Talland Church Headstones

Memorial 67

~ A rectangular marble memorial is framed with marble square columns and topped with a Portland stone pediment containing a shield with a painted armorial of the Kendall and Hallet coats of arms. The monument sits on a marble shelf supported by stone scrolls carved with acanthus leaves. A carved stone winged head of a cherub sits centrally below.

~ Orientation ~ Killigarth Chapel ~ 104 x 91 cm // 3’5″ x 3′

Mary’s father lived at Killigarth Manor, Thomas Kendall was the son of a merchant and died in 1684; Mary’s mother had died in 1679. James Kendall was appointed guardian to his brother’s daughter Mary; he had inherited his father’s West Indian plantations and became a politician, by 1689 he was governor of Barbados. Mary was sent to live with the Earl of Ranelagh’s family. Lady Catherine Jones (d.1740) was the Earl’s daughter, she and Mary became close friends.

Will of Mary Kendall, of Killigarth, Cornwall, dated 28 July 1709. PROB 11/514/345 National Archives. As sole heir and unmarried she bequeathed her Killigarth estate to her cousin Canon Nicholas Kendall.

• Kendall: coat of arms “argent a chevron between three dolphins naiant, embowed, stable”

• Hallet: coat of arms “a chief or overall on a bend engrailed azure three bezants”
  • colours should read: “Or, a chief engrailed sable over all on a bend engrailed gules three bezants

Westminster Abbey Statue inscription: “Mrs MARY KENDALL daughter of Thomas Kendall Esqr. and of Mrs Mary Hallet, his wife, of Killigarth in Cornwall, was born at Westminster Nov.8 1677 and dy’d at Epsome March 4 1709/10, having reach’d the full term of her blessed Saviour’s life; and study’d to imitate his spotless example. She had great virtues, and as great a desire of concealing them: was of a severe life, but of an easy conversation; courteous to all, yet strictly sincere; humble, without meanness; beneficient, without ostentation; devout, without superstition. These admirable qualitys, in which she was equall’d by few of her sex, surpass’d by none, render’d her every way worthy of that close union and friendship in which she liv’d with the Lady CATHERINE JONES; and in testimony of which she desir’d that even their ashes, after death, might not be divided: and, therefore, order’d her selfe here to be interr’d where, she knew, that excellent Lady design’d one day to rest, near the grave of her belov’d and religious mother, ELIZABETH, Countess of RANELAGH. This monument was erected by Capt. CHARLES KENDALL”.

Mary Kendall was buried in the chapel of St John the Baptist in Westminster Abbey and has a monument there with a kneeling alabaster figure of herself. The inscription was written by the Dean of Westminster Francis Atterbury.