Bourne Archive:
Bourne Abbey: Artefacts ©2007 R.J.PENHEY
http://boar.org.uk/abiwxo1PochinMon.htm Latest edit 26 Jan 2010
The Bourne Archive
On the south wall of the chancel
This
monument is mounted on the south wall of the chancel of Bourne Abbey. There are
several such monuments commemorating the more socially prominent Bourne people
from this period, following the rebuilding of the chancel in 1807.
This one will have been erected after Eleanor Pochin’s
husband, George had died in 1798 but stylistically, it is probably earlier than
Eleanor’s death in 1823. It will date from after the building in 1807, of the
wall on which it is mounted but the lettering styles in the two panels do not
match, implying that it was erected during Eleanor’s lifetime. The monument
portrays a widow watching over an urn representing the deceased husband but
provision had been made for commemorating her in turn, as her details are not
simply added at the bottom of a panel.
They lived in the house then known as The Abbey,
Bourne Abbey or, occasionally, as The Park. After Eleanor’s time, it came to be
called Abbey House. It was built by George Pochin in 1764. The Abbey Lawn is the small park
which belonged to it. After she died, it was used as the vicarage house. It was
demolished in 1879 (Birkbeck
p71) and the materials used for building the new
vicarage which is now the core of The Cedars old people’s home. The present
vicarage house stands on the
The lower photograph shows
the details given of their lives and the Bourne Abbots estate map shows
the land of what had formerly been her estate. It had passed from George to
Mary, his sister but on her death in 1804, it went to Eleanor (Birkbeck pp56 & 82). It is likely that the Bourne Abbots estate map,
which was produced in 1825, was part of the new management of the estate, on
behalf of her heir. Until 1844, it was in the hands of trustees, who will have
needed to account for their stewardship. The heir, William Ann Pochin died in
1901 (Birkbeck p84).
The Leicestershire connections noted by the monument
will have arisen from the location of the family’s principal seat, at Barkby
Hall (SK636098), which is now on the north-eastern fringe of
George’s portrait was painted by William Peters
and shown at the Royal Academy in 1777 (Victoria Manners p 10). An engraving was made by John Dean. It would be
interesting to know where the painting is now. If you can tell me, please do: rjp@boar.org.uk.
Go to Upper Photograph