. The Grade II* Listed Chapel containing this window is now private property, and not accessible to the public
If the memorial has been moved, please indicate why
The school; closed in 2010 and is for sale May 2025

Sir Philip Sidney and Sir Richard Grenvil (known as 'Grenfell Window') Location

Commemoration
What words are inscribed on the memorial?
Tracery window: PORTA VACAT CULPA
Left light; main section: GREATER LOVE/ HATH NO MAN/ THAN THIS/ SIR PHILIP 'SIDNEY' KT/ BORN 1544// Killed at Zutphen 1586/ Chevalier sans peur et sans reproche

Right light; main section: I HAVE FINISHED/ MY COURSE/ I HAVE FOUGHT/ A GOOD FIGHT// SIR RICHARD 'GRENVIL' KT/ Captain of the 'Revenge'/ Died of his wounds after the Battle/ of Flores 1591

Panel spanning the foot of both lights: IN MEMORY OF GENERAL GEORGE HUTCHINSON R.E.,C.B.,C.S.I. WHO DIED DECEMBER 30 1899
War
How many names are listed in total?
1
Which war or group does the memorial commemorate?
Is the total an exact count?
Yes
Of the names listed, how many served and returned?
0
Of the names listed, how many died?
1
What information is listed for those commemorated?
Title, forename, surname, year of birth, manner/ place/ year of death
Please include any additional information here
(Sir Philip Sydney)
How many names are listed in total?
1
Which war or group does the memorial commemorate?
Is the total an exact count?
Yes
Of the names listed, how many served and returned?
0
Of the names listed, how many died?
1
What information is listed for those commemorated?
Title, forename, surname, military rank and name of ship, manner/place and year of death
Please include any additional information here
(Sir Richard Grenville)
Condition
Is the writing on the memorial difficult to read?
No
What is the memorial's maintenance history?
2024/5: The former Mostyn School Chapel was advertised for sale.//
2013: The premises was acquired by property developer (the Pjlivesey Group Company).//
2010, July: Mostyn School permanently closed. //
22/3/1974: The Chapel was Grade II* listed (List Entry Reference Number 1387786).
Components
Component Details
Which memorial component are you recording?
What condition is this component in?
What materials has this component been constructed from?
Listing Information
Does it have listed status?
Yes
If yes, which organisation listed it?
Historic England
What grade is it listed at?
II*
What is the listing reference?
1387786
War Memorials Online Reference number
236479
History
Scholarship
Is there a trust or scholarship associated with it?
No
Additional Notes
Additional general notes on the memorial
SEE FORM FOR DETAILS ALSO INCLUDES GRENFELL WHO DIED AT KHARTOUM, 1898 AND LIEUT DREW 1915, LIEUT GAISFORD, 1914.
References
References
'Old Wirral' website; the 'Parkgate' page (titled 'The Mostyn School Chapel'), has photo of this 'Grenfell window', of which it comments that: it 'shows dedication to Georges uncle; the Major General George Hutchinson who died in 1899. Stories tell of how he was hit in the head by a bullet in 1857 during the siege of Lucknow in Bengal. It is recorded that George Grenfell and Wilfred Grenfell would wobble the bullet under their uncles head, as it had never been fully removed'. .https://oldwirral.net/parkgate_chapel.html  
Cheshire Observer - Saturday 22 November 1924 (page 12) printed a lengthy report, which began: 'GRENFELL OF LABRADOR His Great Medical Mission Work. At the luncheon of the Chester Rotary Club on Monday, at the Blossoms Hotel, the Rev W. D. Thomas gave an interesting address on “Grenfell of Labrador. The President (Mr J. H. Dickson) was in the chair Mr. Thomas said it was in 1865 that the famous Cheshire man first saw the light at Parkgate, where his father was headmaster of Mostyn House School, now kept by Grenfell's elder brother. On his father’s and mother’s side there were among Grenfell's ancestors those who had made themselves famous in naval and military history, notably Sir Richard Grenville, whose exploits with the “‘Revenge” against the Spanish Tennyson had immortalised. From early boyhood Grenfell yielded to the lure of the sea, and Parkgate presented an ideal environment for the boy with the blood of English Admirals in his veins...'
https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000157/19241122/214/0012
https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1387786?section=official-list-entry
A photo of the window is viewable on the Flickr website. https://www.flickr.com/photos/108385174@N07/22581162621/in/album-72157660419970626/
https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/176543-memorial-windows-in-the-mostyn-house-school-chapel/
https://archive.org/details/majorgeneralgeor00morrrich/page/68/mode/2up?q=grenfell
https://www.tes.com/magazine/archive/recession-finally-claims-historic-school-survived-hitlers-bombs
https://www.pjlivesey-group.co.uk/project/mostyn-house-school/
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/154624805#/?channel=COM_BUY
Image(s)
Memorial Image
Media ID
29292
Image
2582.jpg
Priority
1
What is the image's caption?
2582.jpg
What is its licence type?
Orphan work
Reference
33398
Is this image evidence of inscribed names?
✖
Media Filename
2582.jpg
Media Image Height
1179
Media Image Width
784
Media ID
195206
Image
Sidney and Grenvil window
Priority
2
What is the image's caption?
Sidney and Grenvil window
Who is it credited to?
Stella Edwards
Date Taken
21/05/2025
Who took or provided this image?
Stella Edwards
What is its licence type?
Standard WMA terms
Is this image evidence of inscribed names?
✖
Media Image Height
1600
Media Image Width
1200
Media ID
195207
Image
Sidney and Grenvil window
Priority
3
What is the image's caption?
Sidney and Grenvil window
Who is it credited to?
Stella Edwards
Date Taken
21/05/2025
Who took or provided this image?
Stella Edwards
What is its licence type?
Standard WMA terms
Is this image evidence of inscribed names?
✖
Media Image Height
1600
Media Image Width
1200
Media ID
195208
Image
Sidney and Grenvil window inscription
Priority
4
What is the image's caption?
Sidney and Grenvil window inscription
Who is it credited to?
Stella Edwards
Date Taken
21/05/2025
Who took or provided this image?
Stella Edwards
What is its licence type?
Standard WMA terms
Is this image evidence of inscribed names?
✔
Media Image Height
1200
Media Image Width
1600
Media ID
195209
Image
Sidney and Grenvil window inscription
Priority
5
What is the image's caption?
Sidney and Grenvil window inscription
Who is it credited to?
Stella Edwards
Date Taken
21/05/2025
Who took or provided this image?
Stella Edwards
What is its licence type?
Standard WMA terms
Is this image evidence of inscribed names?
✔
Media Image Height
1200
Media Image Width
1600