'Roaring Rogers'. His tombstone, now almost indecipherable, is situated against the north wall of the chancel.
Canon Rendall, in his History of Dedham, says:
"The most substantial tribute to the attractive power of John Rogers's
eloquence was the erection of the spacious galleries at the west end which
spanned the
whole breadth of the nave and aisles up to the second pier. The initials cut
out upon the
backs of the pillars of the nave are the most obvious traces that survive; but
the
galleries kept their place till 1862 restoration."
When Rogers died hundreds flocked to the funeral service and the gallery was so overladen with people that it almost collapsed. According to an eye-witness, it pleased God to honour that good man with a miracle at his death, because no one was injured.