Ball Monument In The Churchyard About 5 Metres West Of Porch Of Anglican Church Of St Thomas À Becket

The Ball Monument is a chest tomb dating to 1817, located in the churchyard approximately 5 metres west of the porch of the Anglican Church of St Thomas à Becket. Constructed from sandstone, it features a flat top with a moulded edge, a moulded plinth, and plain quarter balusters. A double inscription panel is present on both the north and south faces, commemorating Amy Ball.

The history of Pucklechurch reveals Roman origins, developing into an important Anglo-Saxon administrative and judicial centre. It was a royal burh and the site of Edmund, King of Wessex’s hunting lodge, who died there in AD 946. The manor was granted to Glastonbury Abbey in AD 950, later transferred to Bath Abbey in the 13th century. Following the Dissolution in the 16th century, the village underwent rebuilding and gentrification with large houses erected during the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries. Further prosperity followed in the mid-19th century with the opening of local collieries.

The parish church was founded in the Norman period, with the current structure primarily dating from the 13th century. A north aisle and south porch were added in the 14th century, along with parts of the tower. A chantry was established in 1337, now the site of the Lady Chapel. Alterations occurred in the 17th century and two major phases of work followed in the 19th century.

The tomb is designated at Grade II for its architectural interest as a good example of an early 19th-century chest tomb, notable for its design and the commemoration of a local family member, and for its group value in relation to the Grade I listed Church of St Thomas à Becket and other listed tombs within the churchyard.