By T. H. Baker. 277 
CHURCHYARD INSCRIPTIONS. 
In the churchyard are many quaint epitaphs and interesting 
inscriptions in memory of families now extinct. One must be 
mentioned :— 
“In Memory of Edmond 
Dolling who Dyed of y* 
Small Pox which he 
designedly took Sept. 6 
1737. Aged 21 years. 
Stop Passenger my Fate deplore 
Take warning by my Toomb 
And never like me temp y® Lord 
Least thou shouldst have my Doom.” 
Another stone on which are recorded the names of several mem- 
bers of a family named Suter, with dates from 1729 to 1806, has 
underneath the following lines :-— 
“Tike Birds of a feather 
We sleep here together.” 
The following paragraph, extracted from the Salisbury and 
Winchester Journal, August 25th, 1828, is of special interest, and 
records an incident which is now quite forgotten, and would have 
been lost had it not been noted at that time. 
Cuarzes II. 
“On Sunday last the town and vicinity of Mere experienced a great treat by 
‘several merry peals from the Church bells, in consequence of the arrival, on the 
Friday previous of a new bell cast by Mr. Kingstone, bell founder of Bridgwater ; 
and it is confidently hoped that under the superintendence of Mr. Hayter, 
_ organist, Mere will revive in the art of bell ringing, for which they were for- 
merly so famous. One of the bells bears the date of 1670, and it is generally 
supposed to have been presented to the inhabitants on the restoration of 
_ Charles II. for their loyalty to their lawful, much beloved, though unfortunate 
Sovereign, who concealed himself about this part of the country, and frequently 
honored Mere with his royal presence, though then deprived of its externals.”’ 
4 
Whatever the truth may be as to the gift of the bell (of which 
no record exists in the parish), it is certain that Charles II. visited 
Mere in 1651, in his journey from Trent to Heale House, after the 
