Nichols/Hudlestone Monument And Railings In The Churchyard About 17 Metres South Of Nave Of Anglican Church Of St Thomas À Becket

The Nichols/Hudlestone monument stands in the churchyard of St Thomas à Becket, Pucklechurch, approximately 17 metres south of the church nave. It is an early-19th-century chest tomb in the Regency Gothic style, commemorating Sarah Nichols (died 1808), wife of Lawson Hudlestone and daughter of William Godwin, along with other family members.

The limestone monument features a flat top with a moulded edge and a high moulded plinth. At each corner stand pilasters, each containing two recessed panels topped with bi-foil heads and two quatrefoils above. Between the pilasters runs a decorative frieze of bunches of grapes and vine leaves. Rectangular inscription panels occupy the north and south faces, with foliage ornamentation at the corners. The tomb is enclosed by cast iron spear-topped railings mounted on a chamfered stone base.

The monument is designated for its design interest as a good example of an early-19th-century chest tomb in Regency Gothic style, and for its group value in relation to the Grade I-listed church of St Thomas à Becket and other listed tombs in the churchyard.