Chest Tomb 30 Metres South Of Chancel Of Church Of St Thomas

BOVEY TRACEY BRADLEY ROAD, Bovey Tracey SX 8278

12/45 Chest tomb 30 metres south of - chancel of Church of St Thomas

GV II*

Chest tomb. 1655. Granite ashlar. The chest has an inscription on the front, a coat-of-arms at the east end, and a skull and crossbones at the west end. The gable-ended cap carries another coat-of-arms and an inscription on the front; at the east end is a thistle and at the west end a rose. On its ridge are 3 squat obelisks, the centre one carved with a mermaid, the left-hand one with a flower and the right-hand one with a thistle. The tomb commemorates Maria Forbes (d.1655), wife of a former vicar, James Forbes, ejected from the living during the Commonwealth. The tomb is not in its original position. In 1826 it was said to be 'near the south-west wall of the church' and a drawing of 1836 shows it just south of the south-east corner of the south aisle. Sources: Church guidebook, 1984, p.11. G P Jones, 'Notes on Bovey Tracey', 1826 (typescript in Westcountry Studies Library, Exeter, p.13). Annie Croker's sketchbook, p.8 (Devon Record Office, 2160A add. 14/PZI.)

Listing NGR: SX8208478604