Joan Wadham's Memorial

For the best part of a century in the dampest part of the church this wonderful tomb of Joan Wadham suffered neglect. Fortunately Prince in his "Worthies of Devon" published in 1701, preserved the text of its inscription, which later became illegible. The tomb is in the form of the facade of a Greek temple. On a central panel Joan's two husbands are shown kneeling face-to-face, a helmet and gauntlets between them. To the left is John Kellaway of Cullompton, her first husband, wearing a doublet, ruff, trunk hose, and a long gown. Her second husband, John Wadham of Meryfleld and Edge, is in armour, with, strangely, a ruff also. The doffed helmet and gauntlets are obviously his. Prominent though the men are the monument is to Joan alone, and this is said to be unique in the country in that a lady is twice represented on her own memorial. A third their size, she kneels meekly behind the men, wearing a gown with puffed sleeves, a ruff, and a flat cap of Elizabethan style. Behind her, on the left, kneel her fourteen children by John Kellaway; tiny figures, five boys and nine girls, the boys dressed like their father, the girls like herself. So also on the right kneel the Wadham children, all girls except the first who is Nicholas, the last of the line, and for ever famous as the founder of the College bearing his name. Coloured escutcheons of great heraldic interest, bearing the quarterings of the Kellaway and Wadham families and, of course, Joan herself, appear above the kneeling groups, and over all is the red rose of Wadham. Joan was of Plantagenet stock as is shown in her inscription and in the quartering at the base of each escutcheon which shows the red lion rampant. She died in 1583, outliving John Wadham. The record in the Burial Register reads "Mrs Jone Wadham, wid., was buryed the xxx September 1583" Source: Branscombe, The parish and the church by F.C. Butters, (Vicar 1949-1955) Page designed by & copyright of Yobunny 2003