Gittisham

from

Some Old Devon Churches

By J. Stabb

London: Simpkin et al (1908-16)

Page 109

Transcribed and edited by Dr Roger Peters

Full text available at

https://www.wissensdrang.com/dstabb.htm

Prepared by Michael Steer

Between 1908 and 1916, John Stabb, an ecclesiologist and photographer who lived in Torquay, published three volumes of Some Old Devon Churches and one of Devon Church Antiquities. A projected second volume of the latter, regarded by Stabb himself as a complement to the former, did not materialize because of his untimely death on August 2nd 1917, aged 52. Collectively, Stabb's four volumes present descriptions of 261 Devon churches and their antiquities.

GITTISHAM. St. Michael. The church [plate 109] consists of chancel with priest's door on the north side (the chancel is separated from the nave by a narrow arch), nave, south aisle, north porch, and west tower with three bells. There is a west gallery entered by an exterior staircase through a doorway cut in the south wall of the tower. There is a hagioscope on the south side of the chancel arch, and some remains of old glass in the north window in the chancel. On the capitals of the pillars of the aisle are the arms of the Beaumont family. The double rose is conspicuous among the bosses in the roof of the aisle, which appears to have been erected towards the end of the reign of Henry VIII [1509-1547].

On the north wall of the chancel is the monument in memory of Joane, the wife of Glidd Beaumont, rector of this church; he was not a member of the family which at one time flourished at Combe, but of the Cole-Orton family, as appears from his arms. The inscription is as follows:- Here lyeth ye Body of Joane ye wife of Glidd Beaumont Rectr of this P'sh, and Daughter of Edmd Green, of Exon, Gent: who dyed ye 14 of May 1627.

"This urn holds sacred dust: eache pious eye
Here drop a tear, and weep that she should die
No one perfection of ye female kinde
But lyes with her within this tomb enshrined
Here wants no epitaph: i'th the Hearts of Men
Wait on her prayses, tears are now ye pen
Only this proud stone needes would have it told
What Pretious Dust it doth hereunder holde
Holde it awhile in peace, till it shall be
Raysed to a better life, and glory see."

On the north side of the east end of the south aisle is a large monument in memory of Sir Thomas Putt, Bart., of Coombe, in this parish, and of Ursula his wife, daughter of Sir Richard Chomeley, Knt., by his wife, a Poulett, of the noble family of Hinton St. George, and relict of the famous Dennis Rolle, of Stevenston.

Beneath an arch is an altar tomb of marble, on which stands two large urns with flambeaux on the top; on the front of the tomb are the following inscriptions; on the left side:- Here lieth the body of Sir Thomas Putt of Coombe, Baronet, who departed this life the 25th of June, A.D. 1686, in the 43rd year of his age. "Libenter mortalis, quia futurus immortalis."

The inscription on the right side is:- Ursula, Lady Putt, Dyed the 22nd of April 1674, possest of as much beauty, witt, wisdome, Learninge, Vertue, and Piety, as nature and grace e're produced, excellinge all in a Generous affection to he husband, Sir Thomas Putt, who Dedicates this to her memory.

Beneath the window, at the east end of the aisle, is the monument of Henry Beaumont, and Elizabeth, his wife. It is a fine monument in an excellent state of preservation, the figures being well carved, especially that of the man. On the top of the tomb are three coats of arms, beneath two shallow arches, divided by pillars, kneel the two figures. On the right is the wife wearing a long flowing dress with ruff, and a head-dress with long veil behind, the hands are raised in prayer, she kneels on a cushion before a prie-dieu, on the top of which is a book; on the side is carved the figure of an infant asleep on a pillow. The man is clad in complete plate armour with short sword, there is a ruff round the neck, and he is bareheaded; the hands are raised in prayer, and he kneels on a cushion before a prie-dieu on the side of which is carved Obiit Aprillis Primo 1591. On the panels beneath the figures is the following inscription:-

"Enterred Here win doth Henry Beaumont Rest
A man of just and upright life with many graces blest
Who learned to knowe God's Holy Will, and wicked ways defyed
And as he learned so did he lyve and as he lyved he dyed
What good he might he gladly did and never harmed any
Courteous he was in all his life and friendly unto many
But most of all his liberal giftes abounded to the poore
A worthy practize of that worde that he had learned before
Borne of what honorable race is nedeles for this verse
Since Frenche and Englishe Chronicles so oft his name reherse
Which ancient bloude wt in himself by want of issue spent
The sinkinge line thereof He corckt by one of that descent
He lived thrise tenn yeres and nine with his most Godly wife
Who yielded him his honor due, voyed of unkindly strife
And for true witnes of his love which never was defaced
As dutie last this monument she caused here to be placed."

At the base of the monument there are two coats of arms.

The registers date: baptisms, 1559; marriages, 1571; burials, 1559.