Group Of 4 Monuments In Churchyard, North Of Tower, Church Of St Mary The Virgin

The group of four monuments in the churchyard, located north of the tower of the Church of St. Mary the Virgin, consists of chest tombs from the 17th and 18th centuries.

The first monument, an unidentified chest tomb from the later 17th century, is made of Ham stone ashlar and features a moulded base. It has panels with wave-mould borders, one on each end and two on each side, and a very thick flat top with simple cavetto coving. The inscriptions have been lost.

The second monument is the Clarke monument, an earlier 18th-century chest tomb, also made of Ham stone ashlar. It has a moulded base and a main body with panels framed by egg and dart moulding. The ends and short returns display a bold baluster profile without a frieze, topped with a cornice-mould that has a hipped upper surface and rounded leading edges. This tomb commemorates John Clarke, who died in 1728.

The third monument is the Prankard monument, another chest tomb from the earlier 18th century, constructed of Ham stone ashlar with lias stone panels. The base is buried, and it features bolection mould panels on each flank and at each semi-circular end, without a frieze. It has a deep coved moulding on a shaped hipped top with rounded leading edges, commemorating Thomas Prankard, who died in 1729, and others.

The fourth monument, the Chaffey monument, dates from the 17th century and is made of Ham stone ashlar. It has a moulded base with panels featuring ovolo moulding, one on each end and two on each side, which are separated and flanked by carved panel pilasters adorned with strapwork ornament. It has a cable-mould frieze and cyma-recta coving leading to a heavy flat top. This tomb commemorates John Chaffey, who died in 1670.