Church monuments of Devon and Cornwall c1660-c1730

Abstract

Merged with duplicate record 10026.1/747 on 03.04.2017 by CS (TIS)

This thesis is concerned with an analysis of church monuments in the south
 west peninsular counties in the period 1660-1730 and sees the monument
 within this region as a culturally significant object that has hitherto been
 largely ignored. The focus of this thesis is an analysis of the monuments
 themselves based on a photographic archive. This is complemented by an
 examination of wills and the requests for monument and other status
 indicators contained in those documents. The thesis also considers how the
 placement of the monument is an indication of social status or status
 pretensions and how the materials used in the manufacture of the
 monument also have a status dimension.
 Chapter 1 examines the available literature and establishes the methodology
 of the project. Chapter 2 looks at issues surrounding wealth and
 commemoration including the role of the church and the death ritual as
 practised at that time. Chapter 3 considers the patterns of monument
 distribution and also provides an analysis of the component parts of the
 monument. Chapter 4 focuses on the work of artists and workshops and
 shows that of the two major workshops working in the early seventeenth
 century - John Weston of Exeter and the Jewells of Barnstaple - more
 examples of their work have been identified as a result of this study. The
 chapter also looks at examples of work from artists outside the region and
 probable work from London yards has been identified. The final chapter looks
 at issues surrounding social status. The interpretations of modern authors
 are considered and the chapter goes on to show how status is expressed on
 the monument. Patterns of distribution by social status are examined and an
 analysis is provided of peninsular counties monuments based on social
 status models.