Tomb Of Bishop Ken Outside East End Of Church Of St John

The tomb of Bishop Ken, located outside the east end of the Church of St John, dates from the mid-19th century and is built over an early 18th-century grave. It occupies a significant position outside the chancel. The structure features low gabled housing that is buttressed and roofed in stone, with open cusped side arches that are closed by wrought-iron palisades. Inside, there is a coffin-shaped slab with empty metal banding, adorned only with a crozier and a mitre. Bishop Ken (1637-1711) was one of the seven Bishops who refused to take the oath of Indulgence in 1689 to William and Mary, which led to his deprivation of the See of Bath and Wells. This context is reflected in the symbolism of the empty grave and coffin located outside the church.