Group Of 3 Hurley Memorials Approximately 7 Metres South-East Of The Chancel Of The Church Of St Winifred

This description covers a group of three memorials dedicated to the Hurley family, located approximately 7 metres southeast of the chancel of the Church of St Winifred in Branscombe. These memorials date from the mid-18th century and are made from Beerstone ashlar.

The group consists of a chest tomb flanked by two headstones, one to the north and one to the south. The northern headstone stands about 700 millimetres high and features a shaped head, although part of it has broken off. It has a moulded frame, with a carved cherub's head flanked by crossbones and an open book that contains a Biblical quotation. The main inscription is in Roman serif upper and lower case lettering, commemorating the death of Sarah Hurley in 1765.

The southern headstone is leaning and, if upright, would be approximately 600 millimetres high. It is similar to the northern headstone but simpler, and its inscription is illegible. The chest tomb has plain sides and base, with a soffit-moulded flat lid. The south side of the tomb features an interesting epithet that records the death of John Hurley in 1755. He was a customs officer who died after falling from a cliff while attempting to extinguish a smuggler's beacon.