Group Of Five Freke And Roper Monuments To North East Of Church Of St Laurence

WEYMOUTH

SY6685 CHURCH STREET, Upwey 873-1/5/553 (West side) Group of five Freke and Roper monuments to north-east of Church of St Laurence

GV II

Group of 3 headstones and 2 tomb chests: (i) Chest tomb. Robert Freke, d.1699. Portland stone. Very pitted ledger slab on moulded edge, plain S side, N side has pair of sunk segmental-arched panels with enrichment in low relief, with inscriptions. The ends are heavily bolstered, with upper and lower mouldings; the W end has a naive skull and cross-bones, and the E an angel with outspread wings. Base is partly sunk. (ii) Chest tomb, immediately to E of tomb of Robert Freke: Mrs Mary Freke, 1712. Portland stone. Flat ledger slab to moulded edge. To the N a plain panel with inscription all in capitals, plain panel to S. The ends are heavily bolstered, with upper and lower mouldings; the E end has a naive skull and cross-bones, the W is plain. By the same mason as the monument to Robert Frere, but with lettering normally found on C17 monuments. To the E of these 2 chests are 3 stones, lying N/S: (iii) Headstone. Joseph Roper, 1770, and others. Portland stone. The top shaped, with scrolls and cherub heads. The lettering is especially fine, and still mainly legible. (iv) Headstone. John Roper, 1858. Portland stone. The top with central arch flanked by smaller arches, and containing an open book, an urn with drapes. The date is late for the design, and may commemorate an occupant additional to the first. The stone is leaning considerably towards the E. (v) Headstone. Tregunel Roper, 1817. Portland stone. An unusually lofty stone (approx 1.6m from the ground), but leaning seriously to the E. The shaped top has small corner scroll rosettes. Lettering is clear and bold. This is the most significant group of monuments of architectural and historic interest.

Listing NGR: SY6606185247