The churches and chapels of the United Kingdom are home to countless symbols of religion, wealth, power and history. None, however, are quite as distinctive and yet as little known as the hatchment. As a record of a church’s past parishioners, hatchments are as significant as inscribed plaques or gravestones, but they can also give a far deeper insight into the history of a parish. Hatchments are an invaluable resource for those interested in researching the history of distinguished local families, both surviving and extinct, and can provide a first step to uncovering a dynasty’s history.