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| Although my surname is Tarleton and I was raised in Liverpool, England, I am not aware of a link with the Tarleton family of the 18th Century. But, due to these common factors, I have some interest in the history of Banastre Tarleton and last year visited the church [of Saint Mary Magdalene] in Leintwardine, [Herefordshire] with my wife in the hope of seeing his grave. As you have recorded on the website, it is unmarked and we were unable to locate it. |
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The memorial inside the church is well-hidden inside what may once have been a
small private chapel [the Mortimer Chapel], but now appears to have been converted
to a storeroom or vestry. I must have been lucky and visited the church while
both the 'guard' and ginger cat were on holiday, because nobody was in attendance
at the church. As we had this unimpeded access I was able to find the memorial and
take a couple of photographs.
If you look at the photo of the memorial you will see a clock on the wall and other miscellaneous garbage stuffed under it. I remember this making me quite angry at the time. I thought it was an inappropriate way to treat a memorial to a country's dead 'hero'. In my opinion, if they needed to use this part of the church they should have moved the memorial, and I still feel quite strongly about this. |
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| [The guidebook for the Church of St. Mary Magdalene in the parish of Wigmore Abbey, published in the 1970s, provides the information that the memorial is on the west wall of the Mortimer chapel. Some time between then and Peter's visit, the chapel was "re-ordered and enclosed to enable the congregation to use it in winter." -- Marg B.] |
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