Speake statue tell her story - Devon

Monument to the north of the east window in the south Peamore / Lady Chapel;

"This monument is erected to the memorye of Grace wife of William Tothill of the Middle Temple esq who havinge issue Henry died the 24 day of Februarye 1623 in the 18th yere of her age and lieth buried in this ile she being the daughter of Henry Tothill of Peamount then sherife of Devon and Mary his wife"

"If Grace coulde length of dayes thee give,

Or Vertue coulde have made thee live,

If Goodnesse coulde thee heere have kept,

Or tears of friendes which for thee wept,

Then had'st thou lived amongst us heere,

To whom thy vertues made thee deere.

But thou a Sainte did'st Heaven aspire,

Whilst heere on earthe wee thee admire.

Then rest deere Corps in Mantle Clay,

Till Christ thee raise the latter day.

Thy years were fewe - thy glasse being runn,

When death did ende - thy lyfe begunn."

 

Grace lies in alabaster, her elbow resting on a pillow, her hand supporting her head. She wears a ruff, mantle open at the front showing the tight-fitting bodice, and long full skirt. Beneath her figure are the lines:—

"Speake statue tell her story, Its Grace inherits Glory."

 

Grace Tothill (1605-1623), was the youngest of the co-heiress two daughters of Henry Tothill (1640) of Peamore, Exminster, Sheriff of Devon in 1623 & Mary 1646 === sole heiress of Nicholas Sparke of Sowton, co. Devon. (Henry Tothill 1561 - 1640 her father was High Sheriff of county Devon in 1623 and 1624. and was the, eldest son and heir of Geoffry Tothill of Peamore He was buried here 22 December 1640. " Here lyeth the bodye of Henry Tothill of Peamore, Esquire, who died the 9th day of Dec. 1640 Anno aged 78. Mary the only wife of the aforesaid Henry, Sole daughter and heire of Nicholas Sparke, Gent., lyeth also here.".

She was the grand daughter of Geoffry Tothill, recorder of

Exeter, & Joane daughter of Robert Dillon of Chymwell

Devon, by Isabell daughter of William Fortescue of Prudestone,

Her co-heiress sister was Joan Northleigh whose son eventually Henry inherited +++

 

She m (her cousin) William 1645 son of John Tothill 1636 & Anne Wood 1635 ***

He was admitted to the Middle Temple on 4 March 1612 ;

He inherited Peamore from his father-in-law Henry Tothill, who also appointed him executor of his will.

Child - Grace dying soon after his birth

1. Henry Tothill, eldest son and heir, baptized 15 April 1623 at Exminster. matriculated 4 June 1641, Exeter College, Oxford, aged 18 years ; buried 29 October 1642 at Exminster unmarried

 

Husband William m2 on 19 December 1626 at Exeter, Elizabeth 1647, daughter of Sir George Southcote of Dartmouth Castle & Shilliugford, Devon, 4th son of Thomas Southcote of Shillingford.

Children

2 George, baptized 2 December 1627 at Exminster ; died

30 May 1629 ; buried* at Exminster.

3 John, mentioned in his father's will of 27 June 1643 ;

dsp 1647 so the property went to the Northleighs. +++

4 Elizabeth m 22 July 1658 at Yarnscomb, Christopher Wood of North Devon.

5 Anne m 14 July 1663 at Yarnscomb, John son of John Hale of Borings-Leigh in the parish of West Alvington.

 

Husband William died 26 April 1645, and was buried at Exminster. Will dated 27 April 1643; proved 16 May 1645 at Exeter by his widow Elizabeth. executrix of her husband's will and guardian of his children. His widow Elizabeth died 12th December 1647 & is buried here

 

Above is a lozenge with the arms of Tothill, and below this

lozenge is the Tothill coat differenced witli a label below a crescent (denoting the eldest son of a second son), impaling Tothill.

 

In Devonshire the Tuthills possessed considerable landed property at Peamore, Exeter, Bagtor, Sowton otherwise Little Durnsford, Plymouth, etc. The estate of Peamore or Peimount, which William le Speke possessed under Edward 11., in the

minority of Thomas FitzRalph, afterwards in the possession of the Cobham family, but on the attainder of the Duke of Suffolk it fell to the Crown and was purchased by Jeffrey Tothill. It was held by him and his descendants until Henry Northleigh +++ inherited it through his mother Joan Tothill, daughter and coheir of Henry, son of Jeffrey Tothill.

.

The Tothills filled various stations of honour and trust, the records shewing that William Tothill was Bailiff of Exeter in 1528, again in 1548, High Sheriff of Exeter in 1549, and Mayor in 1552. Jeffrey Tothill was Recorder of Exeter in 1563, which he held to the date of his death ; also during this time he represented the City of Exeter in Parliament.

Richard Tothill, in the reign of Elizabeth, attained considerable eminence as a Printer and Stationer in London, where he resided at the "Hand and Star" in Fleet Street.

 

=== Her parents are also buried here and have a memorial beneath the south window of the chancel; a coffin shaped stone with the inscription:— Here lyeth the Body of Henry Tothill of Peamore Esq: who dyed the 9th day of December Ano 1640, ætatis suæ 78. Mary the only wife of ye aforesaid Henry and sole Daughter and Heire of Nicholas Sparke, Gent: lieth also here".

*** William's parents lie near the parclose doorway under a stone inscribed "Here lye the bodyes of John Tothill and Anne his wife who departed this life, shee ye 24th of June 1635 and hee ye 9th of June 1636 and by their desires interr'd together".

- Church of St Martin of Tours, Exminster Devon

Tim britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/101334270-church-of-st-marti...

ancestors.familysearch.org/en/K6MF-SJS/william-tothill-16...

www.bowlesfamilyhistory.ca/images/MiscellaneaVol3-BusliOr...

Done