Jefferis Monument In The Churchyard Approximately 3.5M South Of Church Of St Michael

The Jefferis monument is a chest tomb located in the churchyard approximately 3.5 meters south of the Church of St. Michael in Duntisbourne Rouse. It dates from 1611 and is made of limestone, featuring a contemporary brass inscription plate. The tomb is long and narrow with plain ends and sides, and it has a very thick chamfered top and a chamfered base.

The inscription plate on the south side reads: "AN ELEGIE OF ELIZABETH JEFFERIS WYDOWE OF JOHN JEFFERIS OF DVNSBVRNE VPON HIS DEATH WHO DECEASED THE XII DAY OF SETEMBER 1611 TWO BODYES ONE VNITED HART CONTEINED FAST LINCKT IN LOYAL LEAGVE OF TRVE AFFECTION BVT DEATH, THAT SVCH A SWEETE CONTENT DISDAIND MAD OF ONE HALFE TO IMMANVRE DISCRETION ONE HALFE YET LIVES ALASSE, WHY LIVES IT LONGER? IT LIVES TO MAKE MY GRIEFE AND SORROWES STRONGER YET TILL THE TIME MY FATALL THRED BEE SPUNNE MY HALFE SHALL PAY PERPETVALL OBSEQVIES AS FRESH AS WHEN MY FIRME LOVE FIRST BEGVNNE AND DECK THY HEARSE WITH ENDLESS ELEGIES WHEN IN SELFE SAME THRISE DESIRED SHRINE MY BODY SHALL THE LAST REST TAKE BY THINE WE HAD VIII CHILDREN IIII SONNES & IIII DAVGHTERS AS FOLLOWETH JOHN ELIZABETH GEORGE ANNE THOMAS SVSANA JOHN ELIZABETH THIS JOHN JEFFERIS DECEASED WAS YE YOVNGEST SONNE OF HIS FATHER RICHARD JEFFERIS OF DVNSBVRNE." This monument is noted as a very early example of a brass inscription plate.