The Listed Headstones in Bow Churchyard

Acccording to this website there are eight listed gravestones in Bow Churchyard

These are described below. Where possible the information has been checked with the burial register.

Gosland Headstone approximately 25m north-west of West Tower.

Small headstone. Dated 1717 in memory of Amy Gosland. Mudstone. Round-headed upright slab approximately 200mm wide and approximately 450mm high. It is inscribed in capital letters AMY COSLAND BURIED JULY THE 9 1717. At the top is a horizontal line with a pair of semi-circles rising above and with a simple cross between. At the bottom is a naive and stylised representation of a cherub with half of the date on each side. The headstone was probably set in its present position in C19. [According to the burial record she was the wife of Peter Gosland.]

Elston Headstone approximately 15m south of south porch of Church

Headstone. Dated 1738 in memory of Esther Elston. Granite. Upright slab with elliptical head standing approximately 1.2m high. A simple inscribed line following the outline of the stone frames the inscription which uses both upper and lower case letters and records the death of Esther, wife of Hew (sic) Elston in December 1738.

The end of the inscription is now buried. [Burial 13 Dec 1738, wife of Hugh Elston of Crediton]

Hencley Headstone approximately 16m south of south porch of Church

Headstone. Dated 1789 in memory of Mary Hencley. Limestone. Upright slab standing approximately 800m high with nowy head and concave top corners. It is inscribed with both upper and lower case letters and records the burial of Mary Hencley in 1789. [Very few letters are now visible. Probably this is the grave of Mary Hounsley widow, pauper buried 25 Dec 1789.]

May Headstone approximately 25m south of west end of nave

Headstone. Dated 1743 in memory of Margaret May. Slate. Round-headed upright slab standing approximately 1.3m high. There is a scrollwork border around the edge and an inscribed cherub at the top over the inscription which uses both upper and lower case letters and records the burial of Margaret May, the daughter of Edward and Catherine May. [Buried 21 April 1743. Lines at the base: “Aged 21 years: My body here in dust is laid. Till it by Christ be Glorified.”]

Parish Headstone against west gate gatepost of Churchyard

Small headstone. Dated 1738 in memory of J [?] Parish. Sandstone. Upright slab approximately 200mm wide and approximately 450mm high with rounded top corners. It is crudely inscribed in capital letters I. PARISH MAY 2 1738 with a simple scroll at the top and a heart motif with a lozenge in the dimple at the bottom. The headstone was probably set in its present position in C19. [Robert Parish: buried 2 May 1738]

Parish Headstone approximately 30m south of west tower of Church

Headstone. Dated 1746 in memory of John Parish. Slate. Upright slab standing approximately 1.lm high with low elliptical almost flat top. It is inscribed with neat Roman serif letters using both upper and lower cases and records the burial of John Parish who died in 1746. [Buried 19 Apr 1746. Perhaps this stone was erected later.]

Pedler Headstone approximately 12m south of south porch of Church

Headstone. C18 in memory of Joane Pedler. Mudstone. Upright slab standing approximately 600mm high with roughly-shaped elliptical head. It is inscribed with both upper and lower case letters recording the burial of Joane Pedlar but the date has worn away. [Buried 15 Jun 1695. The date is legible. Joane Pedlar of North Tawton. The oldest identifiable headstone.]

Steer Headstone approximately 25m south of south porch of Church

Headstone. Dated, barely legible but probably 1733 in memory of Jane Steer.

Granite. Elliptical-headed upright slab standing approximately 1.1m high. The inscription is worn but still legible and set in a rectangular flame under a shallow bas-relief cherub. With simple upper and lower case letters the inscription records the burial of Jane wife of John Steer. The lower part of the inscription is now buried. [Inscription now very worn. Jane Steer buried 27 Apr 1736. Elizabeth, probably her daughter, died a few days later]