SOMERSET - 1A

 Abbots Leigh (Axbridge) Bath Abbey  Bathampton  Batheaston  Beckington  Bishop's Hull   Bradford-on-Tone  Bruton  Brympton d'Evercy

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Note: The Somerset and Bristol pages were prepared to publicize the 2008 symposium in Bristol and both have now been extended. They will  list of all the churches in Somerset and Bristol with monuments of interest. There may well be others and I would welcome any information about this.  I have personally visited the churches where there is a photograph of the church included; the brief information I have given applied on the day I visited the church and may not necessarily apply now. I would gratefully welcome any contributions as well as any corrections or additions to the information I have provided. Click on the underlined  blue name above to visit the church; those not underlined and in black have not yet been visited, although I hope to do so in the future. I have also include a brief list of other churches with monuments, which I hope is of interest; I may visit some of these in the future and I will certainly improve this list when I have decided on standard abbreviations etc.
Of  all the churches I visited only five were locked; three of these gave the nearby address or phone number of the key holder, who was always happy to help, while I had to write to the incumbent to arrange an appointment to see the fourth. I arrived at the fifth on an unplanned visit; the church was firmly locked and there was no telephone number or address of the key holder, even though this was a village church.  I have to add that this is a poor - if not frankly impolite - pracrice.Wells Cathedral charges no entrance fee but there is a small charge for photography. The upkeep of these ancient and beautiful buildings is expensive and a contribution - no matter how small - is always welcome.
 

Abbots Leigh
Holy Trinity

Above Left: Francis Short (1853) buried in vault below, his widow Sophia (1888) buried in the church yard. The urn has an inscription to her daughter, Philipa Syndey.

Above Central: Sir Philip Miles (1888) & Violet Miles (1883) This curious Victorian brass contains a photograph of the former in his coffin.

Above Right: P J Miles (1845) by E H Baily

Left: Sir George Norton (1715) and Dame Frances (Freke)

Right: Elizabethan Monument with no image or inscription; said to be Lady Jane Norton

There are numerous small tablet in the church

 
Axbridge
This church has not yet been visited
Aller -St Andrew
 Cross-legged knight (c.1310)
 Knight (c. 1375) in recess
 Ashill - All Saints
 Lady (c.1300) in recess
Knight (c.1380) in recess
  Ashwick - St James
Two tablets by King of Bath (1811 & 1828)

 Babington - St Margaret
To members of the Mompesson family, after a death in 1726. Pink marble obelisk, standing putto & inscription cartouche

 Backwell - St Andrew
Sir Walter Rodney (1466) effigy on tomb chest with angels holding shields.
Rice Davis (1638) brass - kneeling figures
Tablet with woman (1831) by urn by Tyler

Banwell - St Andrew
Civilian/Lady c 1480 brass
John Martock  (1503) brass
John Blandon (1554) brass     

  Barrow Gurney - St Mary & St Edward
Francis James (1616) kneeling figures
William Gore (1662) inscription in oval wreath, columns & pediment

  Barwick - St Mary Magdalene
Monuments from 1681 to early 19th C.

Batcombe - St Mary
Two niches
Bisse Family (1593-1681) Tablet of c 1640
Tablets by Ford (1773) King 1800) & Reeves (ob 1812)

Bath Abbey
Opening times are about 9.30 am to 5.30 pm; Sundays are probably best avoided but check website. There appears to be no compulsary entrance fee but a voluntary fee of £4.00 is respectfully requested. Phototography is allowed but tripods may be only  used between 9.00 am to 10.00 am,  unless prior arrangement has been made for other times, but not on the day of your visit - see website. Monopods are fine.

 Above left: Bartholomew Barns (1605), his wife,Margaret and Children, Batholemew, Elizabeth, Margaret and Mary. Alabaster and touch. Inscription in Latin and English. Described as Mercer and merchant adventurer
Above centre:
Col. Alexander Champion (1793) By Nollekens
Above right:
Granville Pyper (1717)
Far right:
Herman Kantencamp By John Bacon Jnr 1808
Bishop James Montague (1618) By William Cure, mason, & Nicholas Johnson, carver.


Lady Waller (1633)
Alabaster and touch.

Sir Philip Frowde (1674)
William Hoare By Chantrey 1828

Bathampton
St Nicholas

Near Left: Lady c. 1325
Above & right: Knight c 1325. Note the lacing on the side of the surcoat which is cut short at the front.

 
Effigy of abbot of Bath Stone now on outside east wall of the church, although before 1750 it was in the chancel. Sally Badham believes this to be c 1100 and hence a candidate for the earliest English effigy. Although Pevsner dismisses it as 'an example of rustic Elizabethan work' which, because of the subject, is hardly likely.
Also: Many late Georgian monuments eg John Hume (1815) by Reeves


Batheaston
St John the Baptist

Henry Walters (1753) & his wife Mary (1752) & their children, Elizabeth (1733) & Mary (1763) Also Elizabeth (1735), sister of the above Henry###

James Walters (1735) & children: Clement, Ann & Susanna. His wife Mary (1770) who later married Thomas Drewett

Francis Brodbelt Millward (1813)

Ann Walters (1788)  & Henry (1797), her husband and son of Henry Snr & Mary (far left)  & Mary (1770) their daughter

Bathford - St Swithun
 Elizabeth Phillips (1759) relief of woman by urn by John Ford
Bawdrip - St Michael:
Knight (late C13)

Beckington  -   St George
Church open during normal hours. Park in the village near the church.
O/S Ref: ST 802 516


Above:   Lady c 1370, under a modern arch
Below:  Knight/Lady c 1370 in canoped tomb
John Compton (1510) and his wife, Edith
Brass in floor of south chapel. Note the children below the inscription.
That to John St Maur (1485) and his wife, Elizabeth in the chancel is a modern replacement
William (1802) & Grace (1812)  Sainsbury
by T King of Bath
Samuel Danyel (1619)
Note his bust wears toga and wreath: unusual for the date
A Series of  Family Related Navy Wall Monuments
Left: Rear Admiral Henry Ffolkes Edgell (1846) signed T Gaffin of Regent Street, London. Above Left: Harry Edgell (1803) & Frances Above Centre: Caroline (1897) widow of Vice-Admiral Harry Edgell & his daughter, Fanny Mary Rose Ringler-Thompson (1919). Above Right: Harry Lancelot Edgell (1864 @ 8m, 12d) son of Rear Admiral Harry Edgell & grandson of Harry Ffolkes Edgell.
 Berrow - St Mary:
Knight (late C13)
 Lady (late C13)
 Both in the churchyard
Bishop's Hull
The church is locked and no keyholder given. However to visit the church, contact the churchwarden, Tim Sutton, at the address below. He will very willingly arrange to open the church for you. However this now may have changed, so you may have to write to the incumbent. You may park in the church car park.   Suttontimjim@aol.com
O/S Ref: ST 205 247

Above Left & Centre: George Farewell (1609) Below kneel his wife, Dorothy, four daughters and five sons: all three sons carry swords and one is in armour. Alabaster. Chancel, North Wall. Right: The three children lying rather stacked at the base of this monument are: Edmund (1661, 1 yr.), Elizabeth ( ?) & Mary (1673, < 3m) Fowell. Great-grandchildren of Sir George & children of Edmund.
Above is the monument to their mother (Bridget Fowell - 1607) and grandmother (Mary Brune (Fowell) - n/d) . Below this ia a plate to ' ___ wife of Edmund Fowell ___Brune' and below that a plate to the children
A selection of wall monuments: some are enlarged below
Left: Sir George (1647) & Lady Farewell (1660) They had 20 children.
Above Left: John Shelly (1848 @ 8) uncertain lettering has worn
Above Right: Hooke Bartelot (18_ _) & his wife, Theresa Maria (1835)
Right: Jacob & Marie Upton. Their dates of death are nor given, just the ages.
 Bishop's Lydearn - St Mary:
Brass to Nicholas Grobham (1585) & Wife  
Thomas Slocombe (1801)  by Thomas King of Bath 
Bleadon - St Peter & St Paul
Two civilian effigies mid 14th century, bad
Mrs Tutton (1769) relief of woman by urn by S Haynes of Bristol
Bradford-on-Tone - St Giles
Church open. Park outside.
O/S Ref: ST 175 230

Above: Knight c. 1375
Right:
William Adair (1844); his wife, Camilla (1827); their son, Robert (1803); and their daughter, (1822)

Above left: Josiah Easton of Hele (1761-1848). His wife, Hannah (1764-1857). And their children: Mary Ann (1804-1806); Christopher (1809-1810); William (1787-1823); Martha Mockridge (1803-1831); Josiah (1790-1848); Abel (1807-1848); John (1788-1860); Hannah (1801-1868); James (1796-1871); George (1794-1876); Betsy Petten (1792-1883); Edward (1799-1898). It could not be simpler.
Above centre: Hugh Jenison Adair MA (1892); vicar 1861-1885. His wife, Elizabeth (Campbell) (1921); and their daughter, Henrietta Mary Adair (1921)
Above right: John Petten (1801); his wife, Margaret (1818); their son, John (1757), and his wife, Betty (1883)

 Bridgewater - St Mary:
Francis Kingsmill (1629) & sons (1621, 1640)
John Dunning (1821) By  Reeves of Bristol  
 Brent Knole - St Michael:
John Somerset (1663) two wives & family; inscription
Brockley - St Nicholas
Pigott Family (1730, 1794, and later) urn on top
Wadham Pigott (1823) draped female by pedestal of an urn by Chantrey.  
   Brompton Ralph - St Mary:
T Camplin by King of Bath
 Broomfield- All Saints
Richard Silverton (1443)  ecclesiastic, brass.
Wall monument (1788) by Reeves of Bath  
Another (1790) by King o f Bath   
 

Bruton - St Mary

Church normally open. There is limited parking on the Church Bridge and opposite the West Gate. 
O/S Ref: ST 685 347
Sir Maurice Berkeley (1581) and his two wives: Catherine (Blount) (1559), widow of John Champernown; and Elizabeth (Sands) (1584)
This monument, which was originally in the south aisle, and the wall monuments below are all in the chancel, which was rebuilt in 1743 
William Berkeley, Baron of Stratton  (1741)
The inscription is in Latin and Greek
John Donne (1782)
Buried in Batcombe Church, 'beneath a peaceful sod'
Captain William Berkeley (1794) He was commander of HMS Tiger and was buried at sea,  dying returning from the coast of Guinea in the West Indies. By P Scheemakers William Godolphin (1636) Bronze bust attributed to Le Sueur
This tomb chest (rear of nave) is said to be that of Abbot Gilbert, (prior 1494, abbot 1511-33) although without any good reason. The abbey was near the church. Its condition results from its being in the churchyard until fairly recent times; the present incumbent would like to see it returned there! 

Brympton d'Evercy
St Andrew
Church normally open. In the grounds of a fine manor house but it is nevertheless, the parish church.
Park opposite the church. O/S Ref: ST 520 153
This can be quite a difficult church  to find - but well worth a visit - so it's best to obtain the 1:50, 000 (or larger scale) OS map of the area. Taking the A30 from Crewkerne to Yeovil, turn left (approaching Yeovil) onto the A3088 - that is, the 1st exit on the roundabout. Turn left (1st exit) on next roundabout, then straight ahead (2nd exit) on the next roundabout; this takes you off the A3088 onto a 'yellow road'. Turn left (1st exit) at the next roundabout, then left again (1st exit) at the next roundabout. You should now pass over the A3088 onto Old Road. Soon on the left are some gates leading into parkland; there is no sign post. If you reach a Y-junction with the sign 'Old Road', you have gone too far. Pass through the gates and continue to the church (10 mph speed limit please!) The church is next to the beautiful manor house, which dates back in part to the fifteenth century. It looks like a large private chapel - but it is in fact the parish church.
Chancel Chapel


Top Row: Lady of c. 1440. Said to be Isabel d'Evercy, widow of Peter, founder of the church.

Bottom Row: Knight of c. 1275, which predates the present building. Probably a  member of the d'Evercy family, lords of the manor. Note that he holds the shield by a handle with his left hand; the other grips his sword.
North Transept
Priest in mass vestments of the early 14th century; he holds a chalice. The canopy above the effigy has scenes of the Magi (left) and (right) the Annunciation Lady of c. 1325. Above her effigy are scenes of the Crucifixion.
The Chancel
     
John Sydenham V (1626)
Right: taken from chapel; Left: taken from chancel. Centre: taken from foot of tomb, showing heraldry and insciption. Below Left: one of the skull at the entrance to the open tomb chest (chapel side) behind which can be seen scattered bones. 
The Nave

Above: Jane, Countess Dowager of Westmorland ( 1857)
. Buried at Aperthorpe.
Left: Robert Young (1790)  Buried in a vault in the church


Buckland Dinham - St Michael
2 effigies - demi-figures with shields at waist heaight and flat below. Mid 14th C
Buckland St Mary - St Mary:
Rector's Wife & Son (1839) by Forsyth
Burnett - St Michael
John Cutte (1575) Mayor of Bristol. Brass with kneeling couple and 12 children
Burrington - Holy Trinity
Panel with reliefs of Christ, angels and two donors - no date
Butleigh - St Leonard:
3 kneeling figures from Elizabethan tomb
Admiral Hood & 2 brothers by Lucius Gahagan of Bath (no date)
 
 
Many of the photographs were originally taken by the Web Master but further photographs were subsequntly kindly supplied by Phil Draper of Church Crawler . The black and white illustrations are from photographic reproductions which appeared in Alfred C. Fryer 'Monumental Effigies Made by Bristol Craftsmen' (1240-1550) in Archaeologia LXXIV (1925) pp 1-72 and 'Monumental Effigies of Somerset' (14 parts and 2 supplements) in Proceedings of the Somersetshire Archaeological and Natural History Society between 1915 and 1925 with 2 supplements, the first in 1930; these were kindly sent to me by Dr Claude Blaire, Vice-President and Founder-Member of the Society. Sally Badham FSA and founder-member supplied the photographs from Bathampton and Whatley. Amanda Miller provided those from Bath.The etchings are from Hollis.
 
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