Simon Leach (1567-1638)

Sir Simon Leach (1567-1638), detail of his effigy in St Bartholomew's Church, Cadeleigh
Arms of Leach: Ermine, on a chief engrailed[1] gules three ducal coronets or. Detail from top of monument to Sir Simon Leach (1567-1638), St Bartholomew's Church, Cadeleigh
Effigies of Sir Simon Leach (1567-1638) and his second wife Katherine Turbervile. Detail from his monument in St Bartholomew's Church, Cadeleigh
Monument to Sir Simon Leach (1567-1638), St Bartholomew's Church, Cadeleigh; the largest of its type in any Devon parish church.[2]

Sir Simon Leach (1567-1638) of the parish of All Hallows, Goldsmith Street, Exeter and of Cadeleigh, Devon, was Sheriff of Devon in 1624.[3] His surviving monument in St Bartholomew's Church, Cadeleigh is the largest of its type in any Devon parish church.[4]

Origins

He was a son of Simon Leach (d.1579) of Crediton in Devon, a blacksmith, by his wife Elizabeth Rowe, daughter of John Rowe of Crediton.[5] The arms of Leach of Cadeleigh (Ermine, on a chief indented gules three ducal coronets or) are those of the ancient Leche family of Carden, near Chester, which estate held by the family until the late 20th century had been acquired during the reign of King Henry IV (1399-1413) by John Leche (descended from the family of Leche of Chatsworth in Derbyshire) on his marriage to Lucy Cawarden, heiress of Carden.[6]

Career

He served as Sheriff of Devon in 1624[7] He was knighted by King Charles I at Ford on 26 September 1625.[8]

Landholdings

Marriages & progeny

He married twice:[11]

Death & burial

He was buried in Cadeleigh Church, where survives his monument.

Monument in Cadeleigh Church

His monument in Cadeleigh Church shows recumbent effigies of himself and his second wife Katherine Turbervile, with kneeling effigies of his eldest son Sir Walter Leach at their heads and of Sir Walter's wife his wife Sara Napier at their feet. Below are two groups of kneeling progeny, to the left four sons to the right four daughters, each group separated by a prie-dieu. On top of the monument are shown the arms of Leach (left), of Leach impaling Turbervile (centre) and of leach impaling Napier (right).

Monument to Elizabeth Leach (d.1661)

Mural monument to Balthazar Beare (1616-1682) of Ash, Braunton, Braunton Church, Devon

A mural monument survives in Braunton Church in memory of Balthazar Beare (1616-1682) inscribed as follows:

"Neare this place lyeth buried Balthazar Beare of Ashe in Brannton, Esquire, who dyed on the 10th of December in the yeare of our Lord 1682; the sonne of George Beare of Ashe, Esquire, whom he succeeded. And nigh him his wife Elizabeth, who dyed on the 5th of May 1661, daughter of Sir Walter Leach of Cadeleigh in this county, knight. Beare and Forebeare"

Above within a chaplet is an escutcheon showing the arms of Beare: Argent, three bear's heads and necks erased sable muzzled or,[15] with a crescent for the difference of a second son, impaling Leach, lords of the manor of Cadeleigh: Ermine, on a chief indented gules three ducal coronets or.[16] George Beare was also seated at the estate of Frankmarsh,[17] near Barnstaple[18] and was a barrister of the Middle Temple and a judge of oyer and terminer during the reign of King Charles I.[19]

References

  1. A chief "indented" per Vivian, p.526, as is shown on the escutcheon in St Brannock's Church, Braunton, Devon, on the mural monument of Balthazer Beare of Ash, Braunton, husband of Elizabeth Leach (d.1661), daughter of Sir Walter Leach (1599-pre-1637)
  2. Pevsner, Nikolaus & Cherry, Bridget, The Buildings of England: Devon, London, 2004, p.241
  3. Vivian, Lt.Col. J.L., (Ed.) The Visitations of the County of Devon: Comprising the Heralds' Visitations of 1531, 1564 & 1620, Exeter, 1895, p.526, pedigree of Leach
  4. Pevsner, Nikolaus & Cherry, Bridget, The Buildings of England: Devon, London, 2004, p.241
  5. Vivian, p.526
  6. Burke's Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry, 15th Edition, ed. Pirie-Gordon, H., London, 1937, p.1340
  7. Vivian, p.526;Risdon, Tristram (d.1640), Survey of Devon, 1811 edition, London, 1811, with 1810 Additions, The Sheriffs of Devon since the Conquest, p.13
  8. Vivian, p.526
  9. Lysons, Magna Britannia, Vol.6, Devon, 1822
  10. Pole, Sir William (d.1635), Collections Towards a Description of the County of Devon, Sir John-William de la Pole (ed.), London, 1791, p.227
  11. Vivian, p.526
  12. Vivian, pp.526, 619, 740, pedigrees of Leach, Prideaux, Turbervile
  13. Pole, Sir William (d.1635), Collections Towards a Description of the County of Devon, Sir John-William de la Pole (ed.), London, 1791, p.227
  14. Vivian, p.398
  15. Vivian, p.59, amended
  16. Vivian, p.526, pedigree of Leach of Cadleigh
  17. Vivian, p.62
  18. Frankmarsh near Barnstaple] per inscription on mural monument in Chittlehampton Church of Rev. John Beare (1589-1656)
  19. Vivian, p.62
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