Dicky Pearce Monument,About 7M North-East Of Phillips Monument In Churchyard Of Church Of St Mary The Virgin

The Dicky Pearce Monument is a chest tomb located about 7 meters northeast of the Phillips Monument in the churchyard of the Church of St Mary the Virgin. It commemorates Dicky Pearce, who died in 1725. The tomb is made of limestone and features a flat top with two layers; the upper layer has a tooled edge while the lower layer is roll moulded. It has a tooled plinth and base in an elongated octagon shape. All faces of the tomb have recessed arched panels, with coats of arms on the east and west sides and inscriptions on the north and south sides. Known as the "Jester's Tomb," it marks the resting place of Dicky Pearce, the Berkeley Court Jester, who was killed during revelry at the Castle in 1725. However, the inscription incorrectly states his date of death as 1728. The inscription on the north side reads in capitals: "Here lies the Earl of Suffolk's fool/ Men call'd him Dicky Pearce;/ His folly serv'd to make folks laugh,/ When wit and mirth were scarce./ Poor Dick Alas! is dead and gone./ What signifies to cry?/ Dickys enough are still behind/ To laugh at by and by./ Buried XVIII June MDCC XXVIII/ Aged LXIII years."