Thomas Pearce Monument,About 5M North-East Of North Porch Door In Churchyard Of Church Of St Mary The Virgin

The Thomas Pearce Monument is a chest tomb located about 5 meters northeast of the north porch door in the churchyard of the Church of St. Mary the Virgin in Berkeley. It commemorates Thomas Pearce, who died in 1665 and was a clockmaker as well as five times Mayor of Berkeley. The monument is made of limestone and features a flat top that appears inverted, with a moulding that slopes outward. It has a wide moulded plinth at the base and plain recessed square panels on the ends and the south side, which is divided into two sections. The north side showcases a single large panel with flanking lyre end reliefs and a long verse inscription that reads: "Here lyeth Thomas peirce, whom no man taught / Yet he in Iron Brasse and Silver wrought / He Jacks and Clocks, and watches (with Art) made / And mended too when others worke did fade / of Berkeley five tymes Mayor this Artist was / And Yet this Mayor this Artist was but Grasse / when his owne watch was Downe on the last Day / He that made watches, had not made A Key / To winde it Up, but Uselesse it must lie / Untill he Rise AGaine no more to die."