East Sussex Church Monuments - 1530 to 1830 - Archive of Photographs
by Professor Nigel Llewellyn

(32) BODIAM, St. Giles

Early English, reported to be in fine condition in 1686 and 1724 (Ford) but subjected to a major restoration of 1845-56 - Nairn & Pevsner (419); Leeney (SAC 84 123-6); a new tiled floor in the chancel; plan in SNQ (XI 103) and Douglas Simpson 'The Moated Homestead, Church, and Castle of Bodiam' (SAC 72 74-83); for a view, see Godfrey & Salzman (Pl. 22), seen from South-East. South wall of chancel now obscured by modern chapel; mediaeval brasses relocated to tower West wall some time after 1847, as was 32C; the many owners of the Castle during our period were not commemorated in Bodiam.

32A Ledger for Rev. Vere MUNN, d. 1736 and Elizabeth MUNN, d. 1758

-  Nave floor, North-East side.

-  86(W) x 187(L)~Worn; dirty; sound.

-  Escutcheon then M.I. (17 lines, engraved) fills a black slab; head to West.

-  Rev. Vere Munn, vicar of Bodiam for 22 years, d. 31 Aug 1736, aet 59; his wife, Elizabeth, d. 27 Sep 1758, aet 78; daughter of Rev. William Wilkin, vicar of Heathfield.

32B Ledger for [James] CROKER, d. 17[34]

-  Nave floor, alongside and South of 32A.

-  93(W) x 155(L)~Very worn; cracked.

-  Escutcheon, then M.I. (engraved) fills a cream freestone slab; head to West.

32C Mural monument for Susanna TEMPEST, d. 1746/7

-  Tower, South wall, East end, at head height.

-  41(W) x 55(H)~Battered; cracked; worn.

-  M.I. (8 lines, engraved) on upper 60% of a grey slate tablet.

-  Susanna Tempest, d. 4 Jan 1746/7, aet 26, second wife of George Tempest, Gent., of Cranbrook.

32D Mural monument for Elizabeth BALCHEN, d. 1778 and John BALCHEN, d. 1785

-  Tower, South wall, alongside and West of 32C.

-  57(W) x 66.5(H)~Fine; dirty.

-  M.I. (12 lines + 2 lines, engraved and black, English and Latin) fills an unframed white marble tablet.

-  Elizabeth Balchen, d. 31 Jul 1778, aet 22; daughter of George and Elizabeth Tempest of Cranbrook, Kent; and wife of John Balchen, of London, d. 9 Jan 1785, aet 38.

32E Wall monument for John TEMPEST, d. 1820 and Sarah TEMPEST, d. 1810

-  Tower, South wall, alongside and West of 32D.

-  89(W) x 66(H)~Fine; faded; local damage (lower edge).

-  M.I. (8 lines, engraved and black) fills a white marble trapezoidal tablet; grey baseplate with pointed top; below, Greek key decorative; above, scrolled pediment with acanthus decorative.

-  John Tempest, Esq., of Cranbrook, d. 23 Mar 1820, aet 72; his wife, Sarah, d. 24 Jan 1810, aet 60.