These two stone military effigies were brought from Imber church around 1950. The inhabitants of Imber were evacuated in 1943 when the whole area was taken over for military training.

When it became clear that the village would not be restored, some items were brought from the village church to Edington.

Above & Right Top Two and Below: Effigy against wall ('Knight 1')
Far Right, Next Row to his Left and Right Bottom Two. Free standing effigy ('Knight 2')

These effigies date from the early 14th century.

'Knight 2'  bears the arms of  Rous, Lords of Imber, on his shield; it is likely that 'Knight 1' is a member of the same family.

Although the effigies are of around the same date note the differences. 'Knight 1' sheaths his sword while 'Knight 2' holds his hands in prayer. 'Knight 1' wears a helmet with a raised visor and which extends over his shoulders. 'Knight 2' wears aitlettes attached to his shoulders - a rare feature. The mail is clearly carved on 'Knight 1' while it may well have been stamped in gesso, now worn away on 'Knight 2'.

Above & Centre Top: Sir Ralph Cheney (c. 1401) and Joan (Pavely) The lid of the tomb chest has indents for two effigial brasses and four shields. To the west of the tomb chest is a doorway indicating that the structure may have been a chantry chapel. There is no inscription for this designations but the monuments bears the arms of Cheney and Pavely.

Right & Below: Possibly one of the Baynton family, his initials IB (or is it TB or W) are showed on the barrel - or tun - on which he rests his feet; tun being a rebus for last syllable of his name. Probably a monk of the priory.  Restored and repainted in 1969-70, although the effigy is badly worn. Note the tomb chest with quatrefoils containing tuns with leaves growing from them alternating with flower heads. Also an angel holding a tun on the canopy. Late 15th century

Sir Edward Lewis (1630) & Lady Anne (Beauchamp) (1664) Alabaster and marble. Note the rolled up mat on which Sir Edward rests, the drawn back curtains and the naked putto bringing a crown of glory. In front of the tomb chest are two angels, one praying and the other weeping, and five children kneeling in prayer. The date of Lady Anne's death was left blank and painted in later so the monument must date from shortly after her husband's death.

The children are all shown young as in 1630. Although they appear to be two boys and three girls, only the last is a girl: notice her cap. The younger two boys are dressed as girls as boys did at the time until the age of seven.

Above & Right Sir Simon Richard Brissett Taylor (1815)  White marble by Chantrey

Far Right: Monuments to the Tayler family (19th century); although the basic Gothick design is fairly common, the sculptor, White of Bath, has added kneeling figures of the family dressed in rustic clothing below, flanked on either side by standing angels. This may well be in imitation of he Lewis monument (above). Above the figures are written their initials.

Tayler Family monument continued:

Martin Tayler (1823) & his wife Anna Marie (1778)

And their children:

Two daughters who died in infancy.
Mary (1836)
Martha (1849)
William (1850)
George (1852)

Above the figures, which do not include the infant daughters, are their initials:

GT  WT  MT  MT  AMT  MT