Group Of 13 Monuments Of Various Designs In The Churchyard Approximately 11 Metres North Of North Chapel To Church Of St Leonard

Group of 13 Monuments in Churchyard of Church of St Leonard

A tightly packed group of chest and pedestal tombs arranged in four rows within the churchyard, positioned approximately 11 metres north of the north chapel to the Church of St Leonard. The monuments span from the 17th to early 19th centuries and are constructed primarily of limestone, with some later examples in sandstone.

The group includes the following monuments, described in order from south to north and west to east:

A limestone chest tomb dated 1697, with lyre-ended design and rectangular side inscription panels. It has a cavetto moulded top and is inscribed to John Nurse, died 1697. A late 17th-century limestone chest tomb with lyre-ended form and rectangular side inscription panels features a composite moulded top. It is inscribed to William Nurse with an illegible date, and its west end is badly damaged.

A limestone chest tomb dated 1645 has a rectangular form with four panels per side, with central panels containing inscriptions and outer panels bearing raised lozenges, topped by complex moulding and a cyma moulded top. It is inscribed to John Nurse, died 1645. A 17th-century limestone chest tomb is rectangular with two panels per side and continuous torus moulding above, topped with an ovolo moulded top, though its inscriptions are illegible.

A limestone chest tomb dated 1707 displays a lyre-ended design with fine leaf carving to the sides of the ends and flanking moulded rectangular side inscription panels. It has a cavetto moulded top and cyma moulded base, inscribed to Thomas Bayly, died 1707.

A mid to late 18th-century limestone chest tomb is rectangular with flattened gadrooned corner balusters, each bearing a winged cherub on the side face and egg and dart frieze. The south side has a circular moulding within a recessed egg and dart moulded panel with carved leaf spandrels, and egg and dart moulded end panels. It features a hollow moulded top and chamfered base, though inscriptions are illegible.

An 18th-century limestone chest tomb displays a lyre-ended design with moulded rectangular side inscription panels, a cyma moulded top, and an invisible base. A tall 18th-century limestone chest tomb is rectangular with richly moulded gadrooned ends featuring a trophy on the west side, moulded side inscription panels flanked by Rococo panels, and cavetto moulded top and base.

Another tall 18th-century limestone chest tomb is rectangular with the centre of the sides brought forward, displaying a bold oval wreath over gadrooning on the south side and egg and dart mouldings. The ends feature an urn to the west and two cherub's heads to the east, with cavetto moulded top and base.

A sandstone pedestal tomb dated 1800 is rectangular with raised side inscription panels having quadrant corners and recessed oval end panels. It features a hollow moulded top and bold torus moulding above a low plinth, inscribed to Richard Frankis, died 1800.

A late 18th-century limestone pedestal tomb is rectangular with a Doric frieze to the moulded ends bearing an urn to the east, simple moulded square side panels, a hollow moulded top, and cyma moulded base.

A sandstone pedestal tomb dated 1804 has a rectangular form with raised side inscription panels having quadrant corners and recessed oval end panels, a hollow moulded top, and bold torus moulding above a low plinth. It is inscribed to Thomas Frankis, died 1804.

A sandstone chest tomb dated 1806 is rectangular with fluted corner pilasters having upward splay and a reeded frieze with paterae in squares. It displays raised ovals to each end and side inscription panels with quadrant corners, topped with projecting moulding beneath a low pyramidal coping and a moulded plinth. It is inscribed to Henry Frankis, died 1806.