Renovated Tomb 2024
The very large Grade II listed ‘table top’ tomb in the south east section of St Laurence churchyard contains the remains of Thomas Blackall, of Court Farm, who died in 1779, aged 61. His burial entry in the parish register bears the legend “his body weight = 456lbs” (32.5 stone/209 kg); it is believed that his coffin was too heavy to carry so had to be brought to the church on rollers. No surprise then that his tomb is so large! The recent renovation of his tomb has made it possible to read the inscription on the top: Here lies deposited the Remains of THOMAS BLACKALL Gent who died April 22 1779 Aged 61 Years. This faint inscription was revealed by members of the congregation with the use of torch light shone at an angle to the lettering on a dark night.
Interestingly, during the renovation a broken headstone was found inside the tomb and this read: As you are so was I but as I am so must you be therefore prepare to…
Headstone found inside the tomb during renovation
This epitaph, on research, would seem to have been popular on 16th century graves, particularly in the USA. It is thought that the original appeared in a European monastery but has often been copied in one version or another. It is not known how the headstone came to be in the tomb but it was replaced as the renovation was completed. Perhaps Thomas Blackall was buried in another part of the churchyard, that was his headstone so interred with him when the tomb was built. We will never know.
The Blackalls, with many branches on their family tree, had been established in Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and beyond from at least the sixteenth century. Thomas’ 3 x great grandfather, also Thomas (a popular and recurring family name along with Richard), died around 1636/7 and his many descendants became prominent folk in the community. Not only were they farmers and landowners but included one who was High Sheriff and another who became Mayor of Wallingford.
Thomas, baptised in 1718 at St Mary’s Church, Nuneham Murren, was a gentleman farmer with, according to his will, land locally in Oxfordshire, such as Berrick, Roke, Ewelme, Benson, Warborough, Shillingford, Wallingford and as far away as Chesham in Buckinghamshire. His father, William, was an important landowner and it is assumed that much of Thomas’ land ownership came from his father. A William Blackall was buried in St Laurence Churchyard in 1732 and it is thought, though not confirmed, that this was Thomas’ father. Thomas’ wife pre-deceased him leaving a daughter, Clarissa (1757-1823), who after her father’s death became the ward of his third cousin – also called Thomas Blackall – along with three other executors: John Weyman, John Lane and William Matthews.
In 1781 his daughter, Clarissa, married James Musgrave who later inherited a baronetcy and became Sir James, of Barnsley Park, Gloucestershire. Lady Musgrave was buried there in 1823. A plaque in her memory, erected by her six surviving children, bears the inscription “deeply lamenting the irreparable loss they have sustained in the death of the best of mothers”. It is reported that the mother of James Musgrave was godmother to Jane Austen.
The Blackall name lives on locally in Cholsey where Blackalls Farm House is a Grade II listed building. Blackalls Farm itself was absorbed into other farms nearby. Currently there is Old Blackalls Drive in Cholsey too. Research on the FindaGrave website shows 240 Blackalls buried in the SODC area and a glance at the telephone directory lists many Blackall names. There are no evident Blackalls in Warborough but, if anyone knows of descendants, please tell us. We would like to extend our research if possible.
In 2024 the tomb, which had for some years been a collapsing eyesore, was reconstructed under the management of the Friends of St Laurence Church and can be seen today, fully repaired. On the Friends’ website, it is reported that the architect, Ian Angus, said “the tomb reconstruction is a model of carefully thought through and well-judged structural reinforcement, heavy duty reconnection and finely made piecing-in and mortar repair – and it looks superb”. And, indeed, it does.
Grateful thanks must go to Professor Toby Garfitt who has written a booklet: “The Blackall Clan, upwardly-mobile in south Oxfordshire and Berkshire, late C15-early C19”. Professor Garfitt has been kind enough to share some of his extensive research for this article.
Thanks to Friends of St Laurence for sharing the photos in this article.
Researched by Sandy West 2025
