on the opposite south-east side is an engraved stone slab to the memory of dame mary scott with, at the top, three coat of arms in lozenge format. dame mary died 1678 aged 89 years, and was the daughter of john aldersey of aldersey hall, cheshire, who was a haberdasher in london—the alsersey family were the first inhabitants of berden hall. she was first married to thomas westrowe, a london alderman and grocer. their son, thomas westrow, was an mp for hythe in the long parliament and the rump parliament, and was a militia captain in the parliamentary forces. mary scott's second marriage, in 1630, was to sir norton knatchbull of mersham hatch in kent. her third husband was sir edward scott of scotts hall at nettlestead, kent whom she married after being a widow for 35 years. her epitaph is: "she was worthily in great reputation for piety and zeal in the reformed religion for exemplary vertue in the relations of wife and mother and for generous hospitality bounty and charity to the full extent of her estate. in her death she was lamented of all that knew her."