In 1697, were 86 burials. but no reason is assigned for this extraordinary number. In 1644 and. 1645, are several entries of the burials of Soldiers from the Castle. Feb. 22, 1735. Nineteen soldiers, a boy, and two women, with two children, were buried, having been drowned the day before. The Church is a beautiful pile of Pointed Architecture (Plate I. fig. 1.) 168 feet long, and 55 feet wide, being divided into parts by the Tower, which stands on four pillars in the centre. The Tower is 90 feet high, embattled at the top with low broken Pinnacles at the corners, and contains a clock, chimes (which play the 143th Psalm-tune at the hours of 1, 5, and 9), and eight bells, the oldest of which bears date 1668, and the newest 1782. The Tower weighs 22 cwt. It is the generally received opinion, that the Church was built by Henry VII. in reward for the services of the Dunster men at the Battle of Bosworth-field; but I have reasons for placing its erection at an earlier period, viz. about the latter end of the reign of Henry V. or the commencement of the reign of Henry VI. William Pyuson, by his last will*, dated the Wednesday in the feast of St. Valentine the Martyr, 1419, bequeaths his body to be buried in the Church of St. George the Martyr at Dunster, before the image of St. Christopher, and 40 shillings towards the new Belltower, and 20 shillings towards one of the new bells, with 6s. 8d. towards the new Rood-loft in the said Church [ad opus novi solarij Sancte Crucis in dictâ Ecclesiâ]. The date of the Tower is more certainly known, from a coæval agreement found in the Church a few years ago, endorsed by a recent hand; "The building of the Tower of Dunster in the 21st year of the reign of King Henry the Sixth, 1443. This building was un his papers at the Castle, but could not meet with it. The part Eastward from the Tower was in 1499 appropriated to the use of the Prior and Monks, and is now called the Old Church. It is stript of all its furniture, and totally neglected, though it contains several valuable monuments deserving of better care. On the North side is a small Chantry. Chapel, and an antient tomb (Plate II. fig. 4.); whereon lie the mutilated remains of two alabaster effigies of the Mohuns; and in this little Chapel may still be seen the original Altar, a table of stone, 4 feet 9 inches by 2 feet 6 inches, with a Cross deeply cut in the middle of the front edge, on a base 2 feet 6 inches high. On the S. side is a stately mural monument of various kinds of marble, whereon are recumbent the effigies of a man in armour, and two females; another man in a kneeling attitude, and in a religious vest. These are memorials of the Luttrell family. Under an arch below lies another figure (Plate II. fig. 5.); but I cannot agree with Collinson (or his coadjutor Rack, who supplied the Church-notes), in supposing it the monument of a domestick; it is most probably the Image of one of the Everardes," mentioned by Leland, Itin. vol. II. fol. 62 (and from him by Collinson), as having once been there, but removed into the church-yard; whence it may have been reinstated in its former situation, The Historian of Somersetshire here omits to notice the tomb-stone of Lady Elizabeth Luttrell (Plate I. fig. 2.), and, from an obscurity in Leland's account, places it in the neighbouring Church of Carhampton; where it has, no doubt, been often searched for in vain by the Tourist and Antiquary. It certainly lies in Dunster Church, before the High Altar, and is thus inscribed, "Orate queso pro a’ïa d’ne Elizabeth lutterell que obijt primo dié mensis Septembris Anno d'ni INCCCC Ponagesi’o tercio. dertaken by John Marys of Stogursey, Somerset, and an engineer from Bristol; to be completed in three years." The indorsement was copied at the discovery of this curious document; une r'pe te petimus miserer' but the Agreement itself has unfor- q's qui ve’isti redim’e p’ditos noli tunately been mislaid. Mr. Luttrell, at my request, obligingly examined dampnare redemptos.” From the Probate, penès W. H. The first division of the Inscription is too obvious to need illustra 1 tion. The latter clause may be read, Nunc, Christe, te petimus iniserere : quesumus qui venisti redimere per'ditos, noli dampnare redemptos." On a mural monument is the following epitaph: "Hic jacent cineres Anna, dilectæ uxoris Francisci Luttrell, filiæ et heredis Caroli Stucley de Plymouth, armigeri. Quam post breve sed felicissimum spatium vitæ conjugalis, mors immatura abstulit. Vixit grata amicis, benigna paupericus, omnibus cara; obijt omnibus deenda, 300 die Octobris, 1731o, ætat. 23o, relinquens unicam filiam, spem et solamen Conjugis mœstissimi." The part Westward from the Tower is that now used for Divine Service, and consists of a Nave, Chancel, and North and South Ailes. The Chancel is divided from the Nave by a truly rich screen of oak, about 11 feet high, formerly supporting the Rood-loft, containing 14 arches of elaborate tracery, one of which is imperfectly represented in Plate II. fig. 6. The upper part is painted white and yellow, and has a very good general effect. The stairs leading to the Rood-loft are in a turret on the South side of the Church; the doorway now walled up. On brasses in the Nave: Quemlibet armaret, non moriturus erat. Clarus erat patriæ legibus, sincerus amicis, Nulla ferent talem sec'la futura virum. Arms. A. Chevron Gules, between three Estoiles of five points. 2. "Here lyeth the body of Mary Blackford (daughter of Rich. B. gent. and Eliz. his wife); who departed this life the 22 day of June, 1669, and in the 12th yeare of her age. Shorte was her life, longe was her payne, Greate was our loss, much more her gayne. Other inscriptions on slabs in the Nave for the following persons: Mrs. Mary Parker, May 14, 1799, aged 87. Betty, wife of John Clement, May 10, 1774, aged 37. Henry Clement, March 13, 1704. liam and Mary Sealy, Feb. 7, 1693, aged 3. Justine, mother of William Sealy, April 5, 1695, aged 81. Elizabeth, daughter of William and Mary Sealy, June 24, 1696, aged 3. Mary, wife of William Sealy, Nov. 9, 1702, aged 44. Mary, wife of Francis Chaplin, and daughter of William and Mary Sealy, Dec. 4, 1737, aged 57. William, son of William and Mary Sealy, April 28, 1705, aged 23. Elizabeth, daughter of Francis and Mary Chaplin, May 6, 1788, aged 80. Margaret Blake, August 25, 1792, aged 82. Robert Giles, March 12, 1703. Elizabeth, his wife, May 5, 1705. Here is an antient slab, with a cross (Plate II. fig. 7.); also a brass chandelier of 18 lights, inscribed, by the late Jone Brewer, ten pounds two wards this branch. John Hossum, Benj. Escott, Churchwardens, 1740." "Gaven In the South Aile is the brass represented in Plate II. fig. 8, thus iuscribed:: "Of por charite pray for the soules of John Wyther and age nes his Wyf and John Wyther their eldest sone whose bodys Hestpeth under this stone anno d’ni Mill’mo CCCClrrrrvij° penultimo die septe'bris expectando generalem resurrecconem mor tuor' et vita' eterna' amen.” On a brass (in capitals): Anagr. amaror. amoris . Huc. modo: tunc illuc. passim. vestigia. Alectes. [pedem. Ast. hic. in. Eternum. siste Maria Ne dubites. dabitur quicquid. deerat . tibi. virgo. [deo. Despice mortalem conjuge. digna. Here lyeth the body of Mary ye daughter of John Norris, late Customer of Minehead, who dyed 22 of March, 1673.” A slab for Nath. Ingram, March 17, 1749, aged 65; and two antient slabs with crosses (Plate II. fig. 9, 10); the memorials, probably, of some of the Priors, removed from the other part of the Church. In the Chancel is a large slab for Prudence daughter of Giles Poyntz, gent, and Anne his wife, June 3, 1716, (On a brass). · Edward, son of Wil- aged 19. Mary Mary Clark, wife of Luke Clark of London, and daughter of Giles and Anne Poyntz, Sept. 29, 1726, aged 32. Elizabeth, daughter of Giles Poyntz, gent. May 24, 1729, aged 33. Edward Poyntes, gentelman, July 29, 1583. Other slabs for Elizabeth Sharp, July 11, 1769, aged 55. Ann Wheddon, daughter of Elizabeth Sharp, Feb. 19, 1803, aged 66. Elizabeth Bond, buried Dec. 28, 1791, aged 93. George Rawle, Oct. 15, 1799, aged 56; 27 years Clerk of this Church. Over the Communion Table is a large indifferent painting of the Crucifixion, by a person formerly resident at Dunster. In the Chancel are three antient chests, two of them strongly bound with iron. The Chalice bears the date of 1573; the King's arms, 1660. On glazed tiles in the Chancel are, a spread eagle, a fess between 6 cross crosslets, three and three, birds and flowers, a lion rampant, a man on horseback tilting with a lance, and many fragments with other designs. In the windows of the North Aile are some remains of an tient stained glass, viz. the head of St. James of Compostella (Plate I. fig. 3.), small whole length of a King, the head defaced; the arms of Luttrell (Or, a bend between & martlets Sable), and an Abbat's crozier, with a scroll, inscribed, W. donesterre abbas de cliva. (Plate I. fig. 4.) The name of Wiliam Seylake occurs in the list of Abbats of Cleeve, communicated to Tanner's Notitia by Browne Willis; and he was probably the same man, deriving the cognomen of Dunster merely from the place of his birth (a usual practice with Religious). The date of his institution being 1419, and his death or removal 1421, is a very strong argument in proof of my conjecture respecting the building of the Church. The Font is octagonal, and handsome; having on shields in quatrefoil recesses, the monogram IHS, in a crown of thorns, sponge and spear, cross, hammer, and pincers, hands, feet, and heart, alternately with double roses. If these latter *In another part of the Church I observed a tile, bearing a fess between three erescents. ornaments have any allusion to the union of the Houses of York and Lancaster, we may presume that the bounty of Henry VII. was applied to the Furniture of the Church, though not to the building itself. Over the West window of the South Aile, on the outside, is venerable "God save the King. 1624. MVXX." (i. e. 1520.) In the church-yard opposite to the West door, is the pedestal and shaft of an old cross, on three steps, and a yew of large dimensions. A range of Alms-houses are seen in the view, but I could learn no particulars of their foundation or endowment. TRINITY CHANTRY. 7 Hen. VII. 1491. Giles Daubeney, knight, Alexander Sydenham, Richard Sydenham, George Stukeley, and others, conveyed unto Richard Baker, Chaplain, sundry houses and lands in Dunster and Carhampton, on condition that whenever Mass was 29 Hen. VIII. 1537. 66 celebrated at the Altar of the Holy Trinity, in the Parish Church of Dunster, he should pray for the souls of Henry Franke, Cristina his wife, and others; and for the faithful departed this life; and for the good estate of the said Giles, Alexander, &c. The feofers off the Trynytye Chauntre" granted "ther full and to John Rise, Clerk, hole power to receve the p'fytts of the said Chauntre, duryng the terme of xxij yeres;" therewith to repair the houses belonging to it, and to maintain "an honest Chapleyn to say masse and to praye for the sowles of the founders, feofers, and benefactors of the seid Chauntre *." The Altar of St. James the Apostle, the Chapel of St. Mary, and the "wex silver light,” are named in antient wills, &c.: but the present article has already so far exceeded the indulgence granted by Sylvanus Urban to his Correspondents, that it must be here concluded. Yours, &c. WILLIAM HAMPER. P. S. The seal, Plate II. fig. 3, is of Thomas Bratton, of Bratton in Minehead (Collinson, vol. II. p. 31.); who died 38 Hen. VI. The arms were antiently, a chief indented, three mullets pierced; but this seal gives a fess between the mullets. Circumscription, Sigill. Thome. bratton. From the originais, penès W. H. |