Sometimes, treasure can be found close to home. A few steps from my door is St Paul’s Church in Landkey, Devon. It’s actually a tale of three churches. The first, a 5th or 6th century church (the exact date now lost in the mists of time) was rebuilt again hundreds of years later, and finally rebuilt again in the 15th century to become the church we see today.
So there it has always been, invisible through familiarity.
But recently I stepped inside to look again at the rare and really rather touching tomb effigies that date back to the church’s second incarnation – sculptures of such antiquity that they are mentioned in a document dating to 1225 AD
Sir Robert and Elizabeth Beupel lived in the Manor of Landkey. These ancient neighbours of mine are memorialised here in such moving detail: Sir Robert in his Knights armour and Elizabeth in her wimple and long ankle-length dress. I love his pose, propped on his side, as if he is turning to look at her for all eternity.
I can’t see them without thinking of Larkin’s poem An Arundel Tomb, particularly the detail of the small dogs at their feet.
