Four Monuments To Phillips Family In The Churchyard South Of Tower Of Church Of St Thomas

The four monuments to the Phillips family are located in the churchyard south of the tower of the Church of St. Thomas. Dating from the late 18th century, there are two chest tombs and two headstones, all enclosed within a single cast iron railing. The chest tombs are made of sandstone with siltstone inscriptions and end stones.

The chest tomb on the south side is dedicated to Richard Phillips, who died in 1770. It features a moulded base, quarter balusters at each corner, and decorative tablets at either end. The eastern tablet depicts a unicorn, an angel, and two figures, while the western tablet displays a heraldic shield, with inscriptions on both sides. The chest tomb on the north side is for John Phillips, who died in 1796. It matches the tomb of Richard Phillips but has an inscription only on the south side and lacks decorative tablets. Both chest tombs are similar to the William Harbidge monument and may have been created by Francis Ballard.

To the left of the tomb of John Phillips is a headstone for Mrs. Grave Wells, daughter of Richard Phillips, who died in 1787. This headstone has a segmental head and features an inscription within the outline of an open book, with one side left blank. The other headstone is for Ann Phillips, also a daughter of Richard Phillips, who died in 1776. This stone has a segmental head with an urn in relief at the top, festoons of fruit on either side, and urns at the bottom. The railing that surrounds the monuments previously had urn finials at the corners.