Ettricke was a lawyer and antiquary. He commited the Duke of Monmouth for trial after his rebellion – Monmouth was executed a week later. An argumentative man, in a fit of rage he swore he would ‘never be buried within the church or without it – neither above the ground or below it’. He therefore obtained permission to be buried in a hole in the church wall. He prepared his coffin beforehand, being certain that he would die in 1693. However he survived until 1703, so the date, as can be seen, was crudely painted over.