85 
mencing with a quotation from the “Church Rambler,” Vol. IT, 
p. 132, he said, “Beckington is now an ordinary agricultural 
village—what has it been? A strong castle almost as old as the 
Conquest ; the birthplace of one of the most celebrated bishops of 
the Diocese ; a resting place of Charles II. in his flight from 
Cromwell’s ‘crowning mercy,’ the Battle of Worcester ; and a 
notable centre of the W. of Engiand cloth manufacture.” There 
was, therefore, no necessity to manufacture subjects of interest 
ez more one Samuel Pepys. The first family of note here after 
the Conquest was that of the Erleighs or de Erlega. John 
de Erleigh was the first of that family known to have settled 
here in 1161. A John de Erleigh died in 1338, seized of the 
Manor of Beckington. Through this family, by a series of 
marriages, it passed into the possession of the St. Maurs or 
Seymours and the Bampfyldes, until, in the early part of the 
16th century, the manor was purchased by John Ashe, Esq., from 
whom it passed to the Methuens and to the present lord of the 
manor, Rev. Henry Sheppard. According to the Register dating 
from 1559, it appears that the Cross was taken down in 1775, 
and that Charles II. and Catherine, his wife, rode through 
Beckington on the 10th of September, 1663, also that George III. 
with his Queen Charlotte, passed on their way to Longleat, on 
the 15th of September, 1785. There are several fine monuments 
and brasses in the Church. In the N. wall of the chancel are 
two canopied altar tombs. The most Eastern of the two is 
assigned to John de Erleigh and Margaret, his wife, 1380—1400. 
The single female figure in the other, is supposed to be another 
member of that family, date 14th century. In the floor of the 
chancel a brass, representing John Seymour and Elizabeth, his 
wife, i is in good preservation, and bears the following inscription :— 
: Hic jacet Johnes Seynt Maur Armig, 
et Elizabeth uxor ejus 
qui quidem Johnes obit 
v Die Octob. a.pM 
wT 1888. 
Cujus ane ppicietur D. Amen. 
