Yeovil's Virtual Museum

The Harbin Pew & Burial Vault

in the north transept of St John's church

 

The Harbin Pew

In 1432, the Chantry Chapel of the Holy Cross was founded in the north transept of St John's church. In the wake of the Reformation and the suppression of the chantries in 1548, the north transept, with its own private entrance, was commandeered by the Compton family of Newton Surmaville as the Compton family pew. When Robert Harbin purchased the manor in 1603, the north transept became the Harbin family pew. This is evidenced by the wealth of Harbin memorials on the west wall, and especially the large memorial of 1711 on the east wall.

The pew has its own entrance, now sealed, on the north side of the pew's west wall (see the Gallery).

The north window is by Hardman of Birmingham. Installed in 1879, at a cost of £250 (around £25,000 at today’s value), it depicts the Ascension with the disciples, the angelic host above and the Patriarchs below.

After the death of Mrs H Bates Harbin in 1962, her daughter restored the transept as the Chapel of the Holy Cross, dedicated to her parents. Today, however, it is little better than a storage area, but does contain (and hopefully this is only temporary) the church’s, and Yeovil’s, greatest accessible treasure - a rare, exceptional English lectern.

 

For details of the Harbin family - click here
For the Harbin family tree - click here

 

 

The access door to the Harbin pew on the east wall of the north transept - used by the family for access so they didn't have to mix with the commoners. It is believed that an underground burial vault lies under the grass in this photograph, accessed through the now blocked (see below) doorway in the Harbin vault. Photographed 12 April 2024.

 

A close-up view of the external access to the Harbin pew. Photographed 12 April 2024.

 

The  west wall of the north transept, showing some of the smaller Harbin memorials.

 

The Harbin funerary hatchment seen in the pervious photograph at high level on the west wall of the Harbin pew. A funerary hatchment is a depiction within a black lozenge-shaped frame, generally on a black background, of the deceased's heraldic achievement, that is to say the escutcheon showing the arms, together with the crest and supporters of his family or person. The hatchment was originally displayed over the front door of the house of the deceased, whose arms it portrayed, and remained there until the person was buried in the local church, it was then hung on the wall - as here - until a tomb or monument was erected.

Below, is the large monument at the centre of the west wall, seen in the photograph above. The inscription reads -

Underneath are deposited the Remains of
Wyndham Harbin Esqr Son of William and Elizabeth
who married Abigail the Daughter of
Richard Swayne of Gunvill in the County of Dorset Esqr
He died February 26 1740
Also the Remains of Swayne Harbin Esqr
only Son of William and Abigail
Who married Barbara the Daughter of
George Abington of Over Compton
in the County of Dorset Esqr
by whom He left five Sons and one Daughter
He departed this life on the 4th Day of February 1751
Aged 63. He was an affectionate Husband
a tender Parent and a faithful Friend
Hi widow in sincere regard to his memory caused
this Monument to be erected.

Also the Remains of Barbara Harbin the above named
Widow, who died June 13 1808, Aged 43
Also of the Rev Robert Harbin BA the third Son
of Swayne and Barbara Harbin, who died
March 12 1808, Aged 48.
Also of William Harbin Esqr their second Son
who died Octr 22 1823, Aged 61
Also if Wyndham Harbin Esqr, their eldest Son and Heir
who died unmarried May 5 1857, Aged 76.

Also of Rhoda Harbin, Widow of the above named
William Harbin Esqr. third Daughter of Edwartd Phelips
of Montacute Esqr, who died Aug 27 1846. Aged 87.

 

 

The impressive Harbin memorial of 1711, on the east wall of the north transept.The inscription reads as follows -

In a Vault Beneath this Place
Lie the Bodies of JOHN HARBIN Esqr Son and Heir of
ROBERT HARBIN of Weeke in ye County of Dorset,
and of Newton in this County Esqr and BRIDGET his
Wife, Daughter of WILLIAM DREWRY Gent
As also the body of ROBERT HARBIN Esqr Son of JOHN
and BRIDGET, who Married GERTRUDE, Daughter of
ANTHONY STOCKER of Chilcompton in this County Esqr.
As also the body of JOHN HARBIN Esqr Son of
ROBERT and GERTRUDE who first Married ISSABELLA
Daughter of WILLIAM PERT of Arnolds in ye County
of Essex Esq and afterwards ELIZABETH Daughter
if Sr RICHARD STRODE of Newnham in the County
of Devon Knt
As also the body of WILLIAM HARBIN Esqr
their Son and Heir, who died 10 Novr 1705. Aged
51. He Married ELIZABETH (who lies by him)
Daughter of Sr FRANCIS WYNDHAM of Trent in this
County Barronet, by whom He had nine Children
She Exchanged this life for a better 30 June 1708
they lived together many years being as great
patterns of Piety and Vertue as they were
Remarkable for their Hospitality and Extensive
Charity.
As also the body of JOHN HARBIN their Eldest Son
who died 17th of March 1704.
As also the body of WILLIAM HARBIN their Youngest Son
who died 15th of May 1705.
In pious Memory of all these WYNDHAM HARBIN
of Newton Esqr only Surviving Son of WILLIAM
and ELIZABETH hath Erected this Monument
Anno Domini 1711

The Harbin family burial vault lies below the Harbin family pew, located in the north transept of the church. Because of the sheer number of additional family members interred here over the years (seventeen, according to the monuments on the walls), it became necessary to extend the underground burial vault to both west and east. The extension to the west lies under the grass to the west of the north transept, while that to the east is now under the organ.

Many thanks to Les Whittle for the following photographs of the Harbin vault, all taken during an investigation of the vault on 23 March 2024. The vault has now been resealed.

 

Access to the vault in the floor of the Harbin pew.

 

An access ladder leads into the deep vault.

 

Looking back to the access ladder of the previous photograph. This view looks east and the stone steps are in front of a blocked doorway, believed to lead to a vault extension, now lying beneath the organ.

 

A view that includes the barrel-vaulted ceiling. This view looks east.

 

Looking west, the brick barrel-vault ceiling continues to the west wall foundations of the north transept, indicated by the stone work in the lower right quadrant. The blocked doorway is believed to lead to a vault extension lying in the north churchyard and next to the north transept.

 

Still looking west, this view shows the lower half of the blocked doorway of the previous photograph. Decaying coffins are either side, the timber coffins having decayed so much that the lead linings are visible. A small decorative box is placed centrally in front of the former doorway.

 

A close-up photograph of the small decorative box in front of the former doorway.

 

Perhaps Alfred Yendole or Tom Appleby could contact me to let me know the size of the vault extension on the other side of the blocked doorway - it is thought to be another vault, outside the church but accessed from here.

  

Looking west are seen stacked coffins on the south side of the vault.

 

... and the stacked coffins on the north side of the vault.